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Graphics 2x 2gb 4890 vapor x's or 1 5870

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by numanoid, 16 Oct 2009.

  1. numanoid

    numanoid Modder

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    hi lads, i know i was holding out for the vapor x 5870, but i was thinking, either buy 1 5870 vapor x.......or buy 2 2gb 4890 vapor x's and use them in x fire, thats a total of 4gb, what do you guys think, 2 4890s or 1 5870.......im not too fussed on dx11 at this early stage, so dx11, dont even cross my mind
    thanks
    take care
     
    Last edited: 16 Oct 2009
  2. earlydoors

    earlydoors Minimodder

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    IMO 1x5870.

    More performance than you need right now, plus the added DX11 bonus and the prospect of CFing a pair of them later on.
     
  3. Andre_B

    Andre_B Minimodder

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    Hi

    See below something you said to me when I was considering the 5850 in crossfire or just the 5870...
    I bought the 5870 in the end and I am very happy with it. :)

     
  4. Diosjenin

    Diosjenin Thinker, Tweaker, Et Cetera

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    - Both your idle and load power usage will be MUCH better with a single 5870 than it will be on two 4890s
    - You can always get an aftermarket cooler for the 5870
    - You can always Crossfire the 5870 later

    - Diosjenin -
     
  5. [PUNK] crompers

    [PUNK] crompers Dremedial

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    just buy the card now and an aftermarket cooler. cheaper and probably cooler than the vapor x, those VX things are always over priced
     
  6. WhiskeyAlpha

    WhiskeyAlpha What's a Dremel?

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    Yep, grab the 5870.

    Plus, just to clarify, it doesn't total 4GB of video memory as both 2GB cards will "duplicate" the same data in memory. Therefore you effectively have 2GB, even in crossfire. You get the extra processing horsepower but no additional memory from multiple card setups currently.

    A shared memory pool is something that many people have been hoping we'll see however.
     
  7. bagman

    bagman Minimodder

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    wait for fermi or buy the 5870
     
  8. Diosjenin

    Diosjenin Thinker, Tweaker, Et Cetera

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    That depends on whether the underlying subsystem uses split-frame rendering or alternate-frame rendering. In the first case, where each card renders a portion of each frame, the memory pool must be duplicated across both cards, which effectively halves the total amount of usable memory (in this case, to 2GB down from 4GB). In the latter case, each card is rendering a separate frame; the first card renders one frame while the second renders another frame entirely, interleaved later after the fact. In this case, each card is free to use its own memory pool, giving access to all available memory (in this case, all 4GB).

    I know ATI uses alternate-frame rendering at least in some cases, but I don't know if they use it in all cases. I'd be interested to find out, though...


    - Diosjenin -
     
    smc8788 likes this.
  9. Moyo2k

    Moyo2k AMD Fanboy

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    5870 is more than you need, and it's totally futureproof - its also one card so when the prices come down you can go for another one in CF wonderness,
     
  10. numanoid

    numanoid Modder

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    awesome, 5870 it is then, and as said, i can crossfire it in a few months time
    cheers again lads
    take care
     
  11. earlydoors

    earlydoors Minimodder

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    :hehe:
     

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