Dual X1950s to Dual 3870s. Worth it?

[Nicocat]

Topic pretty much says it, but a few more details. The rest of my system specs are an Athlon64 x2 6400+ black edition running at 3.4ghz, 2 gigs of RAM, windows XP and a newer MSI K9A2 Platinum (The AM2+ board) all behind a 24" monitor at 1920x1200 resolution... that should be the relevant stuff. I'm a rather heavy gamer and play anything and everything under the sun. The old boys are still chugging along, but I was wondering if it was worth the price to bump them up to the newest thing. Never seen any direct comparisons between the old best of the best for DX9 and the new kids on the block. Thoughts?

 

[rgeist554]

I'd go with the 3870x2 instead. I think it slightly beats out dual 3870's and allows you an extra expansion slot if you need more performance later on. It will definitely handle the resolution you want to play at w/o much trouble, and you'll probably save a few $$ over dual 3870's.

 

[Nicocat]

Either-or. Depends what's on sale. Also, the K9A2 Platinum is a CrossfireX board, I have plenty of slots. Just for reference.

 

[bash007]

Yeah, another vote for the 3870x2, especially if you're interested in quad 3870s using only two slots instead of using up all four.
If not, two 3870s will be just as good, but why buy two cards when you can get the same thing in one?

 

[Dirty_Harry2]

bragging rights...

I would go for 3870X2, then later on get another. The problem I am having now though is trying to decide whether the 3870X2 is a worthwile upgrade from my 2900 XT. I play at 1600x1200, I don't know. I love to have the newest thing from ATI every now and then.

 

[amd_fanboi]

dirty harry, the XT was not too long ago... so... yeah... though its your money

@OP, i would say just go for the X2... and brag

 

[rgeist554]

I would go for 3870X2, then later on get another. The problem I am having now though is trying to decide whether the 3870X2 is a worthwile upgrade from my 2900 XT. I play at 1600x1200, I don't know. I love to have the newest thing from ATI every now and then.

Yeah, don't do it. You'd see an increase in performance... but whether it would be noticeable is questionable. In turn, I don't believe it would be worth the money spent... yet. I'd say wait 6 or so months and then go for it.

 

[Dirty_Harry2]

Yeah, I play every game I have (besides the Crysis Demo) at maximum settings. The 2900 XT is still a pretty damn good card, it stomps all of my friends stuff...except my buddies 8800GTX. what kind of PSU do the 3870X2's require? In the future if I do decide to upgrade would my 550 watt be enough?

 

[jimmysmitty]

Yeah, I play every game I have (besides the Crysis Demo) at maximum settings. The 2900 XT is still a pretty damn good card, it stomps all of my friends stuff...except my buddies 8800GTX. what kind of PSU do the 3870X2's require? In the future if I do decide to upgrade would my 550 watt be enough?

Depending on which XT you have its not reall much different if you got a equivalent HD2900Pro and just flashed the BIOS to an XT and CF'ed them.

I love my HD2900Pro 1GB and probably wont change cards until R700 as it lets me play Crysis pretty well and TF2 at max everything.

 

[starcraftfanatic]

If you can run a 2900XT, you can run a X2.

 

[lambofgode3x]

my 2 cents...go with the 3870x2. if the game suports mulit gpu mode, you'll see little or no performance difference between 2 cf'd 3870's and the x2, and its the same scenario if the game only supports 1 gpu. under some games, the x2 actually performs up to 15% better. go to google and type in "dual 3870's vs 3870x2" or something like that. theres a lot of benchmarks out there that compare them directly.

plus, if they make the x2 work in quad crossfire, you'd have 8 cores to work with (and probably also a nuclear generator). just saying...

 

[Nicocat]

Methinks some people are missing the point... screw the 2900-series, and this is not about 3870s vs. a 3870x2. X1950s in crossfire up to 3870x2 or two 3870s, since it's the same thing. Worth it or not?

 

[KILLBOT-AU]

Wait for ddr4 PCIe2.0 3870X2 !!!!

 

[amd_fanboi]

X2... as another dude said, it'll let you have quad-gpu performance later on ^^

 

[Gazz]

that is the Question will they be able to make it go 4 x 3870x2 to a motherboard
I have a similar set up
MSI K9A2 Platinum with slots for either 2x16 or 4x8
Athlon64 x2 6400+
but i have 2 x 1900 's and I am looking to update to four cards
I was going to get 4 x 3870's to how they would work but now the 3870x2 is out and i was thinking of doing the same
BUT I have herd in some forems that the the new drivers that will be comeing out will only let you crosfirex 2 gpu's under windows xp but under vister you will be able to go 4
Please someone prove me wrong because I was hopeing to go 4 gpu's under windows xp
It will be a while before I go vista
Buggar

 

[patater]

the real question is to ask, can you wait until like mid april? if not go with x2, but the stuff coming out in a matter of weeks will rock your socks...even the 4870x2..so, spend the cash now, or wait a lil bit longer. i would get dual 3870, its like 10 dollars more, but the x2 doesnt ALWAYS beat it out in perf...just some times. plus i want @ cards. but i do agree with gettin two 3870x2, but they gotta fix that patch!!!

 

[jimmysmitty]

I say wait until R700. Get a nice cheap 3870 for now and in the next few months we should see a few new benches leak out or specs of the R700 and the G100(from NVidia) then we can make a better decision.

Although I will always got with ATI over NVidia due to my bad experience with NVdidia but still you buy it now and next thing ya know a better one comes out.