Current ATI Bang-For-Buck?

[sswilson]

Looking to move the GTX275 off of my main rig (will add about 1500 PPD to my SMP2) and have been looking for something from the red team to replace it with (probably boinc with it).

I'm just in the initial research phase, but so far it looks to me like a pair of 5770 1G cards would come in under the price of a 5850 while offering better performance.

Choice would have to offer a clear gaming performance boost over my current GTX 275.

Running a 22" monitor so resolution will be 1680 X 1050.

I don't do much gaming, but when I do it'll be RPGs like DAO, and possibly some racing titles if I ever get off my butt and start using that logitech wheel I picked up last year..... ;)

Opinions / thoughts. (Nothing from the Green team currently strikes my interest as being a worthy replacement for the current GTX275).

[Delavan]

IMHO,

You GTX275 is a nice card!!!

Choice would have to offer a clear gaming performance boost over my current GTX 275.

Bang for the buck = Single HD5850 IMHO...

A 5770 Crossfire setup is basically close to a HD5870. That being said, if you factor-in Crossfire scaling (depending of the games you play), it's hard to say. You might gain enough from the Crossfire in some games, sometimes a single, faster card would benefit you more.

A HD5870 is performing at around 30% more than a GTX285 (average), so let's say you'd gain something (roughly) like a 35% increase over your GTX275, plus the DX11 features..wonder is it's enough of an increase for you.
Also, when I pick a GFX card, I always look for the resolution one step higher than my monitor resolution. I call that my "monitor upgrade itch" safeguard...just in case you fall for a nice 24" screen.

I'd go maybe 1 X HD5870, maybe 1 X HD5850 with the Crossfire option later, not Crossfire 5770. Maybe it's a little above your range, dunno, but factor-in the sale of the GTX275...I sold my GTX260 Core 216 SC for $120, to give you a "ballpark figure".

I really like my HD5870....idling at 157mhz core and 300mhz memory..never get warmer than 67 degrees celsius in gaming...
NCIX has the ASUS HD5870 V2 on sale for $409 this week...SKYMTL reviewed it a few weeks back.

http://http://www.ncix.com/products/...S&promoid=1027

If you go GREEN, I'd pick something like the EVGA GTX470 SC + (the PLUS, is the one with modded "high flow bracket" + backplate, or other non-reference card with increased cooling capability.
http://http://www.techpowerup.com/?122811

Again IMHO, not an expert!!!

[FreeKnight]

At that resolution, especially on games like DAO, a 5850 should be more than enough. I was running DAO with max settings on everything with my 4890 no problem at 1920x1080. ME2 and Crysis ran at full spec no problem.

If you don't think the 5850 has enough oomph but don't want to go with the 5870, maybe look at going with a 5850 Toxic (or equivalent) and bridge the gap a bit. They were pretty reasonably priced on some of the sites linked at pricecanada.ca a couple weeks ago

That 470 superclocked+ looks really nice and seems to offset some of the fermi problems (HEAT!), had I not gone with the 5870 Vapor, I'd have picked that one up. The 'superclocked' aspect of it seems a little misleading though as clock speeds were only slightly increased (IIRC, I could be mixing that up with another card in my head though)

[sswilson]

I'm not going to be selling the 275, just moving it to a different location. Moving to two reasons...... first is that I want to free up my proc for unfettered SMP2 folding, second is that I want to move up to a DX 11 capable card and since Fermi is out of the question, that means team red.

That said... this is all about bang-for-buck.... I guess what I'm looking for is a good argument against going with a crossfired 5770 setup vice a single 5850 (upgrading to x-fired 5850's is not going to be an option).

[Dr_BenD_over]

I'll make my usual statement, Crossfire can be a pain in the ass.

[sswilson]

Originally Posted by Dr_BenD_over

I'll make my usual statement, Crossfire can be a pain in the ass.

Have you ever managed to get it up and running properly?

[_dangtx_]

whatever offers you best bang per buck. if god forbid the 275 werent folding id use it as physx ahem ahem

[Pankie]

a 5770 or 5850 are probably your best bang for the buck right now.

[Digikid]

2 x 5770 is equal to 5850....not 5870.

[sswilson]

Originally Posted by Digikid

2 x 5770 is equal to 5850....not 5870.

But again.... 2X 5770 is either cheaper or on-par (pricewise) with a single 5850, and in the great majority of low(er) res charts I've seen so far, the X-Fire 5770 is pretty close to the 5870, and blows away the 5850 for FPS with full eye candy on.

I'm going to continue checking out the available reviews / charts, but so far, nothing suggests that a 5850 would be the way to go outside of the hassle of getting crossfire to work properly.