Video card question

[maddafinga]

So I'm looking at getting a new vid card very soon, this week or the week after.  I was going to go 5870 so I'd have some time before an upgrade, but financial realities have interfered with that, and I've begun looking at the 5770 series of cards by ATI. 

Now looking at these I see that the 5770s are all 128 bit but the 4870 and 5850 and 5870 are all 256 bit.  The 4870s have slightly lower clock speeds it looks like but are around the same price as the 5770 cards.  Does the 128 bit vs 256 bit matter really?  Would I be ahead to get a 5770 over at 4870 at about the same price? 

The more I learn the more I find that I don't know. 

[Spikes]

I run a Sapphire 5770 and it kicks the crap out of AH and many other games. Bronk also uses the 5770, you won't be disappointed!

What are your PC specs, though?

[maddafinga]

I run a Sapphire 5770 and it kicks the crap out of AH and many other games. Bronk also uses the 5770, you won't be disappointed!

What are your PC specs, though?

Asus Evo mb

AMD Phenom II x4 955 @ 3.2 ghz

4 gig ddr3

I'm still running my old nvidia 8600gt vid card though. 

The system is good, the gpu, not so much. 

[Spikes]

Asus Evo mb

AMD Phenom II x4 955 @ 3.2 ghz

4 gig ddr3

I'm still running my old nvidia 8600gt vid card though. 

The system is good, the gpu, not so much. 

Great system, 5770 will fit in there perfectly. Now, I don't know much about the bit stuff...I think it's just memory streams, but you should be better off getting the 5770 for sure. I don't lose a frame in dog fights or furballs, with everything turned up except shadowing (not too fond of it).

[TequilaChaser]

madda,

about the biggest difference,

4870 1 Gig GDDR5 256 bit  is DirectX 10.1 capable

5770 1 Gig GDDR5 128 bit  is DirectX 11.0 capable

 along with the 5770 having faster core clock and Largr effective Memory clock than the older 4870 series


they both have 800 Stream Processing Units

( I looked at the XFX series only  since it is lifetime warranty on them )

both cards are actually the same price, except right now, the 5770 is cheaper by $10.00 off and free shipping at this time on newegg.....

hope this helps

[maddafinga]

Yeah I had noticed that the dx was different and so was leaning to the 5770 because of that.  I just didn't know about the bit numbers and whether or not that made any difference at all. 

I really wish I could get the gf not to freak out and let me get a 5850 at least, but I just don't see that happening.  So 5770 is how it's looking then, now to check and see if I can order it now or if I'll have to wait till next paycheck.

Thanks!

[Krusty]

If you can swing a 5850, that would probably be better, gaming-wise.

However, I had a GeForce 7600 GT that had a 128-bit interface and didn't have many/any stutters while running it, but my newer 9600 GSO with 128-bit memory will stutter if AH details are turned up too high...

It's more the card than the memory bandwidth. A total-package deal, rather than "oh, 128-bit is slow," it depends on what card.

Just speaking from general knowledge of the numbering systems, If you can't get a 5870 or a 5850, you might get better gaming performance from a 4870 instead... The numbering on ATI cards sometimes confuses me, but the x600 lines are definitely budget, the x800 lines are their gaming cards, and I'd assume their x700 series is the cut-rate cards (hence the weaker ram). You may dodge the bullet and get the "older" gaming card, knowing it'll be better for gaming, rather than a "newer" card that you aren't sure about.


The clincher is if you want DX11 support or not -- this is the one with support for up to 6 monitors (let's hope we're not running off vista or Win7 by then). Note, though, DX11 isn't out yet as far as I know, and is a ways off.


EDIT: I did a little checking, a 5850 will out-pace this card in most specs, despite a slightly slower clock on the GPU and the memory. 5770's about par (specs wise, not sure in-game) with a 4870, but a 4890 (if you can find one, the big brother to the 4870) will outpace it again.

[Bronk]

Asus Evo mb

AMD Phenom II x4 955 @ 3.2 ghz

4 gig ddr3

I'm still running my old nvidia 8600gt vid card though. 

The system is good, the gpu, not so much. 

I have the same MB that a 965 calls home.


 IMO,  the  5770 (juniper) can not be beat for the $.  I do not think you will be disappointed with a 5770.

[Bruv119]

Yeah I had noticed that the dx was different and so was leaning to the 5770 because of that.  I just didn't know about the bit numbers and whether or not that made any difference at all. 

I really wish I could get the gf not to freak out and let me get a 5850 at least, but I just don't see that happening.  So 5770 is how it's looking then, now to check and see if I can order it now or if I'll have to wait till next paycheck.

Thanks!

i told my g/f  whats what and got the 5850!   now if i only dare ask for more time to use it   

[maddafinga]

i told my g/f  whats what and got the 5850!   now if i only dare ask for more time to use it   

I know what you mean there man, mine hates my time flying fairly passionately.    If I lived alone I'd probably live in the game, but then I wouldn't have anyone to sleep with and cook for me and such.  It's a tough tradeoff to make. 

I may be able to set money back this check and then get the 5850 or even the 5870 on the next if I'm really frugal and the heat bill isn't too bad.  Gonna cross my fingers. 

[TequilaChaser]

I know what you mean there man, mine hates my time flying fairly passionately.    If I lived alone I'd probably live in the game, but then I wouldn't have anyone to sleep with and cook for me and such.  It's a tough tradeoff to make. 

I may be able to set money back this check and then get the 5850 or even the 5870 on the next if I'm really frugal and the heat bill isn't too bad.  Gonna cross my fingers. 

just be extra nice to her on Valentine's Day and such....you might get the nod to go ahead and get the 5870 

pulling for ya    ( nothing wrong with a 5850 though either )

[Ack-Ack]

The clincher is if you want DX11 support or not -- this is the one with support for up to 6 monitors (let's hope we're not running off vista or Win7 by then). Note, though, DX11 isn't out yet as far as I know, and is a ways off.

DirectX 11 is already out, has been for some months now.  In fact, it made its debut with the release of Windows 7 as that's the version of DirectX that ships with it.  Also, game are already being made with DirectX 11 compatibility.  One or two were released last year after Windows 7 was released and more are being released this year.  I know that there are a couple of games that are being released by my company that will have DirectX 11 support, though sadly Final Fantasy XIII isn't one of them.

ack-ack

[Krusty]

Sooner than I thought!

I saw a number of the 6-monitor demo clips on youtube, but they seemed to imply it wasn't going to be out for a while.

So... my next question would be: Anybody tried AH with 6 monitors yet? 

[gyrene81]

So... my next question would be: Anybody tried AH with 6 monitors yet? 

My eyeballs couldn't handle it...

[maddafinga]

Well, I just couldn't wait anymore and went ahead and ordered the MSI 5850...  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127471

Linked directly from my confirmation email.  I was going to get the Asus one, but it was out of stock, and I just couldn't make myself wait any more.  This one is apparently easily overclocked quite a bit, for when I might eventually need that.  Now I just have to wait till probably Thursday for it to arrive....  When will they come up with teleporters, I want it now!