OMF:BG Message Board

killer_roach · Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 1:46 pm Post subject: Getting a new video card - Advice

I'm getting to the point where I'm looking at upgrading my system... however, the CPUs I want won't be out until the end of the year. In the meantime, I want to upgrade my video card first.

Question: Should I:

1) Get a 320MB GeForce 8800GTS now, and get a higher end card when I upgrade my CPU,

2) Get a 640MB 8800GTS now, and get another one to run them in SLI once I upgrade my CPU, or

3) Get a Radeon HD 2900 XT now, and get another one to run in Crossfire once I upgrade my CPU

Thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
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Desktop:
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Laptop:
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4GB DDR3-800
Radeon 4570 1GB
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Wraiyth · Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 2:25 pm Post subject:

Number 1, because that means you can give me your old one Razz

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Raven · Joined: 14 Oct 2000 Posts: 6378 Location: Sriniskal

I'd go with option 1. SLI = power requirements of 2 video cards. However, you may find you don't need a newer, better video card for quite a while. I'm still running an AGP GF7600GS with no complaints.
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Zelig · Joined: 08 Jan 2003 Posts: 4178

Probably option 1.

I'm on my third video card upgrade with my DFI Ultra-D board (modded to support SLI). For the first 2 cards, I figured I'd get an sli card at the end of the cards' run, when they were cheaper. However, when the time comes, it's always cheaper to just sell my card, and get a single faster one which gives me better performance than going SLI.

What cpu you looking at?

killer_roach · Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 9:53 pm Post subject:

Not sure whether I'll end up getting a Intel Wolfdale-core chip (45nm native quad-core) or an AMD Phenom FX (quad-core chip based off of Agena). I'm thinking I want to go quad-core (to allow me some headroom either for doing virtualization or for media encoding), but the chips I want have been delayed somewhat.

For the record, here is the card I'm looking at getting for the time being, though.

EDIT for additional information:
Wolfdale is dual-core, Yorkfield is quad-core. However, Yorkfield is not native quad-core, and won't come out until Q1 or Q2 2008 now. Not good... so, assuming that Barcelona and Agena don't suck, I'll probably remain an AMD user for now. If not, I'll just pick up a Core 2 Quad CPU. In addition, I have ordered the 8800GTS linked above.
_________________
Official forum economist. Explodes when thrown.

Desktop:
Core i7-2600K @ 4.5 GHz
16GB DDR3-1600
eVGA GeForce 970 FTW
Windows 10 Preview

Laptop:
Core 2 Duo 2.8 GHz
4GB DDR3-800
Radeon 4570 1GB
Windows 7 Home Premium x64

killer_roach · Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 7:14 pm Post subject:

Well, here we are... I got myself a socket AM2 motherboard, 2GB of DDR2-800, and an Athlon 64 X2 3600+ as well as the aforementioned video card. (Not a 3800+ like I originally planned, but it is a Brisbane core, and I've got the beast humming along at just over 2.2 GHz right now as a start, from a stock of 1.9, God bless the Scythe Katana 2 heatsink)

Got fairly good performance, too, considering I am running Vista... 27,531 on 3DM03, 11,352 on 3DM05, and 6,882 on 3DM06 (although Windows Update kinda kicked in while I was running the last two, those scores might be a bit low). As a bit of a more practical stress test, runs F.E.A.R. maxed at 1280x1024 like a champ. I'm beginning to like this rig Smile

_________________
Official forum economist. Explodes when thrown.

Desktop:
Core i7-2600K @ 4.5 GHz
16GB DDR3-1600
eVGA GeForce 970 FTW
Windows 10 Preview

Laptop:
Core 2 Duo 2.8 GHz
4GB DDR3-800
Radeon 4570 1GB
Windows 7 Home Premium x64