I'm in the process to configuring a new computer. Right now I'm kicking around the choices of Video cards. Such as Nvidia 7900GTX or 7950GX2, or an ATI 1900XT or 1900XTX. I want to have a system I can upgrade to a second video card. I've had a Nvidia SLI setup in the past, but I have never dealt with an ATI CrossFire setup. I want to make sure I cross all the T's and dot all the I's. The Power Supply that I plan on getting is the PC Power and Cooling Silcener 750W. My motherboard choice is undecided, but I tend to get ASUS boards.
Educate Me On ATI CrossFire.....
- Thread starter LasombraB
- Start date
Single card x1900xt is the king. Dual GPU -- depends on the games you play. I had SLI and it was stable but I still hated not having vsync (fixed now?). I'm using crossfire -- it can handle every game perfectly (except buggy ass ones like call of juarez demo).
Some people say SLi is better than crossfire but consider this: The low FPS is what really matters and most of the time they are within 3 fps of each other. The average fps -- one has an advantage over the other depending on the game. High FPS no contest SLI wins by like 100--200 fps.
BUT who the hell cares about having 200 fps when staring @ a wall with a 60 refresh rate?
IMO ATI has better image quality and does better in oblivion which I really like.
To use Crossfire you need a crossfire motherboard (ATI xpress 3200 chipset) and a Crossfire edition card (special version comes with a dongle) and a regular card -- either x1900xt or xtx (crossfire doesn't downclock the stronger card).
Das it.
Some people say SLi is better than crossfire but consider this: The low FPS is what really matters and most of the time they are within 3 fps of each other. The average fps -- one has an advantage over the other depending on the game. High FPS no contest SLI wins by like 100--200 fps.
BUT who the hell cares about having 200 fps when staring @ a wall with a 60 refresh rate?
IMO ATI has better image quality and does better in oblivion which I really like.
To use Crossfire you need a crossfire motherboard (ATI xpress 3200 chipset) and a Crossfire edition card (special version comes with a dongle) and a regular card -- either x1900xt or xtx (crossfire doesn't downclock the stronger card).
Das it.
I kind of left that out didn't I. I want to know what motherboard is best, what verison of the video cards I should get. And if the Power Supply I'm planning on will work or not.
If you're going Core 2 Duo (highly recommended for a new system)
get a 975x mobo (like the Asus one)
an x1900 Crossfire edition card
an x1900xt card
The CPU is up to you: either e6400 or e6600
So I just need to a x1900xt video, and to get CrossFire to work get one that is a Crossfire Edition. They both don't have to be a CrossFire edition video card, right?
Elfear
Diamond Member
- May 30, 2004
- 7,097
- 644
- 126
Just one has to be a Crossfire edition. The other can be a regular X1900 series card.
I should have some results in a few days of how well the MSI 975X Platinum board works. It's about $60-70 cheaper than the Asus and a guy over at XS took his to ~450fsb with no mods. That being said, the two best boards out right now that support Crossfire, are the ASUS P5W DH Deluxe and the Intel "Bad Axe" board. Both have their issues and both are expensive but they seem to be having the most success so far.
I should have some results in a few days of how well the MSI 975X Platinum board works. It's about $60-70 cheaper than the Asus and a guy over at XS took his to ~450fsb with no mods. That being said, the two best boards out right now that support Crossfire, are the ASUS P5W DH Deluxe and the Intel "Bad Axe" board. Both have their issues and both are expensive but they seem to be having the most success so far.
The master card requirement sort of kills Crossfire in terms of value. From what I have read, it gives a somewhat higher % increase with the second card than SLI does. I wouldn't consider it unless you are buying fairly high-end cards, like x1900XTs or better. The mastercard is typically $100 to 200 more than the regular version of the card, which makes SLI a little more attractive if you can get a deal on a card like the 7900GT.
how about the 3rd card (non matched) for physics use? anyone heard anything about the performance of the ati physics setup?
I'm looking at getting an x1900XT at least.
What about cooling the ATI video cards? I've ready alot about the stock fan/HS is very noisy.
Wreckage
Banned
- Jul 1, 2005
- 5,529
- 0
- 0
When you run it at 100%, yeah, it is. But you can use atitool to run the fan slower and stick with stock clocks.
From personal experience Crossfire is perfectly stable and gives me great fps. SLI usually wins out with the high fps but I hope you know better than to claim that SLi's 300 fps for BF2 is better than crossfire's 180 fps.
There is no game that I don't get the peformance i want @ 1680x1050 4xSSAA as well as on my bros 1920x1080 Dell -- though with either 2xSSAA or 4xPAA
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