Graphics Upgrade for Battlefield 3?

[MisterQ29]

Evening gentlepeeps

I've been lurking on eBay lately and noticed that I could get a second 4870 X2 for my main gaming rig for less that £100. However, I am left wondering if I'd be better off spending more right now (or later on in the year) on a more current graphics card with more power?

I'm looking to play Battlefield 3 on near-to-max graphics settings in 1920x1200 resolution you see... So what should I do?

Current rig specs are as follows:

Mainboard: Gigabyte GA-P55-US3L
CPU: core i5 750 2.67ghz
RAM: 4gb DDR3 @ PC3-10700 (667mhz)
Graphics: Powercolor 4870X2 (dual-core)

P.S I have researched a little into running Crossfire on this mainboard and it turns out that the P55's basically make Crossfire a no-go. So if a second 4870 X2 is a better option, obviously I'd need a mainboard upgrade as well.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Timop]

IIRC, BF3 stresses the CPU also, with the 4870X2 being a relatively strong card still (~6950), getting a cooler and OCing the 760 would be something that would help more.

4870X2X2 isn't really recommended, scaling is pretty bad and power/heat could be a problem.

 

[MisterQ29]

So if the 4870 X2 is still viable should I just give it a try and see if it can handle the BF3 graphics? Did AMD/ATi back off the dual-core graphics cards when they realised how good they can be, or has overheating and underpowering them been a real problem?

 

[Timop]

You definitely should.
AMD/ATI never backed off of dual GPU cards, they just dropped the "X2" moniker as they realized that doubling cards would make power consumption too outrageous. Both of the HD5970/6990 are dual GPU cards, but not exactly 5870X2 or 6970X2s.

 

[Guest]

BF3 is getting a console release, it should run perfectly fine on your setup you have now. But it might not run with all the settings maxed. I would wait and get the game and try it, then upgrade if need be. By the time its out AMD or Nvidia might have their next gen cards out as well and you will be able to get more performance per dollar then.

 

[browsingtheworld]

They're developing it for the consoles though the lead platform is the PC. It will probably be coded efficiently enough to look good on 4870 X2 considering the 360 uses a 3850/70 and the PS3 uses a 7800GT.

 

[nocredrs]

Will it run well on a Core 2 Quad/Radeon HD 6870?

 

[browsingtheworld]

Depends on what settings you use but yes.

 

[nocredrs]

Its a console port, it will run ive figured it out. Its like Crysis 2 -.-

Im maxing it out on 1080p. Ill soon get a i7 960 or a 2600k/8GB Corsair Vengeance/ASUS Mainboard.

 

[Overclocked Toaster]

you cannot max out BF3 using a 4000-series gpu. BF3 will heavily and properly utilize directX 11, which you cannot use with your card. you will need to upgrade to a 5000 or 6000 series gpu

btw bf3 is not a console port, it is more a pc game that is being ported to the consoles, with many of the features not available to console players, and of course superior graphics on the PC. This will be the first true directX 11 game, you CANNOT play it with a dx9 gpu or system.

 

[renz496]

^+1.

lol. some people are quick to make assumption. just because the game was made for both PC and console it doesn't meant it will be console port. one good example for this was the witcher 2. i'm just hoping DICE will not going to pull the same stunt as Crytek did with their Crysis 2

 

[celpas]

I doubt its gonna be that demanding.for one I can max the existing ine with 50 fps average.No matter how demanding this one is my gtx 275 will get 30+ fps which is what I am satisfied with.Besides in a interniew EA did say that bf3 is only slightly more demanding than bfbc2

 

[renz496]

I doubt its gonna be that demanding.for one I can max the existing ine with 50 fps average.No matter how demanding this one is my gtx 275 will get 30+ fps which is what I am satisfied with.Besides in a interniew EA did say that bf3 is only slightly more demanding than bfbc2

let's hope for that . currently crysis 2 in ultra setting able to pawn my GTX460. honestly i don't like it if i can't play the game on max setting while rocking at constant 60FPS at all time :lol:

 

[Steadyjay]

I played the BF3 alpha with my XFX 4870x2 on the high setting (which was the highest setting to choose in the options) And it ran, and seemed fine for me.

Display was 1680x1050. My systems a i7 920@ 2.67ghz / 4gb G.Skill ddr3 1600 CL7 / Gigabyte EX58-UD5

 

[Deeks]

I played the BF3 alpha with my XFX 4870x2 on the high setting (which was the highest setting to choose in the options) And it ran, and seemed fine for me.

Display was 1680x1050. My systems a i7 920@ 2.67ghz / 4gb G.Skill ddr3 1600 CL7 / Gigabyte EX58-UD5

From my understanding Alpha's Destruction and Graphics were turned down huge in order for many of users with different system to play alpha. The alpha testing wasn't for graphics but for Server Side. no one knows for sure but im sure the full game will be MUCH more gpu intensive and as ive heard from many alpha testers was huge on CPU side!