Which option to go for?

[Pob255]

I'm still slowly putting together a new pc ( i5 ) and I cannot make up my mind over what to do about my graphics card.

Currently I've got a original 9800gtx which I know I should be able to sell for around £70
Now here are my current options (PS I'm sticking with nvidia for CUDA as I'm actually planning on using it)

Option 1 - get something bigger and better, a 2nd hand gtx275 / gtx280 are going for around £150 on fleabay.

Option 2 - two gts250 in SLi, ebuyer currently have them for sale at £86 x2= £172

Option 3 - try to find a single 9800gtx to go with my current one and SLi, this has been proveing hard as the original 9800gtx will only sli with another of the original 9800gtx cards

Option 4 - Hold out for fermi, the problem with this is the cost is still a big unknown and the amount I can get for my 9800gtx will probably fall a load.



So what do people think? would sli gts250 or a single gtx275 be better or should I hold out for another month?

[shaithis]

What CUDA features are you planning to use?

[Pob255]

Gelato, mentalray also PhysX (yes it can be used within 3ds max and maya for physics partical systems)

However also keeping myself open for games

[Domestic_Ginger]

Option 3 gets my vote.

Not convinced £70 for a 9800GTX is right; thats 4870 territory....

How about two 8800GT's in SLI.

Not interested in crossfire? Two 4850s (2x£50) or even 4870 (2x£65-70). (just read your post again!)

Final question; no chance of SLI with 8800gts (512)?

[liquidmetal]

Option 3 as well. The gts 250 is basically a slightly overclocked version of the 9800gtx. If you look second hand should be able to pick another one up for around £50. Maybe find a gtx 260 (216) for second hand for around £100 and once you overclock it matches if not beats the gtx 280.

[Pob255]

4870's are going for around £80+ on fleabay atm
The issue with sli my current 9800gtx is getting hold of them, there's the grand total of 2 currently on fleabay 1 auction, 1 buy it now for £95

the gtx260 is also an option, fewer streams and the prices vary wildly, but hopefully I could get one for around £100, just not sure how much of an upgrade it would be over my 9800gtx

[Domestic_Ginger]

Over on another (dutch) forum a supposed 'NV partner' has let on that the 470 is going to be 200 euro. Make of it what you will; could be magic March!

IMO it would be foolish to get a 'high perfomrance' card until Fermi is out as all the green crowd with cash will be upgrading and flogging thier old cards. This may knock on down to the budget end.

I'm hanging on in until summer 2011 I reckon and then the 5850 will be about £50!

[GheeTsar]

Over on another (dutch) forum a supposed 'NV partner' has let on that the 470 is going to be 200 euro. Make of it what you will; could be magic March!

I'd fall off my chair in shock if that was the case - there is so much pent up demand (rightly or wrongly) and so little supply (if rumours are to be believed/ATI's experience goes for NVIDIA too) that I can't see the 470 going for less than £275 and the 480 going for less than £375 at launch. Pure speculation of course.

Perhaps €200 per chip to the Partner...

[Pob255]

Yes I don't see the 470 being £175, unless that's £175 trade price, which would there for run around £250 retail

[oolon]

Option 1 or 3, I like starting with a single card solution as you get the option of adding, so ether add or get a better new single card. If budget is important go for option 3, as it takes less new money and you don;t have to try to sell things on ebay.

[Phage]

I'd fall off my chair in shock if that was the case - there is so much pent up demand (rightly or wrongly) and so little supply (if rumours are to be believed/ATI's experience goes for NVIDIA too) that I can't see the 470 going for less than £275 and the 480 going for less than £375 at launch. Pure speculation of course..

Agreed. 300-400 will be the price points.

[scaryjim]

If your main reason for nviida is CUDA, wouldn't you be better with a single high-end card rather than 2 mid-range cards in SLI?

A GTX260 has a fair %age more shaders than your 9800GTX, should be a modest upgrade in all respects. A GTX 275 / 280 / 285 would obviously be much better, and if you can source / afford one that'd be my recommendation. Otherwise, I'd just make do with your 9800GTX for now and wait for fermi.

[Biscuit]

I usually dont favour waiting for things... but its so soon and we have no idea what the results are going to be.

9800GTX isnt exactly a dreadful card either its still got plenty of clout to keep you going rather then plunging for a modest upgrade which will ultimately (IMO) feel like a waste.

[robtbear]

I have two GTX260's in SLI works great most games crysis far cry 2 etc all run at high res with reasonable graphics.

[kellyharding]

I'd go with option 4 I reckon. People might be holding onto their 9800GTX+s till fermi is out before upgrading. I've often liked to go several leaps of performance upgrade when I upgrade (ie 6600GT -> 8800GT, athlon 64 3000+ -> core2duo e6550), so maybe others have similar ideas?

I've given consideration myself to getting a GTS250 or GTX260 in place of my 8800GT (I too want to stick to nVidia for CUDA (folding) and Linux support), but not sure the gain is worth the cost, and not sure on whether SLi is worth it (I hae a P45 chipset board, so it doesn't support SLi so I'd need to upgrade my mobo too :/)

[Terbinator]

We're so close t Fermi now i think you'd be mad not to go down that route - provided you can afford of course. Fermi is also meant to be heavily geared towards CUDA so surely it would be best going for that ?