Budget updating!

[nanottaja]

Hello! So i have a question for updating with a small budget

My hardware:

Motherboard: Asus P5Q-E

Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 @ 2.66 ghz

Graphics card: ATI HD 4890


I would like to update the computers performance with a small budget, and i would like to buy another HD 4890 for crossfire, but the motherboard supports only pci-e 8x in crossfire, so should i update something else or just go for the crossfire?


I found this:

HD 4890 = 975mhz (quad piped - 3.9 GB/s data rate) = 3.9 GB/s total data rate
HD 4870 X2 = 900mhz (quad piped - 3.6 GB/s data rate)(times 2) = 7.2 GB/s total data rate

So as you can see, the 4870 X2 will be hurt in an 8X condition and why the 3870, 4650, 4670, 4770, 4830, 4850, 4870, 4890, and 4850 X2 will not be hurt in performance at all.

From here: http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/16 [...] wer-33367/



Do you have any other options? does it make a big difference buying a new cooler for the processor and maybe overclocking it?

And if the best way to update is the crossfire, how big power supply will i need?

 

[saint19]

Hi newcomer and welcome to the Tom's hardware forum.

Usually one is better that two.