4850 crossfire or what?

[tigersty1e]

So I'm upgrading soon to core i7, but I'm undecided with what to do with my graphics card. I game at 1680 x 1050.

I hear core i7 scales crossfire well.

1. Get another 4850 for $80 and crossfire and then buy the next, next generation card (ati 6870 or GTX 400 series) or when the next gen card is affordable.

2. Wait for the next gen cards to come out and blow some more money.


I'm leaning towards option 1 because it seems the best affordable, but I also want to play the latest games that come in the next year or so.

 

[vj8usa]

I'd advise against crossfiring 512MB 4850s, even at 1680x1050. I've run into several games where my framerates are good enough to handle 4xAA, but lack of VRAM makes it stutter so much that it's unplayable (at 1680x1050). And that's with a single 4850.

What about selling it and getting something like a 4890? You could even crossfire that later on once prices drop. Or you could just use the 4850 for now, and not upgrade until the next generation is out (you could save money by getting a mid range next gen card, or a current gen card after prices drop).

Are there any games you play right now that you need more performance in? If not, it'd make more sense not to upgrade until you want to play a game your 4850 can't run acceptably.

 

[bigsnyder]

I disagree. The 4850 sees a large performance increase in many games. Of course there are some that don't scale, but generally the HD4850 is one of the few cards that gives a lot of "bang for the buck" crossfired. As far as the VRAM, I game at 1900x1200 just fine with two 512MB HD4850s. However, I don't usually run any high AA settings, 2X is about the most I do unless it is an older title. At 1680x1050, you should have a lot more headroom to run higher AA settings. It utlimately boils down to what games you run. VJ8USA is probably running games where VRAM is obviously a factor, where as the games I have are not an issue with 512MB. As they say: YMMV.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: vj8usa
What about selling it and getting something like a 4890? You could even crossfire that later on once prices drop. Or you could just use the 4850 for now, and not upgrade until the next generation is out .

^^

 

[dguy6789]

I do believe the lack of vram argument is a bit overplayed, similar to psu wattage recommendations being overkill. There are gains to be had(sometimes large gains) with 1GB cards, but 512MB cards can still play everything just fine. Your game performance will go up a bit just by upgrading to the Core i7. If I were you, I'd wait for the next gen to get a new card.

 

[Jacen]

Id say hold off till DX11 hits and pick yourself up some new ATI hardware come October. Kind of silly to toss in another 4850 at this point which won't even double your performance if you plan on getting something new in a few months anyhow.

 

[Dribble]

Originally posted by: Jacen
Id say hold off till DX11 hits and pick yourself up some new ATI hardware come October. Kind of silly to toss in another 4850 at this point which won't even double your performance if you plan on getting something new in a few months anyhow.

+1

On top of the lack of vram, xfire introduces additional driver problems which will get worse when the 4850 is last gen and ati aren't spending so long making sure it works properly.

 

[TC91]

Originally posted by: Dribble

Originally posted by: Jacen
Id say hold off till DX11 hits and pick yourself up some new ATI hardware come October. Kind of silly to toss in another 4850 at this point which won't even double your performance if you plan on getting something new in a few months anyhow.

+1

On top of the lack of vram, xfire introduces additional driver problems which will get worse when the 4850 is last gen and ati aren't spending so long making sure it works properly.

QFT. Also, a lack of user game profiles further aggravates the issue.

 

[crazylegs]

Either sell the 4850 and upgrade to a faster single card now (i.e. 4890 or 275 if you can find a competitive deal), is going to be a while till DX11 is anywhere near mainstream.

Or

If you can wait a few months see what the next gen has to offer and pick up a card then, which will see you far into the DX11 gen.