Just bought 1900xt, and found out about R580+

[imported_BIOSMonkey]

Like I said, I used a dell coupon to get a 1900xt to upgrade an x800xl. I haven't had a chance to install it yet, so it's still shrinkwrapped in the box. In the meantime, I've been reading about the upcoming r580+, Directx 10 and Vista (and also saw the Crysis demo..wow)

So I don't know what to do. Would you keep it? I am leaning toward returning it, because as I understand it one of the advantages of 580+ will be that it runs cooler...and I am very concerned about heat generation. My 800xl already spits out more heat into my office than I like, so I'm sure I'd roast alive with the 1900xt.

However, I don't think 580+ will support DX10 so maybe I should just wait until later this year to see what happens...I'm not in a huge hurry (although I'd like to play Oblivion). Crysis will be a definite purchase though.

 

[Corporate Thug]

when is 580+ supposed to come out?

 

[003]

The R580+ won't be DX10, afaik

 

[imported_BIOSMonkey]

Originally posted by: Corporate Thug
when is 580+ supposed to come out?

Between June and August, according to theinquirer.net

 

[darkswordsman17]

The R580+ is just R580 on a smaller manufacturing process which should allow for higher clock speeds. So, its basically G71 compared to G70. Not only that, but it'll be a few months before it makes it to market. By that time we'll be hearing all about G80 and R600 and how they're both 4 times more powerful than quad SLI configurations or whatever. Also, I don't believe there is a set date for when Crysis is supposed to show up, so it might not even come out this year.

 

[deadseasquirrel]

580+ won't be here for a while longer. You got a great deal on that XT and it should hold some good resale value when it comes time to upgrade again. You wanted to upgrade your XL for some reason, right? If it doesn't handle the games you play right now, then you're making the right choice.

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

Install that bad boy. I upgraded from a X800GTO @ 595/550 and the performance difference brings forth tears of joy (or close ).

NFS:MW, B&W 2, AOE3... nothing gets to this card @ 1280x1024 (everything maxed).

 

[imported_BIOSMonkey]

Do you guys think the reduced heat output will be significant with the smaller process?

 

[Steelski]

Originally posted by: BIOSMonkey
Do you guys think the reduced heat output will be significant with the smaller process?

yes. but its not available now!!!!

 

[Ackmed]

It really doesnt matter if the new card runs 10c lower, most of the hot air goes out of the case. I wouldnt wait, the X1900XT is much, much, much faster than your X800XL. Enjoy games at a whole new level, now.

 

[Munky]

If it was less than a month waiting time, and I had strong hints about the date and specs on the new card, then I'd wait for it. But so far, it looksl like the r580+ is still a few months away, so no reason to ditch your r580.

 

[imported_BIOSMonkey]

Originally posted by: Ackmed
It really doesnt matter if the new card runs 10c lower, most of the hot air goes out of the case. I wouldnt wait, the X1900XT is much, much, much faster than your X800XL. Enjoy games at a whole new level, now.

Well, that's true if I keep the stock cooler, but...this machine has 5 hard drives in it (one raptor, 2 hitachis in RAID0 and 2 more hitachis in RAID1) and those put out some heat, which means the internal case temps are not so great. Some other posters have said that stock cooler on the 1900xt won't handle really strenuous games like Oblivion, so that's why I'm so concerned about heat since my internal case temps are already warm.

I guess I will have to figure out a way to get more air into the case, but when I built this system a year ago I looked around quite a bit for the best case to accomodate all this stuff and the best one I could find (that wasn't gargantuan) was the Silverstone TJ06.

By the way, will the Silverstone Zeus 520W handle all this stuff??? (AMD 3500+)

 

[itrfuzzylogic]

Tough decision man... I'm absolutely loving the 1900xt. Do whatever you can do to keep it!

 

[mikek753]

do you want use it now or wait forever for newer card?
by the time 580+ will be avail you read another info about the upcoming DirectX10 card - then what would you do?

 

[Praxis1452]

don't play the waiting game.

 

[Ackmed]

Originally posted by: BIOSMonkey

Originally posted by: Ackmed
It really doesnt matter if the new card runs 10c lower, most of the hot air goes out of the case. I wouldnt wait, the X1900XT is much, much, much faster than your X800XL. Enjoy games at a whole new level, now.

Well, that's true if I keep the stock cooler, but...this machine has 5 hard drives in it (one raptor, 2 hitachis in RAID0 and 2 more hitachis in RAID1) and those put out some heat, which means the internal case temps are not so great. Some other posters have said that stock cooler on the 1900xt won't handle really strenuous games like Oblivion, so that's why I'm so concerned about heat since my internal case temps are already warm.

I guess I will have to figure out a way to get more air into the case, but when I built this system a year ago I looked around quite a bit for the best case to accomodate all this stuff and the best one I could find (that wasn't gargantuan) was the Silverstone TJ06.

By the way, will the Silverstone Zeus 520W handle all this stuff??? (AMD 3500+)

Then they must have had a borked card, because the stock heatsink will handle any game. Same for any card, if not, its a defect of that particular card. I dont even like RPG's, and I fired up Oblivion, it worked fine for me. And Ive got two X1900's.

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

Originally posted by: Ackmed
Then they must have had a borked card, because the stock heatsink will handle any game. Same for any card, if not, its a defect of that particular card. I dont even like RPG's, and I fired up Oblivion, it worked fine for me. And Ive got two X1900's.

I'm seriously wondering wtf could be that much better than the stock cooler.
It's an "Ahnold" version of the Arctic Silencer with a huge hunk of copper.

IMHO, I don't find the noise to be all that disturbing. In 2D, it's barely audible. In 3D, game audio masks it.