XFX Geforce GTX 260 Black edition

[MegaWorks]

I just ordered this card because I was fed up with CrossFire. I mean you buy two 4850 to get reasonable frames with the latest games. I was benchmarking Far Cry 2 Run demo and I was getting 27fps @ 1680x1050 ultra high????? I did the same test without CF and I get almost the same result. Cat 8.11 and hotfixe 8.11

Well I learn my lesson I'm not going back to CF or SLI until it's completely hardware. I'm going back to nvidia since my last geforce was the Geforce 2 GTS lol! Sorry ATI I just want good game support from now on.

Anyway who has this card here, and also I read that it close to the GTX 280 performence.

I'm going to use the 4850s for folding and back up if you're wondering.

 

[Wreckage]

Yeah I read the review for that card and it's pretty impressive. Smokes a 4870 1GB.
http://www.firingsquad.com/har..._gtx_260_black_review/

 

[MegaWorks]

Originally posted by: Wreckage
Yeah I read the review for that card and it's pretty impressive. Smokes a 4870 1GB.
http://www.firingsquad.com/har..._gtx_260_black_review/

Nice this card seems to be the best deal out there!

 

[aatf510]

Have you read the most recent anandtech Farcry 2 performace review?

The stand out in this test is the Radeon HD 4870 1GB. This $300 AMD single GPU part performed on par with NVIDIA's much more expensive GeForce GTX 280.

Because CrossFire doesn't work yet, we can't really compare how multi-GPU scales against NVIDIA hardware.

Review

Call me a fanboy as I am a proud owner of a MSI GTX 260 in my primary rig!

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: MegaWorks
I just ordered this card because I was fed up with CrossFire. I mean you buy two 4850 to get reasonable frames with the latest games. I was benchmarking Far Cry 2 Run demo and I was getting 27fps @ 1680x1050 ultra high????? I did the same test without CF and I get almost the same result. Cat 8.11 and hotfixe 8.11

Well I learn my lesson I'm not going back to CF or SLI until it's completely hardware. I'm going back to nvidia since my last geforce was the Geforce 2 GTS lol! Sorry ATI I just want good game support from now on.

Anyway who has this card here, and also I read that it close to the GTX 280 performence.

I'm going to use the 4850s for folding and back up if you're wondering.

<thump>

<strange dream while passed out on floor of Megaworks saying CF sucked and he had bought NVIDIA card, followed by stranger dream of Packers beating Favre/Jets in Super Bowl>

Heh, grats on the card Mega, that one looks like a keeper.

 

[MarcVenice]

A single GPU will probably beat crossfired or sli-ed gpu's when it comes to drivers.

Then again, I wonder how the GTX260 stacks up to this card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814127389 which still is 10% cheaper. Had you gone with one of those, and cf-ed them by the time AMD finaly gets around to fixing FC2 scaling, you really would have had a killer gaming rig.

 

[MichaelD]

I haven't used two physically separate ATI cards in XFire, so I can't speak to any hardware/driver issues with them.

XFire works great on my 4870X2. It wasn't working too well before the driver fixes, but since then I have no issues in any game (FC2, Stalker CS, COD4, etc).

Is it only with 2 separate cards that people are experiencing probs?

A single GPU will probably beat crossfired or sli-ed gpu's when it comes to drivers.

I have strong doubts that any single card will deliver more FPS or a better gaming experience than a HD4870X2...unless somehow my X2 doesn't count as XFired?

 

[nosfe]

so why did you need crossfire if you're playing at such a low resolution anyway?

 

[Ika]

Originally posted by: nosfe
so why did you need crossfire if you're playing at such a low resolution anyway?

Because he's getting single-card framerates of 27 fps?

 

[MarcVenice]

Originally posted by: MichaelD
I haven't used two physically separate ATI cards in XFire, so I can't speak to any hardware/driver issues with them.

XFire works great on my 4870X2. It wasn't working too well before the driver fixes, but since then I have no issues in any game (FC2, Stalker CS, COD4, etc).

Is it only with 2 separate cards that people are experiencing probs?

A single GPU will probably beat crossfired or sli-ed gpu's when it comes to drivers.

I have strong doubts that any single card will deliver more FPS or a better gaming experience than a HD4870X2...unless somehow my X2 doesn't count as XFired?

I didn't say a single card will deliver more FPS. CF and SLI are just prone to more driver/scaling issues then a single GPU.

For FC2 at 1680*1050, a single HD4850 doesn't cut it at ultra high, especially if you turn up the AA. And I know for sure, coz a single HD4850 golden sample doesn't cut it, at 700mhz/1100mhz. Two don't cut it either though, coz CF doesn't kick in

 

[MegaWorks]

Originally posted by: nRollo

Originally posted by: MegaWorks
I just ordered this card because I was fed up with CrossFire. I mean you buy two 4850 to get reasonable frames with the latest games. I was benchmarking Far Cry 2 Run demo and I was getting 27fps @ 1680x1050 ultra high????? I did the same test without CF and I get almost the same result. Cat 8.11 and hotfixe 8.11

Well I learn my lesson I'm not going back to CF or SLI until it's completely hardware. I'm going back to nvidia since my last geforce was the Geforce 2 GTS lol! Sorry ATI I just want good game support from now on.

Anyway who has this card here, and also I read that it close to the GTX 280 performence.

I'm going to use the 4850s for folding and back up if you're wondering.

<thump>

<strange dream while passed out on floor of Megaworks saying CF sucked and he had bought NVIDIA card, followed by stranger dream of Packers beating Favre/Jets in Super Bowl>

Heh, grats on the card Mega, that one looks like a keeper.

Yeah it's strange is in it? hehehe!!

All I'm saying is that I can't wait for them to fix their CF bug. I was aware of the consequences of buying CrossFire, but I only play the blockbuster games and I'm 100% sure that both AMD and nVidia focus a lot on that. I mean SLI works great in FC2 just look at Anandtech review, it's getting ridiculous. FC2 came out October 21 and they released 3 set of drivers for that game and none of them CF correctly!

I've always preferred ATI cards just ask nRollo I had a CF rig before with two 3870 and it work great and I never had any problems, But this time ATI is just slacking off.

Btw nRollo you're going to :Q even more, I also bought the XFX 9800GT for PhysX! so now I'm going to have two nVidia cards in my rig! :laugh:

 

[MegaWorks]

Originally posted by: nosfe
so why did you need crossfire if you're playing at such a low resolution anyway?

How can 1680x1050 be considered low resolution???

 

[MegaWorks]

Originally posted by: MarcVenice
A single GPU will probably beat crossfired or sli-ed gpu's when it comes to drivers.

Then again, I wonder how the GTX260 stacks up to this card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814127389 which still is 10% cheaper. Had you gone with one of those, and cf-ed them by the time AMD finaly gets around to fixing FC2 scaling, you really would have had a killer gaming rig.

I found This article where the Geforce GTX 260 Black Edition is equal to the GTX 280. This is the fastest 260 you can buy and the price is fantastic. newegg

 

[nosfe]

for multi-gpu i'd consider it low, i wouldn't recommend multi-gpu for resolutions under 1920

 

[james1701]

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3415 this has a pretty good review for 4870 1gb. Megaworks, that article does not include the 1gb version.

 

[ghost recon88]

Originally posted by: MegaWorks

Originally posted by: nosfe
so why did you need crossfire if you're playing at such a low resolution anyway?

How can 1680x1050 be considered low resolution???

The same way I consider 1440x900 low resolution...

High res is 1920x1200 or higher

 

[MegaWorks]

Originally posted by: james1701
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3415 this has a pretty good review for 4870 1gb. Megaworks, that article does not include the 1gb version.

This article is using the stock 216 vs 4870 1gb it's very close, so an oc 216 at 666mhz ........ I don't know anymore!! Everything is so confusion this round. Lets try nVidia this time, don't worry the moment their driver support drops I'll be on their case.

 

[MegaWorks]

Originally posted by: ghost recon88

Originally posted by: MegaWorks

Originally posted by: nosfe
so why did you need crossfire if you're playing at such a low resolution anyway?

How can 1680x1050 be considered low resolution???

The same way I consider 1440x900 low resolution...

High res is 1920x1200 or higher

Ok for a low resolution it's pretty crappy performance!

 

[SlowSpyder]

You really changed your video cards just because they haven't gotten out a good CF driver for FC2 yet for you 4850's? I'm sure they'll get a correct one out. Or were you having other issues in other games too? It just seems like kind of an over reaction to swap out good hardware for a different piece of hardware over one game that is fairly new... of course if this is just one issue of many that makes more sense. This is why I plan on sticking with single GPU's for a while yet.

 

[chizow]

Heh, I guess you found out the hard way, but at least you actually tested and learned the lesson from first hand experience, unlike the rest of the jokers around here who blindly recommend CF/SLI as a viable alternative to high-end performance.

 

[james1701]

Originally posted by: MegaWorks

Originally posted by: MarcVenice
A single GPU will probably beat crossfired or sli-ed gpu's when it comes to drivers.

Then again, I wonder how the GTX260 stacks up to this card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814127389 which still is 10% cheaper. Had you gone with one of those, and cf-ed them by the time AMD finaly gets around to fixing FC2 scaling, you really would have had a killer gaming rig.

I found This article where the Geforce GTX 260 Black Edition is equal to the GTX 280. This is the fastest 260 you can buy and the price is fantastic. newegg

I think its all pretty close to a wash anyway. I don't think you can go wrong with either one at this point. My last two cards have been team green, and I have been drooling over an 4870X2, but since the BFG 280's are down to 349 its just getting to hard to pass up and it looks like team green is going to win my money again.

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: SlowSpyder
You really changed your video cards just because they haven't gotten out a good CF driver for FC2 yet for you 4850's? I'm sure they'll get a correct one out. Or were you having other issues in other games too? It just seems like kind of an over reaction to swap out good hardware for a different piece of hardware over one game that is fairly new... of course if this is just one issue of many that makes more sense. This is why I plan on sticking with single GPU's for a while yet.

I know/have known several people who have dumped Crossfire.

The problems cited are usually this one- they get sick of games not having profiles, or the ability to make their own.

While I believe "whose driver is best" truly depends on the year, OS, hardware, and game tested and you can likely make a case either way most of the time, I also believe NVIDIA's SLI drivers have always been better than CF drivers. (due partially to their dev relations, partially to flexibility of creating profiles, and partially because they just seem better at multicard drivers)

 

[MegaWorks]

Originally posted by: SlowSpyder
You really changed your video cards just because they haven't gotten out a good CF driver for FC2 yet for you 4850's? I'm sure they'll get a correct one out. Or were you having other issues in other games too? It just seems like kind of an over reaction to swap out good hardware for a different piece of hardware over one game that is fairly new... of course if this is just one issue of many that makes more sense. This is why I plan on sticking with single GPU's for a while yet.

No I had a lot of issues with Stalker clear sky. Also Vista 64bit giving me the BSOD with most my games. I had to install Vista 32bit for it to disappear. Complete garbage, and a waste of my time.