Buying a new graphics card. Need a little advice

DraznDrazn
edited January 2010 in Hardware
I currently have 2 8800 GTSs in SLI configuration and was looking for a 1 card solution. I would really like something that will run all the current games and the highest settings. I have been out of the graphics card market for a minute so bare with me.

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited January 2010
    What is your budget? If, for example, it's less than $500, the Radeon HD 5870 is about 20% faster than your configuration.
  • Cliff_ForsterCliff_Forster Icrontian
    edited January 2010
    Drazn wrote:
    I currently have 2 8800 GTSs in SLI configuration and was looking for a 1 card solution. I would really like something that will run all the current games and the highest settings. I have been out of the graphics card market for a minute so bare with me.

    Radeon 5850,


    There is a more powerful dual chip option in the 5970, but its expensive, hard to find, and probably not absolutely necessary to run the current games on high details at HD resolutions.

    A 5850 makes a great single card solution, the listed MSI card has a little factory overclock on it, and the card itself is not priced too bad at $300

    Keeping in mind, a pair of 8800 GTS's is still a capable amount of 3D processing power. What the gains would be in terms of processing power I'm not 100% sure, I'm certain you won't loose anything, but I don't think a single 5850 is going to blow it away, though a single 5970 will beat the tar out of them if you can find one. What I do know is the power management, your case airflow and overall quality of the experience of not having to deal with a dual card set up, DX11, all may make it worth the upgrade. Reasonably I would bet you could at least offset $100 of the cost by selling your old cards, making it a sound upgrade even if you don't get a huge frame rate boost.

    Once again, if your made of money and you want the absolute best single card out there, the Radeon 5970 is what you want, but they are hard to come by, and run nearly $700. The 5870 is about $420, thats what I currently run, but general consensus seems to say that the dollar for dollar winner in the high end market is the 5850.

    You could get a NVIDIA GTX295 for around $550 if you can find one, but I can't advise buying DX10 limited tech for that kind of money I want to know I am getting DX11 capable hardware.
  • miragemirage
    edited January 2010
    With your configuration, I would wait 5-6 months longer before upgrading. DX11 is not widely adopted yet and the high-end DX11 hardware prices are high now.
  • Cliff_ForsterCliff_Forster Icrontian
    edited January 2010
    mirage wrote:
    With your configuration, I would wait 5-6 months longer before upgrading. DX11 is not widely adopted yet and the high-end DX11 hardware prices are high now.

    I don't think thats bad advice myself.

    I think the thing you have to ask yourself is why the upgrade? Is it because your really displeased with performance? Then your going to need to spend allot for a single card thats going to beat up your dual card set up, really, the 5970 is the only thing I could recomend.

    If your not really displeased with your performance but you are strgguleing to keep your system cool, you want to save some engergy, quiet your system down a little, the single 5850 can make alot of sense.
  • DraznDrazn
    edited January 2010
    I would like to list my specs for my system and would like to know in you guys opinion what I should upgrade.

    E8400 3.0 ghz core 2 duo
    BFG Tech GeForce 8800GTS 512MB x 2
    OCZ Platinum 4GB DDR3 1600
    EVGA NVIDIA nForce 790i Ultra SLI MOBO
    COOLER MASTER Stacker 830 Evolution ATX Full Tower Computer Case
    Real Power Pro 1000W Power
    Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Pro
    ZALMAN CNPS 9700 NT 110mm 2 Ball Ultra Quiet CPU Cooler
    Seagate Barracuda 750GB SATA
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