ATI Selection Help

[jmekelb]

Hey guys,
I'm currently building an i7 rig and was settled on a single 4890 with intent to add a second once the prices drop to ~$150 USD. I then began to consider crossfiring lesser cards from the beginning. This system will be mostly used for work (read: non-GPU intensive applications) but my ego will not allow me to have low framerates in Diablo III when it comes out. My budget is really ~$230 but there is a little flex there.

Here are the options I'm considering:

XFX 4890 - $229.99 after MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814150359

(2) Asus 4870 512MB - $269.98 after MIR ($134.99 each)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814121288

Sapphire 4850x2 - $234.99 after MIR
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814102813

(2) Asus 4850 512MB - $199.98 after MIR ($99.99 each)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814121272

Here's the rest of my system:
Asus P6T
i7 920 @ 3.3ghz
6 Gig OCZ DDR3 1600
Dual HP 23" Monitors @ 1920 x 1080
Corsair 850TX

 

[fourdegrees11]

Just go with the 4890, no sense in complicating things. For all we know DIII won't even scale well with crossfire.

 

[way2fast91]

Originally posted by: fourdegrees11
Just go with the 4890, no sense in complicating things. For all we know DIII won't even scale well with crossfire.

I agree with this statement that until you see actual benchs you won't know exactly what the game will require hardwarewise, but from the cards you have selected above and based on lots of input I have read from others on this board, I believe you should consider:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814102809

 

[jmekelb]

Thanks guys... Not sure how I missed the 2GB 4850x2. $30 for twice the ram? Sounds like a deal. I do like the simplicity of the 4890, I'm just not sure I can pass up the performance gain of the 4850x2.

Still have lots to think about...

 

[error8]

Crossfireing two 4870/4850 512mb cards is a bad idea from the start. You'll have only 512mb of vram for your two gpus and that is not enough. Again, the 4850X2 you've linked has only 1 gb of ram ( 512X2) and the first idea stands.
4890 is the best choice out of those you've linked.

 

[error8]

Originally posted by: jmekelb
Thanks guys... Not sure how I missed the 2GB 4850x2. $30 for twice the ram? Sounds like a deal. I do like the simplicity of the 4890, I'm just not sure I can pass up the performance gain of the 4850x2.

Still have lots to think about...

We posted in the same time.

4850X2 2gb is a great card, faster then 4890 most of the time. So, it's up to you....

 

[jmekelb]

I forgot that you only get access to the vram on one of the two crossfired cards.

The link that way2fast91 provided is a 2GB 4850x2 so that would be the dual GPU set-up I would consider at this point.

 

[dflynchimp]

what power supply are you running on? 4850X2 chews through considerably more power than a 4890, so unless you have a 600W+ psu I wouldn't do the X2

edit: nvm saw your rig specs. But another point of contention is that the 4850X2 is a VERY long card, longer than the 4870X2 in fact. Unless you have a full ATX case without alot of other clutter getting the 4850X2 in would be a nightmare.

 

[vj8usa]

I'm 90% sure that any modern GPU will be able to handle Diablo 3 with ease. The game doesn't seem to be too graphically intensive, and Blizzard generally tries to get their games to run well on a wide variety of systems.

 

[WaitingForNehalem]

get the 4890 for $183

 

[vj8usa]

Originally posted by: WaitingForNehalem
get the 4890 for $183

If you mean the ewiz deal for the MSI 4890, that's dead now. Up to 210+shipping after rebate or something like that.

 

[Tempered81]

id get a 4890 now, you can pick up a second later on, and then a third if you really need it.

nice upgrade path for your i7. a single 4890 should be okay for diablo III.