New video card

[freestyler105]

So there has been a lot of talk about the HD 4870 being the card to get lately...costs $285 on newegg and performs amazing for the $300 price range.

Sounds good to me, but looking at benchmarks, the 9800GX2 rapes the 4870. And the 9800GX2 can be had on newegg for $285 as well. Given, I'll need a new PSU for the 9800GX2, but still...the card owns, and I need to get rid of this POS Rosewill powering my baby anyway

9800GX2:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130338

HD 4870:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102748

Benchmarks:
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3341&p=13



So I guess the question is...all those people who have been raving about the HD 4870, defend yourselves



And then, I'll need a more powerful PSU. Choices right now:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817256045
700W Silverstone with modular cables, 54A on +12V rails, but more efficient.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371010
650W Antec with modular cables, 57A on +12V rails.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371009
850W Antec with modular cables, 72A on +12V rails, but more expensive.


Would the 850W be worth the $50?

 

[worshipme]

Ever heard of microstuttering? That's my defense.

 

[dakxxus]

I love rape... But from my perspective, i havent really seen much of the microstuttering. But then again, i dont really notice things like that. My advice... get the GX2 or wait and get the 4870X2

 

[worshipme]

I'll try to explain it:

Say you're running a single GPU, and you're running a game at 30FPS, the frames will all come at regular intevals.
Now, if you're running a multi-GPU card or configuration, the although the frame rate may be higher, the frames will not be at regular intevals. Example: one frame comes 10ms after the previous one, the next comes 40ms after, the next 30ms, and so on...

What all that means is that the lowest playable frame rate with a multi-GPU configuration will be greatly increased in comparison to a single-GPU.

Crysis may be playable at 30FPS with the 4870, whereas it may not be playable with the 9800GX2 at the same frame rate, simply because the frames are not at regular intervals.

I suck really bad at explaining stuff, but did anyone understand that?

 

[freestyler105]

Ever heard of microstuttering? That's my defense.

Interesting...I'm assuming as better drivers come out that will be minimized though.

Here's an article about it:
http://www.pcgameshardware.de/?article_id=631668

 

[J03]

I'll try to explain it:

Say you're running a single GPU, and you're running a game at 30FPS, the frames will all come at regular intevals.
Now, if you're running a multi-GPU card or configuration, the although the frame rate may be higher, the frames will not be at regular intevals. Example: one frame comes 10ms after the previous one, the next comes 40ms after, the next 30ms, and so on...

What all that means is that the lowest playable frame rate with a multi-GPU configuration will be greatly increased in comparison to a single-GPU.

Crysis may be playable at 30FPS with the 4870, whereas it may not be playable with the 9800GX2 at the same frame rate, simply because the frames are not at regular intervals.

I suck really bad at explaining stuff, but did anyone understand that?

Yep, I did

 

[dakxxus]

As did I, but with the newer and newer drives (177.79 as of now rock, i need to change my sig) alot of it goes away. With my first set of drivers, LotRO stuttered like hell.. as if i was running some POS video card. But with each new set of drivers keeps making it sooo much better.

 

[wol-va-rine]

since rape is illegal, the 9800GX2 is in trouble...

9800GX2 = illegal...?

 

[Teny]

I'll try to explain it:

Say you're running a single GPU, and you're running a game at 30FPS, the frames will all come at regular intevals.
Now, if you're running a multi-GPU card or configuration, the although the frame rate may be higher, the frames will not be at regular intevals. Example: one frame comes 10ms after the previous one, the next comes 40ms after, the next 30ms, and so on...

What all that means is that the lowest playable frame rate with a multi-GPU configuration will be greatly increased in comparison to a single-GPU.

Crysis may be playable at 30FPS with the 4870, whereas it may not be playable with the 9800GX2 at the same frame rate, simply because the frames are not at regular intervals.

I suck really bad at explaining stuff, but did anyone understand that?

i kind of did...
i say go with the 4870, it just seems like a really good card.

 

[ace777]

meh 9800 gx2 is nicer IMO but its really whichever one your a fan boy of, look at ome benches and just pick the series you like.