Hey everyone, I have a decision I just can't seem to decide on...
To begin, I currently have an EVGA 9800 GTX+ SSC graphics card, but would like to upgrade to SLI, or to a 280 GTX.
The rest of my system's specs are as follows:
E8400 CPU @ 3.6GHZ
EVGA 780i SLI motherboard
6GB 800MHZ RAM
A 700 or 750W PSU I took from an old Gateway PC I had
The reason I'm asking this question about the cards is because I discovered at tigerdirect.ca, an EVGA 9800 GTX + SSC selling for $250, and a vanilla EVGA 280 GTX is going for $260. Seeing as how they're both almost the same price, I made a short list of pros and cons based on other discussions I've read on forums about the same topic.
9800 GTX+ SSC SLI
Pros:
- Slightly better performance than a single 280 GTX from what I've read
- Slightly cheaper
- I have an SLI motherboard, might as well put it to good use?
Cons:
- less memory than the 280 GTX (I play on a 19" monitor at 1440 x 900 resolution, so I'm guessing memory isn't too big of a deal, but I was wondering if memory has anything to do with anti-aliasing performance in games, because if so, then that could make a difference)
- more complicated SLI set up, not all games support SLI, and I've heard of microstuttering problems and the like
280 GTX
Pros:
- more memory
- simpler single card set-up
- if necessary, I could add another 280 later on, possibly for even cheaper than it is now
Cons:
- Slightly more expensive
- Little less performance
So even after weighing the pros and cons for each card, I still can't come up with a winner, so I'm asking if any of you could give me a hand in making a decision.
To begin, I currently have an EVGA 9800 GTX+ SSC graphics card, but would like to upgrade to SLI, or to a 280 GTX.
The rest of my system's specs are as follows:
E8400 CPU @ 3.6GHZ
EVGA 780i SLI motherboard
6GB 800MHZ RAM
A 700 or 750W PSU I took from an old Gateway PC I had
The reason I'm asking this question about the cards is because I discovered at tigerdirect.ca, an EVGA 9800 GTX + SSC selling for $250, and a vanilla EVGA 280 GTX is going for $260. Seeing as how they're both almost the same price, I made a short list of pros and cons based on other discussions I've read on forums about the same topic.
9800 GTX+ SSC SLI
Pros:
- Slightly better performance than a single 280 GTX from what I've read
- Slightly cheaper
- I have an SLI motherboard, might as well put it to good use?
Cons:
- less memory than the 280 GTX (I play on a 19" monitor at 1440 x 900 resolution, so I'm guessing memory isn't too big of a deal, but I was wondering if memory has anything to do with anti-aliasing performance in games, because if so, then that could make a difference)
- more complicated SLI set up, not all games support SLI, and I've heard of microstuttering problems and the like
280 GTX
Pros:
- more memory
- simpler single card set-up
- if necessary, I could add another 280 later on, possibly for even cheaper than it is now
Cons:
- Slightly more expensive
- Little less performance
So even after weighing the pros and cons for each card, I still can't come up with a winner, so I'm asking if any of you could give me a hand in making a decision.
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