New card, or SLI?

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Synaptic71

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Nov 3, 2009
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This is the system setup I am running:

1. Asus M2N-VM motherboard.
2. AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ with stock cooling.
3. Coolermaster Storm Scout SGC-2000 Case with default cooling.
4. Antec NeoPower 480 Modular power supply ( garage sale obtained for $10! ).
5. Western Digital ST3500320AS SATA II 500 GB hard drive.
6. OCZ DDR2 PC6400 4GB dual channel kit.
7. Memorex DVDRW Lightscribe optical drive.
8. EVGA 9800GTX 512MB DDR3 G92 video card.
9. Envision 22" widescreen monitor, model G22LWR.

I was thinking of upgrading my graphics capability, and am contemplating if I should just go with a newer type card ( looking at the ATI 4890 1 GB ), or maybe upgrade to an SLI capable motherboard, and SLI a second 9800GTX. I was reading the benchmark charts on Toms Hardware, and it seems that the 9800GTX SLI setup gives comparable performance to the GTX285? Or am I reading the charts wrong? Below is the link to the charts I am looking at:

http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/...ity/Sum-of-FPS-Benchmarks-1680x1050,1634.html

Currently, I play Age of Conan, and CS:S, still after all these years. The AoC is VERY graphic dependent with all settings on high at 1680x1050. The CS:S can be played on an Ipod probably, lol. I am not sure what newer type games I may try, but my budget is probably $150-$175ish total, *including* what I get for my old hardware ( potentially the 9800GTX and old mobo ) in FS/FT.

Ideas?
 
toyota

toyota

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
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neither with that cpu if thats 1680x1050 as even 1 9800gtx is only getting about 70-80% utilized.
 
kithylin

kithylin

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Jan 5, 2010
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I had 3 * GTS-250 in my i7 recently, and i replaced all 3 cards with 1 single HD4890 O.C. Edition from VisionTek and this one card does the same as all 3 of the others did in all benchamarks, games, and 3d applications, in the instance of 3dmark, it does more too. I have results from all of em to back this up if you wanna see. And almost all websites list the new Radeon HD5870 as faster than the GTX-295 in all applications, and it costs $100 less.
 
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toyota

toyota

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
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kithylin said:
I had 3 * GTS-250 in my i7 recently, and i replaced all 3 cards with 1 single HD4890 O.C. Edition from VisionTek and this one card does the same as all 3 of the others did in all benchamarks, games, and 3d applications, in the instance of 3dmark, it does more too. I have results from all of em to back this up if you wanna see. And almost all websites list the new Radeon HD5870 as faster than the GTX-295 in all applications, and it costs $100 less.
Click to expand...
something must have been wrong with your system because even just 2 gts250 cards will beat a 4890 in most cases. really none of these are very good options for someone with a 5200 X2 anyway. if he had to go with one option then of course a faster single card would make more sense though. plus he would have to get another mobo for sli which would be ridiculous.


EDIT: see even a 2 way sli gts250 beats a gtx285 so if you couldnt get 3 of them to beat a 4890 in most games then the problem was on your end. http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/gf-gts250-sli_16.html

"The GeForce GTS 250 SLI configuration is also good in comparison with the GeForce GTX 285, enjoying an average 10.5% advantage over the latter."
 
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Synaptic71

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Nov 3, 2009
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Perhaps then a Phenom upgrade first, and wait until tax time for the vid card? :D

Upon further reading also, it seems I may need to up the wattage of my PS if I am to go with a bigger card eventually? I don't run a lot of components, but I am wondering if my PS, although a good one, might be getting outdated?
 
kithylin

kithylin

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EDIT: see even a 2 way sli gts250 beats a gtx285 so if you couldnt get 3 of them to beat a 4890 in most games then the problem was on your end. http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/gf-gts250-sli_16.html

"The GeForce GTS 250 SLI configuration is also good in comparison with the GeForce GTX 285, enjoying an average 10.5% advantage over the latter."
Click to expand...

i had the "Standard" 512mb ones, and that review is using the 1gb version, AND an 'overclocked' version, of course it's going to perform high.

also it was on a P6t X58 board, with a 3800mhz i7, nothing wrong with my end, the cards are just slow. and i'm using an overclocked edition of the 4890, not a standard one.

the GTS-250 (any version) has 128 unified shaders, 384 if you use 3 of em, and the 4890 has 800 shaders, and runs ddr5, vs the gts-250's ddr3. it should be obvious to anyone that can do simple math that the 4890's faster. only $219 for an OC'd one too.
 
toyota

toyota

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
12,957
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kithylin said:
i had the "Standard" 512mb ones, and that review is using the 1gb version, AND an 'overclocked' version, of course it's going to perform high.

also it was on a P6t X58 board, with a 3800mhz i7, nothing wrong with my end, the cards are just slow. and i'm using an overclocked edition of the 4890, not a standard one.


the GTS-250 (any version) has 128 unified shaders, 384 if you use 3 of em, and the 4890 has 800 shaders, and runs ddr5, vs the gts-250's ddr3. it should be obvious to anyone that can do simple math that the 4890's faster. only $219 for an OC'd one too.
Click to expand...


well you should have made that clear because really the standard gts512 is actually a 1gb model. the 512mb version did not have to adhere to the new pcb and or other revisions. so at any rate you were restricted by the memory so that was your fault for trying to use just 512mb cards for tri sli. its common sense that if you NEED tri sli then you are running a high res and/or game settings so of course 512mb is usually fail at those settings.

next instead of trying to act like I fail at simple math, maybe you should do a little research. the sp on Nvidia are completely different than ATI and cannot be directly compared. if thats really your level of video card knowledge then you have a lot to learn.
 
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Obsoleet

Obsoleet

Platinum Member
Oct 2, 2007
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Pretty nice setup you got there for now. But I'd stick with what you have.

Before you get a new videocard I'd pickup a Phenom2 Black Edition rig (you sound like you're open to the idea and personally I think they're a great value, and you can get one that supports your current DDR2 if you wanted to push your $ as far as possible). That and a 5850 would be a great setup. Wait a while on SSDs (at least for the summertime refresh of Intel) then eventually pop one of those in a Phenom rig and you'd have a pretty slick, well priced rig. I would forget SLI (SLI and Xfire are never the way IMO) and forget the 4890.
 
toyota

toyota

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
12,957
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Synaptic71 said:
You think going to a Phenom II X2 3.1 triple core would be a noticeable difference for now?
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it would help a bit but it wont be a huge difference in many games until you also get a faster gpu. really though if you are going to get a cpu then I think a Phenom 2 X3 or X4 would be better than getting another dual core.
 
S

Synaptic71

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Nov 3, 2009
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I notice the motherboard specs say it will accomodate DDR2 1066 RAM. It will work backward compatible with my RAM correct?
 
kithylin

kithylin

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Jan 5, 2010
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toyota said:
well you should have made that clear because really the standard gts512 is actually a 1gb model. the 512mb version did not have to adhere to the new pcb and or other revisions. so at any rate you were restricted by the memory so that was your fault for trying to use just 512mb cards for tri sli. its common sense that if you NEED tri sli then you are running a high res and/or game settings so of course 512mb is usually fail at those settings.

next instead of trying to act like I fail at simple math, maybe you should do a little research. the sp on Nvidia are completely different than ATI and cannot be directly compared. if thats really your level of video card knowledge then you have a lot to learn.
Click to expand...

i only went with those because it was the cheapest card that supported 3-way, which by design is supposed to be approximately +70% with 2nd card and +20% more with third card, give or take, and the new ATI card i switched to did everything those 3 nvidia's did in one card. Friend of mine has a gtx-295, and a HD5870 and the 5870 does just as well in all games and applications in the same system at the same 3d-app settings and resolutions, yet costs less. *shrug* it's not a "fan boy" thing, right now today, ATI is the "Sweet spot". It may change in a few months or the end of the year but right now, single cards from ati out-perform SLI, and as such that's what should be suggested to anyone purchasing a new card, based solely on a price-vs-performance stand point, today.
 
edplayer

edplayer

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Sep 13, 2002
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Arkaign

Arkaign

Lifer
Oct 27, 2006
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kithylin said:
i only went with those because it was the cheapest card that supported 3-way, which by design is supposed to be approximately +70% with 2nd card and +20% more with third card, give or take, and the new ATI card i switched to did everything those 3 nvidia's did in one card. Friend of mine has a gtx-295, and a HD5870 and the 5870 does just as well in all games and applications in the same system at the same 3d-app settings and resolutions, yet costs less. *shrug* it's not a "fan boy" thing, right now today, ATI is the "Sweet spot". It may change in a few months or the end of the year but right now, single cards from ati out-perform SLI, and as such that's what should be suggested to anyone purchasing a new card, based solely on a price-vs-performance stand point, today.
Click to expand...

True enough for any new purchases, ATI is win for the most part, but for someone with an existing 1gb 9800gtx+, going SLI is a pretty sweet option as they're easy to find cheap online, and once linked, are very competitive for almost all current games at max settings for 1680x1050. OP will need more CPU though, but what he linked to will take care of that as well.
 
kithylin

kithylin

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Jan 5, 2010
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Arkaign said:
True enough for any new purchases, ATI is win for the most part, but for someone with an existing 1gb 9800gtx+, going SLI is a pretty sweet option as they're easy to find cheap online, and once linked, are very competitive for almost all current games at max settings for 1680x1050. OP will need more CPU though, but what he linked to will take care of that as well.
Click to expand...

*nod* agreed. Didn't the GTS-250-512MB replace the 9800GTX?
 
Arkaign

Arkaign

Lifer
Oct 27, 2006
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kithylin said:
*nod* agreed. Didn't the GTS-250-512MB replace the 9800GTX?
Click to expand...

I am running a 1GB GTS250 on this system as I type.

I did make an error though, OP has 512mb 9800 listed at the top, so perhaps new card is better, like a 5770 :)
 
S

Synaptic71

Member
Nov 3, 2009
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Well, this is the combo I wound up going with.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103680
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131595

It is only a dual core, but a supposedly fast one, with easy overclocking potential. If I should get one that unlocks to 3/4 cores, beautiful. If not, It is still a pretty fast damned CPU.

Upon looking in the Windows performance center, everything related to graphics, etc was rated at 7.1 - My CPU and HDD transfer times were both ranked 5.8, so I guess I should work on those areas first.

Either way, this purchase should be a good foundation to work on. My CM Storm Scout got here yesterday, and somehow I blew my Antec modular, so I had to run out last night and pick up a BFG-TECH GX-550 550W modular in a pinch. It cost $96, retail ( ugh ), but I had a $50 gift card from Xmas to offset my cost.
 
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