ATI 5850 for $125

[Krusty]

While it doesn't cut performance 75% -- Tigger is right on this -- you do have a noticable impact. Even some lower-end cards like the GeForce 7600 GTS I used to have lost about 20% performance by being mounted in my (then) shared-bus 16x slot that ran at 4x actual. It was a combo board. I found this out by reading some reviews on the combo boards at the time.

While there is potential future forward capability (in the form of unused channels), it still uses a bunch of those extra pathways on any even-close-to-modern card. Not all, but more than 4x provides.

You don't want to game on 4x, and this is from my personal experience. The peformance just lacks.

[skribetm]

that biostar board i used worked at x16/x4 for my xfired HD6950's. the performances hit was absolutely noticeable.
i think the asymmetrical distribution of GPU loads affected it so much so that performance dropped below having ONE HD6950 in an x16 slot.

[BaldEagl]

that biostar board i used worked at x16/x4 for my xfired HD6950's. the performances hit was absolutely noticeable.
i think the asymmetrical distribution of GPU loads affected it so much so that performance dropped below having ONE HD6950 in an x16 slot.

I tried to SLI two 8800 GTS 512's on my board.  I was running around 280-290 fps in game but at that time SLI didn't support vsync and the screen tearing was so bad I RMD'd the second card.

Wiked awsome performance with intollerable side effects wasn't worth it.

[WWhiskey]

Bought a new 6750 amd ati card today $119.  Steady 59 frame rate and a nice picture   Not sure how much better it has to get?

[Debrody]

Bought a new 6750 amd ati card today $119.  Steady 59 frame rate and a nice picture   Not sure how much better it has to get?

The ones buying an 5850-level card dont only wanna play AH.