Need help please for GPU upgrade path.

[PC Master Race]

If that's the case then yep 7850 would be the cheapest route. Not the best route but the cheapest....

Well the best route would be SLI 980s or CFX R9 290x. I rather wait for the new AMD cards though. I think another HD 7850 will let me run some of my games @ 60fps like Alan Wake which dips down to 54fps sometimes and of course there are others like metro 2033 Redux which scales excellently. When I last had dual HD 7850s I was running on a crappy AMD Phenom II x4 platform and more offten than not even when scalling was good I would run into a CPU bottleneck or the fact that the mobo was only running @ PCI E 2.0 x16/x4. Now that I have a proper Intel rig that can get the most out of dual card setups I will be ready this time around.

 

[iiiankiii]

I have actually ran dual GPU setups and I can say that it is worth it if you know what you are doing. If you look at the prices of the cards I am looking at you will see that current high end cards are way out of my budget ... I like to eat good food you know I am not the type to eat rammen noodles for a month to fund a gaming PC upgrade LOL.

You're preaching to the choir. I know what it's like to run crossfire/sli. I have a system with 2x 290x and many dual gpus setup ups before that. I know the limitations. That's what I'm trying to tell you. It sucks compared to a single card solution. You have more heat, power consumptions, frametime issues, lack of crossfire support, weird glitches, and the list goes on, and on.

Over the past 2 years, games haven't been keeping up with dual gpus. SLI/XF support are nearly always non-existent on launch. It usually takes a good 3-4 weeks before support shows up. Heck, some games aren't even supported yet. That sucks b/c you've had basically bought the 2nd card for nothing. I run into a lot of these problems over the years. The 2x 290x will be my last XF setup. I'm done with them.

Don't get me wrong; when it works, it works very well. The performance is amazing. It just doesn't work as well as anywhere near a single card solution.

However, if you're goal is to save money and this is being treated as a stop gap, go for it. I just feel there are better options without breaking the bank. The r9 290 can be had around $200 and should be as fast as 2x 7850.

 

[PC Master Race]

You have more heat, power consumptions, frametime issues, lack of crossfire support, weird glitches, and the list goes on, and on.

I literally had non of those issues when running CFX HD 7850s.

However, if you're goal is to save money and this is being treated as a stop gap, go for it. I just feel there are better options without breaking the bank. The r9 290 can be had around $200 and should be as fast as 2x 7850.

As said in the OP I am in Canada and in Canda you will never find an R9 290 for anywhere near $200. Also the 2x HD 7850 are around as fast as a 7970Ghz not 290 it's much faster.

 

[lehtv]

I literally had non of those issues when running CFX HD 7850s.

As said in the OP I am in Canada and in Canda you will never find an R9 290 for anywhere near $200. Also the 2x HD 7850 are around as fast as a 7970Ghz not 290 it's much faster.

Where are you going to find a 7850 though? You said you won't buy a card without warranty, so the used market is not an option.

 

[fralexandr]

I'm guessing newegg.ca since he mentioned Newegg earlier http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...-507-_-Product
~$12 shipping unless he's picking it up at a will call center
+ cost of extended refurb warranty

Which puts it at close to 160 CAD? for a 7850

 

[lehtv]

$160 is horrible for a 7850, especially a refurb. After selling the current 7850, you'd have to pay less than that for a new R9 280 that's 50% faster than a 7850 with 1GB more VRAM, proper warranty and none of Crossfire's potential issues.

 

[PC Master Race]

$160 is horrible for a 7850, especially a refurb. After selling the current 7850, you'd have to pay less than that for a new R9 280 that's 50% faster than a 7850 with 1GB more VRAM, proper warranty and none of Crossfire's potential issues.

Well the the CFX HD 7850 setup is a bit faster than the 280 and will cost me allot less money. So ya as a place holder I am suggesting the CFX HD 7850 to be the best bang for buck temp solution.

 

[lehtv]

How will it cost you a lot less money? I'm not seeing a 7850, even a refurb, for much less than what it'd cost to sell the current 7850 + upgrade to 280

 

[PC Master Race]

How will it cost you a lot less money? I'm not seeing a 7850, even a refurb, for much less than what it'd cost to sell the current 7850 + upgrade to 280

Sigh nobody mentioned about selling GPUs here we are talking about buying one LOL. Personally i like to collect GPUs and I have many of them still from over the years since 2005. So At any rate it's an HD 7850 for CFX for $130 or an HD 7970 for $210. I want to go the cheap path now and then get the big poppa new AMD card when they are available. Still I might decide to go with the 7970 but i want to try out CFX on my new Intel Z97X motherboard.

 

[PC Master Race]

How will it cost you a lot less money? I'm not seeing a 7850, even a refurb, for much less than what it'd cost to sell the current 7850 + upgrade to 280

Drats the 7850 sold out this morning. Looks like I will end up with the HD 7970 Dual-X.

Radeon Revolution FTW !

 

[lehtv]

Sigh nobody mentioned about selling GPUs here we are talking about buying one LOL.

Cut it with the sighs and the LOLs, there's no need for you to get frustrated. I brought it up because if you bought a faster single GPU, why would you keep the 7850? Obviously you'd sell it, so that factors into the net cost of the upgrade.

$210 is not too shabby for a 7970 Dual-X, as long as it's not a refurb. If it is a refurb, I'd much rather get the brand new Club3D R9 280 I linked earlier. It performs practically the same as a 7970.

 

[radiskull666]

I'm running a 3 monitor set up and have a Sappire HD 7970. I got 2 ATI HD 4870 X2. Is the single card better than running two of the cards together.


CPU i7
MOBO Rampage II
PSU Corsair 1000WATT
Corsair Case.

Thanks friends!

 

[PC Master Race]

Cut it with the sighs and the LOLs,

My thread and I'll sigh if I want to LOL.

there's no need for you to get frustrated.

I am not at all bro.

I brought it up because if you bought a faster single GPU, why would you keep the 7850? Obviously you'd sell it, so that factors into the net cost of the upgrade.

I collect GPUs and give them away to people that can enjoy them and build rigs for people that are low income with them.

$210 is not too shabby for a 7970 Dual-X, as long as it's not a refurb. If it is a refurb, I'd much rather get the brand new Club3D R9 280 I linked earlier. It performs practically the same as a 7970.

It's a referb and once again you can't get good deals on GPUs in Canada. The cheapest R9 280 in Canada is $270 with shipping and tax included. Looks like the R9 280 is the best deal as the refurbished HD 7970 with 1 year IPR is $260 all in and the R9 280 is $270 all in.

 

[PC Master Race]

I'm running a 3 monitor set up and have a Sappire HD 7970. I got 2 ATI HD 4870 X2. Is the single card better than running two of the cards together.


CPU i7
MOBO Rampage II
PSU Corsair 1000WATT
Corsair Case.

Thanks friends!

The HD 4870x2 is an obsolete DX10 only junker now in days. The 7970 is much better and faster.

 

[radiskull666]

Thanks Master race!

 

[lehtv]

My thread and I'll sigh if I want to LOL.

Again, the arrogance is astounding...

I am not at all bro.

I'm not your "bro".

It's a referb and once again you can't get good deals on GPUs in Canada.

I'm not sure how that matters when it applies to all GPUs. Even refurbs in Canada are worse deals than refurbs in US.

The cheapest R9 280 in Canada is $270 with shipping and tax included.

Looks like the R9 280 is the best deal as the refurbished HD 7970 with 1 year IPR is $260 all in and the R9 280 is $270 all in.

:thumbsup: