Crossfire Question

imported_browsing

Senior member
Aug 22, 2006
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I've got a x1900 xtx and I'm confused by ATI's FAQ on their website. Do I have to purchase a x1900 CF (or an x1950 CF) card to use crossfire, or could I get another x1900 xtx and somehow configure crossfire? Just curious.
 

JPB

Diamond Member
Jul 4, 2005
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Im pretty sure it has to be the 1900 CF Edition. The 1950's wont work with the 1900's.
 

BenchZowner

Senior member
Dec 9, 2006
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You can use another X1900XT Crossfire Ready card ( 'normal' x1900xt ) or a X1900XT Crossfire Edition ( 'master' card ).
If you're looking for max performance, you should get the CrossFire Edition card, as you'll get a little bit more performance ( because the CrossFire Ready card lacks of compos. chipset )
 

hardwareking

Senior member
May 19, 2006
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actually either will do.An x1950 crossfire or x1900 crossfire will work with ur present card.Only the x1950 crossfire will downclock its memory to match the x1900 xt speeds.
 

BenchZowner

Senior member
Dec 9, 2006
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@gersson:
It's wiser not to answer a question when you're not sure.

@browsing:

Get a X1900XT/XTX card ( CF Ready ) or a X1900XT CF Edition ( 'mastercard' ).

You can use a X1950XTX/CF Edition, but I wouldn't recommend this.
[ plus, the 1143MHz RAM bug @ X1950XTcf/XTX :D ]
 

BlizzardOne

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Nov 4, 2006
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Originally posted by: BenchZowner
@gersson:
It's wiser not to answer a question when you're not sure.

@browsing:

Get a X1900XT/XTX card ( CF Ready ) or a X1900XT CF Edition ( 'mastercard' ).

You can use a X1950XTX/CF Edition, but I wouldn't recommend this.
[ plus, the 1143MHz RAM bug @ X1950XTcf/XTX :D ]

lol.

Gersson has a CF setup - pretty sure he knows what he's talking about. And as it happens, he's correct, for the CF'd X1900 series, you need one 1900XT (or XTX) AND one X1900 Master Card. Same for X1950's, you need one XT (or XTX) AND a Master Card.
 

LittleNemoNES

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2005
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Originally posted by: BlizzardOne
Originally posted by: BenchZowner
@gersson:
It's wiser not to answer a question when you're not sure.

@browsing:

Get a X1900XT/XTX card ( CF Ready ) or a X1900XT CF Edition ( 'mastercard' ).

You can use a X1950XTX/CF Edition, but I wouldn't recommend this.
[ plus, the 1143MHz RAM bug @ X1950XTcf/XTX :D ]

lol.

Gersson has a CF setup - pretty sure he knows what he's talking about. And as it happens, he's correct, for the CF'd X1900 series, you need one 1900XT (or XTX) AND one X1900 Master Card. Same for X1950's, you need one XT (or XTX) AND a Master Card.

ha ha

I know. Oh well, some folks type faster than they can think :)

BTW, you can mix and match cards (for example x1900xt+x1950CF) but I don't recommend it. Going crossfire now is not the best idea either wait a month for ATI's latest offering and see what the prices look like.
 

BenchZowner

Senior member
Dec 9, 2006
380
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Originally posted by: BlizzardOne
Originally posted by: BenchZowner
@gersson:
It's wiser not to answer a question when you're not sure.

@browsing:

Get a X1900XT/XTX card ( CF Ready ) or a X1900XT CF Edition ( 'mastercard' ).

You can use a X1950XTX/CF Edition, but I wouldn't recommend this.
[ plus, the 1143MHz RAM bug @ X1950XTcf/XTX :D ]

lol.

Gersson has a CF setup - pretty sure he knows what he's talking about. And as it happens, he's correct, for the CF'd X1900 series, you need one 1900XT (or XTX) AND one X1900 Master Card. Same for X1950's, you need one XT (or XTX) AND a Master Card.

Ok, you went asking for it.

I'll reply to ya, just like you did.

LOL, dude!

CrossFire without a mastercard aka CrossFire Edition card, was introduced since Catalyst v6.12

http://it-review.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=686&Itemid=91

There was ( and should still be ) a review/article at Hardware.fr aswell.

Ha ha!
Like that now ?

When you don't know with whom you're talking, better watch out [ or just back up when you're not sure ]
 

LittleNemoNES

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2005
4,142
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Originally posted by: BenchZowner
Originally posted by: BlizzardOne
Originally posted by: BenchZowner
@gersson:
It's wiser not to answer a question when you're not sure.

@browsing:

Get a X1900XT/XTX card ( CF Ready ) or a X1900XT CF Edition ( 'mastercard' ).

You can use a X1950XTX/CF Edition, but I wouldn't recommend this.
[ plus, the 1143MHz RAM bug @ X1950XTcf/XTX :D ]

lol.

Gersson has a CF setup - pretty sure he knows what he's talking about. And as it happens, he's correct, for the CF'd X1900 series, you need one 1900XT (or XTX) AND one X1900 Master Card. Same for X1950's, you need one XT (or XTX) AND a Master Card.

Ok, you went asking for it.

I'll reply to ya, just like you did.

LOL, dude!

CrossFire without a mastercard aka CrossFire Edition card, was introduced since Catalyst v6.12

http://it-review.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=686&Itemid=91

There was ( and should still be ) a review/article at Hardware.fr aswell.

Ha ha!
Like that now ?

When you don't know with whom you're talking, better watch out [ or just back up when you're not sure ]

Well you are correct and I knew that BUT it's not worth the performance hit...
I know you can agree with that, right? :D
 

aka1nas

Diamond Member
Aug 30, 2001
4,335
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BenchZowner, can you link an article that actually shows software Crossfire actually working on a specific setup besides that itreview.net article? The numbers on that review seem rather implausible as some benchmarks are getting >100% performance increases with software crossfire.

So far everyone on the various forums who has actually tried it can't get it to work and ATI/AMD support is still saying you need a mastercard.
 

BlizzardOne

Member
Nov 4, 2006
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Originally posted by: BenchZownerHa ha!
Like that now ?

When you don't know with whom you're talking, better watch out [ or just back up when you're not sure ]


oh i feel so threatened :disgust:
 
Jan 5, 2007
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I'm not sure but I think the only motherboard where they got software crossfire to work was on a Asus P5W DH Deluxe I975X.
From what I remember they only got about a 30% increase.

Don't take this for certain, I might just as well remember wrong
 

BenchZowner

Senior member
Dec 9, 2006
380
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@Wolfkin:

It works ( CrossFire without a mastercard ) in every CrossFire Ready motherboard ( i975X, RD600 ).

Hardware vs Software CrossFire, software crossfire is slower ( average ) 8-14%
 

BlizzardOne

Member
Nov 4, 2006
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Originally posted by: BenchZowner
@Wolfkin:

It works ( CrossFire without a mastercard ) in every CrossFire Ready motherboard ( i975X, RD600 ).

Hardware vs Software CrossFire, software crossfire is slower ( average ) 8-14%

And when master cards and slave cards are nowadays within a stonethrow of one another, price-wise, why bother with the software option? Not worth the performance penalty given the small cost difference.
 

BenchZowner

Senior member
Dec 9, 2006
380
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By the way, it's a shame that nobody proposed the best solution ( actually not a solution, just an option ), which would be:

1) Sell the X1900XTX
2) Buy a 8800GTX
3) Done :D

Better IQ ( Image Quality ), more performance ( in most games ), compatibility ( how many games benefit truely from CrossFire ? :p ) and efficient ( power supply usage )
 

LittleNemoNES

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2005
4,142
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Originally posted by: BenchZowner
By the way, it's a shame that nobody proposed the best solution ( actually not a solution, just an option ), which would be:

1) Sell the X1900XTX
2) Buy a 8800GTX
3) Done :D

Better IQ ( Image Quality ), more performance ( in most games ), compatibility ( how many games benefit truely from CrossFire ? :p ) and efficient ( power supply usage )

You're right but he wanted to know about Crossfire.