1600x1200 gaming - which gpu?

[dangel]

I'm due an upgrade - my 8800gtx, whilst still doing pretty well, is a bit long in the tooth now.

I was all set to go for a 4870x2 but given:

- problems with scaling (it's inconsistent and doesn't scale well at all in Crysis) in crossfire
- total power consumption is pretty nutty (i guess i'd need a new PSU?)
- cost / availablity of waterblocks (100quid for this card it looks like) given i'm not cooling on air
- it probably suits higher res' than mine better

What am I better off with?

Perversly it's looking like a 280GTX might be a better buy at £240 - it's faster than the HD4870 (single GPU) and reasonably priced. A waterblock is 60quid for this card too.

Or should I hedge my bets on a 280+ being available in the next 2 months with faster clocks and GDDR5 on board?

TBH the only game i'm suffering in is Crysis - and warhead may well be better optimized (from the benches i've seen today it seems to do well on a 260).

Is the 280 back in the game at it's current price?

[Katar]

If the only game you are suffering in is Crysis then wait to see what the 280+ are going to perform like. The current 280 performance is too close to the HD4870 at the res you play for me personally to spash the extra cash, if you were at 1920x1200+ then it would be a better choice. Anything that you can currently buy will still suffer in Crysis it's the game engine more then the cards fault.

[dangel]

From what I can see, the 280 wins out in crysis against both single and dual 4870's (as crossfire doesn't scale for the engine). Crunch point for me really is the new games coming out - things like fallout3, far cry 2 and warhead may force an upgrade if i encounted any performance problems. Crysis (with lots of tweaks) runs pretty well on my setup - but i'd certainly like a bit more power for the more complex scenes that can chug a bit.

[b0redom]

Am in the same position, but don't currently have watercooling. Anyone heard any rumours as to when the 280GTX+ will be around? I'm currently gaming @ 1920x1200 though.

[dangel]

Only rumour I heard was don't expect it before October. I guess it'll be slower overall than a 4870x2 in benches that favour crossfire, but it'll still be the fastest single-gpu solution. Other thought is that nVidia won't be able to pitch a 280+ at silly money - it'll have to be cheaper than a hd4870x2.

[NovaSphere]

Only rumour I heard was don't expect it before October. I guess it'll be slower overall than a 4870x2 in benches that favour crossfire, but it'll still be the fastest single-gpu solution. Other thought is that nVidia won't be able to pitch a 280+ at silly money - it'll have to be cheaper than a hd4870x2.

Knowing Nvidia, they probably will introduce the GTX280+ for a rather high price and make it drop slowly, you'd probably be buying this next year by that time (don't know your budget? But as you seem to be willing to pay for an 4870X2, it's a lot xD)

Hmmm, tbh I wouldn't have an idea on what to do, waiting is easy, but like that you can keep waiting...
I'm getting the GTX260, but I was on a budget so wasn't able to get the GTX280, so I don't know what I would do ^^

[shaithis]

I am in exactly the same boat...

I've decided to go with the 4870x2 unless anything major changes in the next 2-3 weeks (waiting on a couple of odd pieces of kit on pre-order before I order everything for a massive rig-overhaul)

Dangerden have the waterblocks for $140 (good exchange rate makes it easier to digest) and although it is essentially 2 GPUs, there seems to be very little that doesn't make good use of both (Crysis showing minimal gains for a second GPU but then we all know that Crysis' engine is pretty naff - looking at other games the x2 shows impressive gains for its second GPU).

From what I've been reading we won't be seeing a GTX280GX2 (or whatever they would call it) due to the design decisions of the GTX200 architecture....the ONLY thing that made me think twice was all the concerns over heat........but then if your watercooling, I'd like to think heat will not be an issue

[shadowcreaper]

1600x1200 will be fine for 4870, if you want get a 1gb model to get extra boost.

4870x2 isnt really for you sinse your res too low to make any real visable differance and performance.

it be a waste to get 260 sisne 4870 beats it pretty much fact, 280 maybe but first id look into getting 4870 sisne im sure it will run that res just fine, i now getting one and my monitor using exactly same res. il tell you how it handels it soon.

also waterblocks for 4870x2 arnt out due to very early release, remember card only been out for a little bit, give it another month before dissmissing it, prices due to be lowered and waterblocks are in production from what i hear.

[pollaxe]

I'm in exactly the same boat (another one!) and currently my leaning is towards the 4870x2...

[dangel]

Knowing Nvidia, they probably will introduce the GTX280+ for a rather high price and make it drop slowly, you'd probably be buying this next year by that time (don't know your budget? But as you seem to be willing to pay for an 4870X2, it's a lot xD)

I've got the budget yeah - just don't want to have to spend more than is necessary. I usually buy a new card once a year (skipping every other generation) as a rule - the 8800GTX has lasted me a great deal longer though.

I am in exactly the same boat...

I've decided to go with the 4870x2 unless anything major changes in the next 2-3 weeks (waiting on a couple of odd pieces of kit on pre-order before I order everything for a massive rig-overhaul)

Dangerden have the waterblocks for $140 (good exchange rate makes it easier to digest) and although it is essentially 2 GPUs, there seems to be very little that doesn't make good use of both (Crysis showing minimal gains for a second GPU but then we all know that Crysis' engine is pretty naff - looking at other games the x2 shows impressive gains for its second GPU).

From what I've been reading we won't be seeing a GTX280GX2 (or whatever they would call it) due to the design decisions of the GTX200 architecture....the ONLY thing that made me think twice was all the concerns over heat........but then if your watercooling, I'd like to think heat will not be an issue

Yup - heat not an issue - but i'd rather not buy another PSU + waterblock + gpu in one go - that's a lot of money and might not slip under the wife's radar (har har). I'm not sure my 600W seasonic will cope as the power draw from the X2 is insane.

1600x1200 will be fine for 4870, if you want get a 1gb model to get extra boost.

4870x2 isnt really for you sinse your res too low to make any real visable differance and performance.

it be a waste to get 260 sisne 4870 beats it pretty much fact, 280 maybe but first id look into getting 4870 sisne im sure it will run that res just fine, i now getting one and my monitor using exactly same res. il tell you how it handels it soon.

also waterblocks for 4870x2 arnt out due to very early release, remember card only been out for a little bit, give it another month before dissmissing it, prices due to be lowered and waterblocks are in production from what i hear.

There's time yet - once the games start coming out then i'll be getting the 'itches' to sort this out.

I'm still umming and ahhing but i'm still thinking 280/280+ - it's faster than the 4870 no questions, reasonably priced (taking into account cost of blocks, not needing a new psu) and will probably tide me over nicely till next year when cards are likely to be substantially faster (since ATI have just kicked nVidia in the nads). It also doesn't need a software profile for every new game - something that has always pushed me away from SLI/crossfire.

Damn - i completely trashed the 280 on release and now it looks like i'm gonna go get me one

Do they overclock at all on water? If so, i may be able to push it futher too.

I'm in exactly the same boat (another one!) and currently my leaning is towards the 4870x2...

I reckon there's a stack of 8-series owners just like us now

[Deadlight]

I'm using 1920x1200 too, and the power/heat requirements of the 4870X2 have put me well off - I don't really want to buy a new PSU too. There's also the fact that nVidia are using Aegix physics stuff on the graphics card, with the newer drivers...

[freddie]

from what i've read at 1600x1200 a 4870 will blast out 99% of games (Crysis being that 1% )

unless you get a new monitor with a higher resolution, I dont think you need anything more powerful and expensive.

[aidanjt]

from what i've read at 1600x1200 a 4870 will blast out 99% of games (Crysis being that 1% )

unless you get a new monitor with a higher resolution, I dont think you need anything more powerful and expensive.

Crysis runs spot on with my 4870, so that'd be 100% of games.

[dangel]

Crysis runs spot on with my 4870, so that'd be 100% of games.

What sort of settings?

I've got everything on high @ 1600x1200 with 4AA and lots of the "very high" eye candy (godrays etc) turned on and it's "ok" but not "perfect". It's that latter bit that bugs me
I'd consider the single 4870 but it's slower than the 280 and so no contest in my eyes. The only card i'd consider otherwise is the X2 and that's really no faster in crysis than the X1 card from what i've seen. Gah.

[dangel]

Thanks everybody - i've pulled the trigger on the 280 for £240. Got the EK waterblock and RAM backplate with it and it looks like i'll be able to stretch the core and memory a bit if necessary too from reading round. Reckon this will last me till next years cards appear

[The Asgard]

At that resolution you could get away with a 4850 without any issues. The 4870 is an extremely good buy. You would see very little difference between that and the 280.