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View Full Version : Quad DVI outputs FTW? 4850x2 ATI card


pinotnoir
12-12-2008, 03:19 AM
Ok had to post this in a new thread. I am trying to figure out how to upgrade my system to stop choppy sinclar from killing me. After some talk in my thread I started researching video cards and found this massive card. I run 3 LCD's with two Sapphire 3870 cards now. This thing has 4 DVI outputs on 1 card. Check it out and tell me what you guys think of this for an upgrade over my 2 3870's.

http://www.sapphiretech.com/us/products/products_overview.php?gpid=265&grp=3 ('http://www.sapphiretech.com/us/products/products_overview.php?gpid=265&grp=3')

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102809 ('http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102809')
lans83
12-12-2008, 11:19 AM
very nice card, i might have to invest in that for my new tower instead of multiple geforces...had an ati all in one that lasted me a long time, this would be a good investment i'm hoping
Bovidae
12-12-2008, 04:41 PM
That's a whole lotta vid card for $310
pengwynman
12-12-2008, 05:29 PM
shit son, my gtx 280 was over $400 when i bought it in september
algol
12-12-2008, 06:07 PM
It's a whole lotta card, but I'm told there are issues with windowed mode and such thanks to it being native crossfire. Likewise it could be that the extra outputs only perform well for 2-D ("desktop mode") tasks. I haven't tested this and haven't seen much on it around here. If you find anything out, please share.

For high-performance graphics cards, there's a certain baseline heat/power cost just to run the thing even if it's running a screen saver. I suspect this is more efficient than two discrete cards, and certainly more so than four in a similar power bracket (you could possibly run several low-power cards for the additional monitors more cheaply). I think it's certainly an option worth looking at. Even the 4870x2 pops up for ~$400ish lately.
pinotnoir
12-12-2008, 07:11 PM
From what I have read you can run up to 4 monitors with it or set it up in crossfire gaining more performance. Seeing how I have 3 LCD's I would not crossfire it and run it as if it were two cards. I need a fps boost and I cant figure out how much my 3870 cards are holding me back.