Hardware Performance Update - ATI CrossFire

I reckon that given the power of the latest GPUs, we are essentially screen limited for the first time. Basically, the biggest sticking point in fully utilising these cards and their future relatives will be the cost of buying a 2560 x 1600 screen, those 30 inch gems don't seem to be getting any cheaper, in fact I swear they are more expensive, sigh!
I've been reading that Lucid Hydra for all its fanfare, is still heavily dependent on driver support, is that true, and won't that diminish its raison d’être?

 

Someone needs to create the ability to split 1 game to 3x 2560x1600 monitors.

 

I think the current reason we don't have mutlicore gpus are because of cache design and how it accesses memory. Multicore cpu and Multicore gpu are two different things. This problem is shown also when you look at the 4870x2 or the 5970 or any of NV's SLI configs. Both gpu's have access to only their own portion of memory. That is why an X2 card with 2GB of memory still only has 1GB accessible per GPU and is not really 2GB accessible to either gpu at the same time.

i'm not a GPU engineer but that is my current understanding of the issue.

Just my 2c

 

lol its always easier said than done my friend!

 

If you need a review to tell you that SLI or crossfire is an stupid purchase at 1024x768 or 1280x1024.

You should

1. Not be building your own computers or for anyone else for that matter.
2. Should not be giving advice
3. Stick to gaming on a console.

Even someone new to this site should know putting a $600 videocard in a $500 computer isn't going to be the most optimal solution.

If not its time to find a new hobby!

 

Ati Crossfire is a way to achieve the performance your looking for without donating a kidney. cant afford a (or find) a 5870 no problem buy a 5770 now and get another 5770 later. With the amount of 40 50 60 inch LCD computer ready TV's flying off the shelves I definitely see a need for a Crossfire or SLI set up to get the most frame rates out of a computer connected to the living room mega inch LCD.
If you don't realize this then it's time for you to trade in that 13 inch CRT!

 

Actually that "mega inch" LCD of yours will always be stuck at 1920x1080 (1080p) so there really is nothing special, or really all that spectacular about running a game on your LCD/Plasma 50+inch TV a 5770 can do it, or preferably a 5870. These video cards will have a harder time pushing a good 30" IPS/PVA panel LCD monitor at 2,560 x 1,600 4xAA 16xAF than any 1080p TV set, no matter how big it is. CrossFire/SLi's advantages become more apparent (as well as their pixel pushing power) when you start running 2 or 3 30" LCD's at 2,560 x 1,600. But for single monitor use, for the majority of cases, the 5870 will be all that people really will need.

 

I don't think it's fair to demand Bit-Tech run their benchtests with 2 or 3 screens or with different CPU's. It must be tough enough as it is with the number of tests they run.

Hang on! they get to play with toys all day for a living! Stuff that, let's make them do the tests with testicle handcuffs wearing a scuba suit with the bottom cut out and with a bucket of soapy frogs on standby.

 

multi-GPU, still not ready.

as i always say: hardware scheduling is the only way forward. driver dependent solution like crossfire/sli are just temporary money spinners for the graphics company

 

im useing 2 xfx 5770's and for the price,power consumption and performance im very pleased with them

 

Crossfire and SLI are great Marketing sale points. Buy two cards for little performance gain! But I hope, more and more people are realizing that both CF and SLI are just that, great marketing hype to let you buy more. I first mention it a couple of years ago that buying a CF/SI setup is pointless. By the time you are actually benefiting from your wonderful power-hungry dual/triple/quad GPU setup the next gen single GPU is laid down on your doorstep with better hardware, lower energy consumption and better performance and feature set.

 

Comparing the 5870 to the 5970 shows that it's nearly a 100% improvement when you factor in the current costs, if you go just by the average frame rates.

5870 costs $410
5970 costs $600

(600-410)/600 = 31.7% increase in price

For Crysis at 1,680 x 1,050 4xAA 16xAF, DirectX 10, High Quality
The average frame rates where:
5970 -> 70fps
5870 -> 47fps

(70-47)/70 = 32.9%

So for a 31.7% increase in cost you obtained a 32.9% increase in performance.

I have not bothered to do this with any other cards or games or buyers other than Newegg so it likely isn't true across the board.

 

That's only really valid in the USA I think. Here in the UK you're looking at HD 5970 prices 66% more expensive than an HD 5870 (£500+ vs £300+).

Even then you're not taking into account that the HD 5970 is huge, hot and really loud, as well as a slave to Catalyst drivers when new games to come out, and still subject to crappy performance when CrossFire doesn't work. As the article says, when it works it's great but we'd rather pay our money for reliable performance than a lot more money for crazy performance that may or may not manifest itself.

 

Where to get one, let alone 2 without giving up body parts?

 

SLI or Crossfire are not for me , I rather preffer always the single GPU , less heat development less problems and therefore cheaper wardware

 

The 5970 is designed to run at 5870 speeds, it is throttled back to meet PCI-E specs. With this in mind you are paying £100 less for equal performance. So the only reason for getting 5870 CF is if you can't fit the 5970 in your case or availability.

 

There seems to be new evidence also that 5970 VRM's are getting to hot which is causing some of the throttling in apps. Seem to be happening more on applications that really stress the card more than games example furmark.

 

It's designed to be overclocked, yes, but why don't any of the reviewing sites get their samples to run at 5870 speeds?
Also, if you are going to factor in overclocking, get an Asus Voltage Tweak 5870, and compare it with that. No way you'll run the two cores of the 5970 at 1000MHz...

 

good review but why do you test high end hardware on stock cpu power we all know currently that most gpu's are cpu capped and thats befoew another gpu monster is added.

please can you retest with more cpu power its a shame to waste so much hard work.