Help me decide!

[paulxcook]

By the end of next week, I will have a new Opteron 144, two x850 xt's (one is crossfire edition), and an Asus A8r-mvp mobo. All this was had at a pretty excellent price, but totalled it cost $670.

I'm selling my current proc for $100 (done deal), so that brings it down to $570. So here's my dilemma.

I like my DFI board, and even though I will probably be able to sell it to match the price I paid for the Asus, I'm not sure I want to.

I'm considering selling off my current graphics card and the two X850 xt's and the new Asus mobo (hopefully for around $500) to just buy a single 7800gt ($289).

I really rushed into this initially and I think I could do just as well with a single 7800gt as I could the two x850 xt's in crossfire. And I don't really want to learn another bios.

But then I keep thinking I should stick with the original plan of crossfire, that it'd be fun. I'm waffling back and forth without deciding anything. Any advise?

Thanks in advance.

 

[bobsmith1492]

Go for the GT. It'll always be better to have a single, more-powerful card than two lessers; plus the 7800 has more features from what I hear. You could also get some money back from it, and it'd likely be faster and definitely have fewer bugs than Crossfire.

I'm not sure what you mean by "learn a new bios." All you have to do is install different drivers, which takes about 3 clicks and 2 minutes.

 

[otispunkmeyer]

SLI is better than the X800 series incarnation of crossfire. i wouldnt put money into it because theres a fair few things wrong with it. later crossfires of the X1800/X1900 are much much better though.

sinlge 7800 or 7800's in SLI will be a better choice when looking at X800 series CF.

sell the two 850's and get something better.

 

[paulxcook]

Originally posted by: bobsmith1492
Go for the GT. It'll always be better to have a single, more-powerful card than two lessers; plus the 7800 has more features from what I hear. You could also get some money back from it, and it'd likely be faster and definitely have fewer bugs than Crossfire.

I'm not sure what you mean by "learn a new bios." All you have to do is install different drivers, which takes about 3 clicks and 2 minutes.

When I say "learn a new bios" I'm more talking about switching from my nf4 board to a crossfire board with the different bios.

You guys are saying the same things I'm thinking. Any other opinions?

 

[Praxis1452]

Well I would first play around with crossfire. I mean use them both and see how it turns out. Then benchmark it in games and then compare it to the 7800gt benchmarks. Try it and see how you like crossfire. If you really don't then you can always sell them.

 

[Ackmed]

Having used several watercooled PC's as you have now, changing a motherboard, and video cards can be an all day adventure. Personally, I would try and sell the two X850's, and get a single card. Depending on how much you want to spend, and how much you get for your X850's, the X1900XT for less than $500 would pair up with your CPU really well. Or a cheaper card, and another gig or ram. You really need two these days.

 

[paulxcook]

Originally posted by: Praxis1452
Well I would first play around with crossfire. I mean use them both and see how it turns out. Then benchmark it in games and then compare it to the 7800gt benchmarks. Try it and see how you like crossfire. If you really don't then you can always sell them.

If I was on air cooling I'd definitely do this. However, as Ackmed mentioned, I'm running on water, and swapping the mobo and cpu would be a huge pain. I think it's time to cut my losses and sell the x850's and pick up a 7800gt.

As for the x1900 xt, while it would be AWESOME, I think I've pushed my wife far enough on new hardware for now

 

[n7]

Crossfire X850XTs will destroy a single 7800GT. Even a single X850XT beats stock 7800GTs in a number of games.

Granted, Crossfire's implementation isn't the greatest, but if pure performance is what you're after, the two X850s would be the better route of the two.

Why you got the two only to think about selling i'll never know.

I'd try to get rid of the two X850XTs & get an X1900XT or X1800XT if you can find it for a nice bit cheaper...

 

[paulxcook]

Originally posted by: n7Why you got the two only to think about selling i'll never know.

I admit I got carried away. This started as a plan to just upgrade my graphics card for cheap (x800 xl to an x850 xt, found a good deal on it). Then I brought up buying another, just to test the water, and my wife just said "sure". And she said it again with the new proc.

Call it a symptom of utter shock.

So an X1800 XT would be better than a 7800gt? I thought those were about even with each other. Don't the 7800gt's have more pipelines? Or does that even matter as much now?

 

[paulxcook]

I guess I could possibly afford this when I'm done selling: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814131006

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: paulxcook
I guess I could possibly afford this when I'm done selling: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814131006

Nice card. Good deal. Beats the hell out of X8xx Crossfire.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: paulxcook

Originally posted by: Praxis1452
Well I would first play around with crossfire. I mean use them both and see how it turns out. Then benchmark it in games and then compare it to the 7800gt benchmarks. Try it and see how you like crossfire. If you really don't then you can always sell them.

If I was on air cooling I'd definitely do this. However, as Ackmed mentioned, I'm running on water, and swapping the mobo and cpu would be a huge pain. I think it's time to cut my losses and sell the x850's and pick up a 7800gt.

As for the x1900 xt, while it would be AWESOME, I think I've pushed my wife far enough on new hardware for now

for $489, the 1900xt would be a better choice over the gt or x850xfire . . . especially after selling your x850xts. Can't you just return them?

 

[Avalon]

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: paulxcook
I guess I could possibly afford this when I'm done selling: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814131006

Nice card. Good deal. Beats the hell out of X8xx Crossfire.

Supposedly lifetime warranty to boot now as well, or would that only apply to their retail boxed cards?

 

[paulxcook]

Originally posted by: apoppin
for $489, the 1900xt would be a better choice over the gt or x850xfire . . . especially after selling your x850xts. Can't you just return them?

Not exactly. They were eBay purchases, and one of them was used. I may be able to return the Crossfire card as it was new, but I'm not sure...

I think I'm done with eBay purchasing of hardware, it's too easy to go nuts. I'm usually more of a saver than a spender, but I dunno, maybe someone slipped some crack into my ramen or something

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: paulxcook

Originally posted by: apoppin
for $489, the 1900xt would be a better choice over the gt or x850xfire . . . especially after selling your x850xts. Can't you just return them?

Not exactly. They were eBay purchases, and one of them was used. I may be able to return the Crossfire card as it was new, but I'm not sure...

I think I'm done with eBay purchasing of hardware, it's too easy to go nuts. I'm usually more of a saver than a spender, but I dunno, maybe someone slipped some crack into my ramen or something

"Crack Ramen"
:Q

why does that sound so wrong?



be aware that new PCIe x850xts are going for around $200 . . . try to return the new card if you can.

 

[RussianSensation]

If you don't need that much horsepower, I'd go with 7800GT. But appopin makes a good points: it'll be hard to sell them at prices you had in mind.

 

[paulxcook]

I realize I won't make all my $ back, but I'll deal. I'm waiting to hear back about returning the card.

 

[Steelski]

Originally posted by: paulxcook

Originally posted by: n7Why you got the two only to think about selling i'll never know.

I admit I got carried away. This started as a plan to just upgrade my graphics card for cheap (x800 xl to an x850 xt, found a good deal on it). Then I brought up buying another, just to test the water, and my wife just said "sure". And she said it again with the new proc.

Call it a symptom of utter shock.

So an X1800 XT would be better than a 7800gt? I thought those were about even with each other. Don't the 7800gt's have more pipelines? Or does that even matter as much now?

I does not matter as much now. The gt is a great card aswell. but nowhere near as fast. I think you should be able to sell all he hardware for almost as much as is new. the new prices are not that high and the cards are still in demand by cheapo gamers. X1800 or X1900 would be the best in my oppinion. Dont also forget the standard 7800GTX.

 

[paulxcook]

Thanks a lot to everyone who's posted advice. I'm glad I finally started posting here.

I'll definitely be selling off the x850 xt's and the crossfire mobo. Once I do that I'm just not sure what I'm going to get as a graphics card. It's hard to decide when the cards that I'm going to sell haven't even arrived yet. Heh, I'm so dumb.

 

[paulxcook]

Ok, it turns out I can return the Crossfire card, but there is a 20% restocking fee. I paid $247 for it, so I'd get $194 back. They don't seem to be going for even that much on eBay, so I may be better off doing this.

 

[Hacp]

nvm