New Build Coming - Video Card Suggestion? Single 9800GX2 OR Dual 3870X2's?

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WolfpupNX

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 13, 2007
Messages
167
Hey all,

Building a new rig soon (keep delaying and delaying but the time looks to finally be coming). I've been all set to go with an X48 (prolly Gigabyte or Asus DDR3 model) board and single 9800GX2 video card when it's released.

But, my thinking now is maybe, since the X48's support CrossfireX and it wouldn't be THAT much more expensive, and also since I'll be running a 24" display, it'd be smarter to go with a CrossfireX configuration of dual 3870X2's?

I've been an nVidia fan in recent years, so I'm a bit hesitant to switch, and I'm also concerned about the driver problems I've read about as well as heat, though I guess the 3870X2's look like they're going to be cooler overall...but there will be two, which probably cancels that out (or more).

I dunno. What do you think? (And I'd prefer answers that are NOT based on price for this particular question - looking more for performance/reliability). I guess the best test will come once the 9800GX2 is released and benchmarks begin, but looking for initial impressions.

Thanks.
 
You need to wait for real, final CrossfireX drivers at very least, and ideally, 9800GX2 benches as well. Too early.
 
So that up in the air still, eh? K - thanks for the suggestion. Sometimes waiting really is the best option. I'm still waiting on a few parts and some mobo roundups anyways (and hopefully for DDR3 prices to come down a bit more). Any other comments of course still welcome and appreciated.

I'm a little surprised the drivers for the 3870X2 aren't better since it's been out a few weeks, but I know both companies struggle with initial drivers for new cards.
 
No reason to even consider DDR3 at this time -- you're building in the next year, you're building LGA775. The bad news is, LGA775 is dead in ~12 months with the release of the Nehalem line. Good news is, that means you have zero reason to spend the insane premium for DDR3 at the moment. DDR2 is plenty fast.
 
silent-circuit said:
No reason to even consider DDR3 at this time -- you're building in the next year, you're building LGA775. The bad news is, LGA775 is dead in ~12 months with the release of the Nehalem line. Good news is, that means you have zero reason to spend the insane premium for DDR3 at the moment. DDR2 is plenty fast.
Click to expand...

+1

Your mobo will be useless after this year anyway as far as an upgrade path, even if it _IS_ DDR3 equipped. So you gain nothing by getting DDR3 now.
 
No doubt that you should get a GX2. The nVidia series is the way to go now since the support of PhysX in all their new cards. There's a much higher memory bandwidth with the GX2. Games are more than ever needing that.
 
BioSergeant said:
No doubt that you should get a GX2. The nVidia series is the way to go now since the support of PhysX in all their new cards. There's a much higher memory bandwidth with the GX2. Games are more than ever needing that.
Click to expand...

And yet this card isn't even out yet, nether is the physX support. And crossfireX isn't even working properly yet.
 
Well, 2x 3870x2's will definitely be faster than one 8800gx2 no question about that but it should also be much more expensive so as far as bang for buck who knows what will be the best. Games don't seem to scale all that great up to 4x gpu's but they are scaling very well with 3gpu's so best bang for the buck might be a 3870x2 and a 3870 Crossfired especially if the 8800gx2 launches at the rumored 600 dollar price. If 8800gx2 is closer to 450 and is faster than 3870x2 then the choice is much harder.

I currently own a 3870x2 and love it, one is fine for just about any game out there with max settings except for of course Crysis but even that for me is played the best by the 3870x2 with Very High Texture and Object Qual, High Shaders, High Water detail and everything else medium I average 40-45fps @ 1920x1200 on a 3.8ghz q6600.

I am in a similiar situation as you though, considering getting an x48 board and 2 3870x2's, but I wan't to wait and see the performance of the 8800gx2 first before investing a bunch of money as noone really knows much about it yet it has all been speculation but reviewers should have or be recieving gx2's soon so we should start to see some valid comparison of 8800gx2 vs 3870x2 soon.

Cheers
 
Wait and see, I'm doing the same thing. It's tough to make a decision with the little information that is out now.
 
Well once the new nvidia cards come out I am going to be getting 2-3 of them. I am going to give 780i a try.

I have been waiting for months, and it is slowly coming around.

I would go Nvidia no matter what.They are doing nothing but making better cards.
 
March 11 last I heard for the 9800GX2 launch.

And thanks for all the helpful responses - I guess we're in wait and see mode for the time being. Should definitely be interesting seeing some reviews/benchmarks of these configurations.
 
I'd wait. Plunging into the 9800GX2 which really is a 2x8800 sandwich is taking a big risk. Besides, we all know where the 7950GX2 ended up. Wait at least until we know what the 9800 GTX/Ultra looks like.
 
I thought the X48 boards weren't out till middle to late march anyway. So maybe you're going to be waiting a bit anyway ;)
 
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