Graphics have a 5850, upgrading to a different single gpu

Ok, so at the moment, I am in a situation where i NEED More gpu power because when battlefield 3 comes out in Q4, I want to be able to run it at max settings and at 1920 x 1080. I currently have an ATI Radeon 5850, but I was planning on going down the crossfire route, but after noticing that my second PCI-E Slot, is a gen 1, and clocks down to x4 *gen 1* when it is being used in crossfire, I can't see it being any use at PCI-E x2 gen 2 bandwidth...Useless and a waste of £130-£150. I was thinking of getting a 6970 or a gtx570, as they are in my budget as I have £170 (can push a tiny bit further if you can persuade me good), But If I sell the 5850, I will get £100 ish anyway, so "eBay" says!!! I know if I had the slots to get XFire, it would be a "Win-Win" as in benchmarks, it makes the newer cards seem like ****...Obviously on their own not in XFire! The 5850 XFire even wins the GTX580 (Single, Not SLI!) And XFire would clearly be the cheapest of options, but thats a "No-No" for me. So the question is, the AMD Radeon 6970...or....the NVidia GeForce GTX570, or any other cards in my budget which can compete! Bring the info on!

 

Or buy a better motherboard and another 5850?

It would be cheaper and better (in some cases).

 

Oh god, can we get the paragraph police in here!

Both the 6970 and 570 GTX are almost neck for neck at 1920 x 1080 so either would be fine!

 

By the time Bf is out the 6xx and 7xxx series will be out.

 

Chance are by Q4/november the first 6xx/7xxx cards will have been released and cards such as the 580 will be below £300.

murraynt beat me to it

 

I don't think it would......LOL! Because I'll have to get a new copy of windows 7 and mess about formatting my HDD, because the win 7 copy I currently have is OEM. So thats a 5850 for £120 and win 7 OEM for £80=£200 + £140 for a decent motherboard and mine would probably sell for about £50, so thats about £290 it'll set me back, and thats without the time and effort after formatting my HD With all the copies of things I have on it like photoshop and office 2010! Cheers for advice anyway...

 

Not necessarily; even if it's OEM when activation fails you'll likely be able to contact MS through the ph no they give you, explain that you've had to replace the mobo and it should be fine.

Regards,
Subv3rse

 

You all ready have a thread on this .

If BF3 is your main concern, you may as well wait for the release before buying a GPU, as others have said.

 

GTX 480 is on a par with 570 and is cheaper.

 

Why get another copy of Windows. You don't need to.

I've reinstalled OEM copies of windows onto a machine with a different motherboard loads of times.

 

Thats what I thought, but didn't want to sound like an idiot.

 

Ok then, but if the product key is on that little sticker that your supposed to stick on your case, I'm buggered because it was on my old Xigmatek Asgard and I took it to the waste disposal! Is it in the manual or anywhere, reason I'm asking is I don't know where it is at the moment, and if it's on that sticker, there's not point in me looking for it......

 

Quick google found this, not used myself but have used similar programs to find my Office key.

 

omg! It really does work....The keyfinder software, If you have any doubts with software..this is the dude to consider asking. Cheers Mate really put a smile on ma face! All I need to find now is the disk for win7. The only thing that's putting me off is the fact that when I try and install it on my new mobo and it rejects the code because it says I have already used the OEM Code before...As some websites say that it is a big risk! Also, what would I have to do software wise, I mean would I be better of formatting my OS Drive, or just deleting current MoBo drivers and installing new motherboard drivers?

 

XFX 5850 for £99.95

http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Comp...R5+PCI-Express+Graphics+Card+?productId=44679

 

I've never had that problem.

Worst case scenario is that you have to phone up MS, and they give you a code to enter.


I would do a full wipe, it removes so much hassle.

 

Didn't B-T say the 7xxx series were rumoured for May? Guess that was just a rumour.

 

And is louder, hotter and consumes more power. Sorry had to be done, if anything from the last gen 5870 1GB since it was just as good.
TBH +1 for the GTX 570, or wait till the game launches and you could pick one up cheap.

 

This is true. But there are versions with an improved cooler, which is quiter and performs well.

Although, im just biased because i want one for my WC build

 

You can get a 5870 for £150 now, I shall be getting that for my step son to put in his new PC I just did for him (2500k, Asus P8P67 Pro, 8GB Vengence RAM etc)

We have a 5850 in our HTPC, and I cannot believe it won't play Battlefield 3 well at HD settings - it's not that old!