Get 3 GTX 480s or wait for 2 4GB 5970s??

[SHAQ]

At 1920 in Crysis with tri 480 GPU utilization was in the 60% range(EVGA forum). I would get 480 SLI and overvolt and OC it as long as you have a space between them. Thermalright will have some aftermarket cooling for it in a few weeks. That could get them close to 900 core. That would be plenty for 1920.

 

[Will Robinson]

Haven't tried Metro2033 yet. I'll give that a shot next.
So far I've tried Stalker CoP and Battleforge. Sweet scaling.

And yet....your "tests" show such different scores for Stalker COP....^_^

Source: Legion Hardware

 

[Keysplayr]

And yet....your "tests" show such different scores for Stalker COP....^_^

Source: Legion Hardware

Also shows different settings. Imagine that, Will.
Dude, you're trying way to hard to discredit me. Is this personal or something?
What is your deal, exactly?
EDIT: Know what? Forget it. It's really unimportant.

 

[OCGuy]

There was a TRI-SLI review posted here last week that showed poor scaling for CrossfireX.

 

[Keysplayr]

There was a TRI-SLI review posted here last week that showed poor scaling for CrossfireX.

These? Or something else?

Part 1
http://www.maingearforums.com/entry.php?23-So-You-Want-To-Buy-A-GeForce

Part 2
http://www.maingearforums.com/entry.php?24-So-You-Want-To-Buy-A-GeForce-Part-2

 

[manimal]

Guys,

Thanks for the replies.

I'll wait for the 4GB HD5970s to come out and then make my decision. And, if I do go the NVidia route, I will do Tri-SLI as I want the top of the line. I will do QUAD if possible but I believe only 3 will work (?).

Regarding monitor setups, that's a great point. I currently have TWO 1920x1200 monitors (24" & 25.5"; Dell & Samsung respectively) but I plan to get a 30" 2560x1600 as well. The only issue is for Eyefinity or Nvidia's version of it would look somewhat weird with two smaller monitors and one monstrous 30" in the middle.

Ideally, I could sell the two smaller ones and get 3 30" monitors but I'm probably not going to do that in the near future.

And, is the Apple 30" the best one out there because it's an IPS panel? What is the best 30" monitor available?

Here is a benchmark video of Tri-SLI of the GTX 480:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GMJkVQiq5c

Looks incredible (with his whole setup)

So you know eyefinity only works on 3 monitors of the exact same resolution. One will have to be displayport as well if you dont want to use a dvi to displayport adapter. My 5870 crossfire setup is faster than anything I want to play right now. I did get a new HP zr24W and it played very well with my 2485s. Even before I added the second card it played almost all the games out there well enough with all those pixels. By adding the 2nd 5870 I could add some AA to the mix on a lot of stuff. Havent updated my sig in a while.

 

[Skurge]

The Sapphire is a HD 5970 4GB with clocks at 900MHz. That's two HD 5870's 2GB at 900MHz crossfired. That will be close with two GTX 480's, but I think it will lose to two GTX 480's, if only marginally.

As for 30"-screens, I think all of them are ips or pva. The dell's are quite popular too.

Tweaktown will be reviewing a 1GHz 5970 1GB, but its OCed. stock clocks are 900MHz

 

[x3sphere]

Wait for the 2GB 5970s, definitely. They should destroy a 3x480 SLI setup assuming ATI gets the scaling kinks worked out with quadfire.

Also, 1.5GB VRAM on Fermi is not enough for playing GTA IV fully maxed out at 2560x1600. Probably won't be too many games that hit the VRAM ceiling but something to consider.

 

[at80eighty]

Since you do video editing, I'd suggest the 480 x2

otherwise for gaming id have been partial to the 4gb 5970

 

[Silenus]

Guys gaming is only facet here and many are ignoring the photo and video editing the OP is planning. Especially if the OP is using CS4 or the new CS5 when released then nVidia is the ONLY answer to his question. It doesn't matter whether the nVidia or ATI setup has the best gaming performance... he will simply get more use out of the nVidia cards with the above software especially.

 

[Patrick Wolf]

Guys gaming is only facet here and many are ignoring the photo and video editing the OP is planning. Especially if the OP is using CS4 or the new CS5 when released then nVidia is the ONLY answer to his question. It doesn't matter whether the nVidia or ATI setup has the best gaming performance... he will simply get more use out of the nVidia cards with the above software especially.

True. But that depends on the OP's priorities. Though if tri480 beats the red solution than the choice is easy.

 

[Keysplayr]

From what I've seen it doesn't seem like an "If", more like a "does". Unless somebody has conflicting benches.

 

[Patrick Wolf]

From what I've seen it doesn't seem like an "If", more like a "does". Unless somebody has conflicting benches.

You have benchies comparing Tri480 vs. [the unreleased] 5970 4GB in CF?

 

[Lonyo]

You have benchies comparing Tri480 vs. [the unreleased] 5970 4GB in CF?

There have been a few sites which have (p)reviewed the 4GB HD5970.

 

[Keysplayr]

You have benchies comparing Tri480 vs. [the unreleased] 5970 4GB in CF?

Oops, sorry. Not the 4GB model. Though I think that will make little difference, unless you think the 2GB model is completely held back by the 1GB framebuffer. I don't think just adding another GB to the framebuffer is going to make up the ground between SLI'd 480's or Tri-SLI'd 480s and Crossfired 5970s. Even overclocked like mad.

Lonyo, do you have links to those 4GB 5970s?

 

[yh125d]

From what I've seen it doesn't seem like an "If", more like a "does". Unless somebody has conflicting benches.

The review you linked doesn't really say all that much. In regards to the 5970, it only showed that something with crysis is broke, an oddity in unigine (which most people don't really use as an indicator of performance anyways), and limited info about batman (why would they only test 5970s with no AA?). Did he say anywhere what drivers were used?


I would hardly call it comprehensive enough to make purchasing decisions off of

 

[Keysplayr]

The review you linked doesn't really say all that much. In regards to the 5970, it only showed that something with crysis is broke, an oddity in unigine (which most people don't really use as an indicator of performance anyways), and limited info about batman (why would they only test 5970s with no AA?). Did he say anywhere what drivers were used?


I would hardly call it comprehensive enough to make purchasing decisions off of

No, not comprehensive at all. No mention of drivers used in part II, and in part I, the ATI driver used is actually left blank. They list the 197.17's for the 480's though.

This is by no means difinitive. I agree with you.
My own GTX480 SLI testing is quite impressive with the scaling though.

 

[yh125d]

No, not comprehensive at all. No mention of drivers used in part II, and in part I, the ATI driver used is actually left blank. They list the 197.17's for the 480's though.

This is by no means difinitive. I agree with you.
My own GTX480 SLI testing is quite impressive with the scaling though.

Yeah it gave a good idea of 480 scaling, but the 5970 info left me still really not having a decent idea how they scale