crossfire video

[djd_201]

On my new motherboard, it takes crossfire video cards. Can I run a GDDR3 card with a GDDR4 card as long as they are both ATI RADEON HD 2600XT 's ? Thanks in advance. Also...does this need a bridge as an SLi setup does, and if so...what bridges can I purchase to be compatible?

[Midknyte]

You can run cards with the same GPU but different memory. performance will be hindered by the slowest card.

2600s don't use bridges.

THG SLI / CrossFire FAQs (http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/245454-15-crossfire-faqs)

Do you already have the two 2600s? You might as well get one higher card like a 4850 versus 2 lower cards.

[djd_201]

Thanks for the tips midknyte...

the 4800's are running $180 from what I could find
and that's out of my price range.

I basically wish to run the twin crossfire, just to have it and have good graphics for games also, especially if if I go to a large flat panel monitor

the 256MB cards aren't much, but within my budget, and this card offers 1G shared memory off of the 256mb on board...am I right?
V
SAPPHIRE 1013L Radeon HD 2400PRO 1GB(128MB on board) 64-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
V
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102764


or this one has 512mb physically onboard
V
SAPPHIRE 100234VGAL Radeon HD 3450 512MB 64-bit GDDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
V
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102757

Is this important? I see a difference also in PCIe x16 and PCIe 2.0 x16? Will either card work on my ECS KA3 MVP? Its only PCIe x16, no 2.0 to it...

and then too will a DirectX 10.0 card work with 9.0 on my XP Proffesional?


sorry for all the questions...

I guess they are...

Is the 1G shared memory as good as or better than 512mb on baord?

Will a 10.0 Direct X card work on my system.

Will a PCIe 2.0 x16 work on my PCIe x16 system?

thanks in advance

[Midknyte]

If $180 is too much, what IS your price range? I seriously advise you to find a faster single card rather than crossfire. It doesn't make sense to use crossfire for budget cards. If a game doesn't support Crossfire, you will only get the power of a single card.

Even if you have a truckload of video ram, that won't help you if you have a weak GPU.

Chances are that a PCIe 2.0 card will work. Dx10 support is internal to the GPU. Your motherboard has no bearing on that. Dx10 capable cards are backwards compatible to DX9.

[djd_201]

Thinking in that way Midknyte

I guess I oughta shoot for a good 512mb crossfire card with a good GPU
for around $60-$70 and then if I wished to get another later...I could always get the second card...is this how you are thinking?

My next 'game', though I'm not a gamer at 51 years old, will probably be COD4
but I haven't checked yet to even see if it supports crossfire. See I am learning everytime I turn around. You guys are good for that...thanks again Midknyte

I 'was' sort of disappointed to find out a little late that SLi and Crossfire don't support multiple monitors on thesre boards (EVGA 133-K8-NF41 and an ECS KA3 MVP). I wanted to learn how to set up two monitors with different displays (interchangable). I should have researched and checked with you all prior to going in feet first.

[Midknyte]

$60-70? Those are some cheap cards. You'll have to run COD4 on the lowest settings.

From the THG SLI / CrossFire FAQ:
Should i get 2 midrange cards instead of one high-end card ?
No, again i will answer this with example. 2 8600GT or single 8800gts ? this is one of the most common questions in forums. single 8800GTS (320 or 640) will beat 2 8600GT in games , because a single 8800GTS has more stream processors , more memory clock , more bandwidth. so again 1 single high-end card will beat 2 midrange cards.

I don't know how else to get my point across. You're wasting money getting 2 cheap cards. Even if you want to upgrade in the future, you still won't get as good performance as a single upper level card.

SLI and Crossfire both have difficulties with multi-monitor setups. Most middle to high end cards have 2 outputs. They might be 2 DVI or 1 DVI and 1 VGA.

Now you're talking about SLI and Crossfire? Which one is it?

This XFX 9800GT is $110 after rebate and comes with COD4.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150316

If you want ATI, even a 3850 should beat 2 2600s in CF.
This Palit 3870 is $90 after rebate.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814261030

You can look at the different benchmarks at the link below. They even have COD4 benchmarks:
http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/gaming-graphics-charts-q3-2008/benchmarks,30.html

[djd_201]

Sorry Midknyte, and thanks...

I'm not intentionally trying to be slow headed, nor seem like I am not listening to advice...I am not trying to confuse things either. I built an eVGA system to sell locally to an aquaintance and that is the SLi board. The KA3 MVP with ATi Crossfire I have here at the hosue and am still bulidng on it. The Sli board is pretty much done for now. Just got a 3800+ X2 dual core for it for $60 after weeks of wating and watching. They are bit higher than the AM2's are running, I found out.

my understanding on crossfire is that two GPUs are better than one is all, and maybe I have the concept wrong.

That one card you showed me, the Palit, seems a good deal for the money...how do you know what to look for in a card when comparing?

Thanks for the patience and the tips

[Midknyte]

my understanding on crossfire is that two GPUs are better than one is all, and maybe I have the concept wrong.

That is my point. 2 low end GPUs are NOT better than 1 high end GPU. If you have students trying to figure out a math problem, I'd bet that 1 8th grader would figure it out faster than 2 4th graders.

You do not get double the performance of the low end card because there is a lot of system management overhead in order to run dual cards. The two cards need to synchronize data over the PCIe bus.

I've posted the THG comparison chart link. Use that as a guide. That Palit 3870 was the best deal I saw, but you could wait until the 4650s or 4670s come out.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3405

[djd_201]

I have no earthly idea how to compare cards other than the basics

Would this card suffice then in your opinion (its also a crossfire)


RADEON HD3450 PCI-E 512MB HD/DVI/TV 100234L

Specification
40 stream processing units
PCI Express® 2.0 x16 bus support
64-bit DDR2/GDDR3 memory interface
DirectX® 10.1 / Shader Model 4.1 support
55nm process technology
ATI PowerPlay™ energy conserving technology
ATI Avivo™ HD video and display technology
Built-in HDMI and 5.1 surround audio
Unified Video Decoder (UVD) for Blu-ray™ and HD DVD at full HD 1080p
ATI CrossFireX™ multi-GPU support

[Midknyte]

I have no earthly idea how to compare cards other than the basics

That's why I told you to look at the benchmarks. It's the easiest way to see which card is better than another.

Even the 3450 is pretty weak. Basically the higher the second number, the better the level. The first digit is the "generation". They used to have an X in the front which represented 10 generations. So a 3450 is a 13th generation budget card. The X1900 is an 11th generation high end card.

Why don't you want to get the Palit 3870 I suggested? It's not that much more, and it's a way better card. You could try looking for a 3850 instead.

[djd_201]

Thanks Midknyte...I really do appreciate the help...

straight foward answer to an honest question on your part...

I can only do some of this stuff by catching a good deal, a decent buy...

selling a computer and taking what little profit I make to try to buy other parts to continue the maddening cycle...and climb the scale on the next one to try to increase the level of stuff I am doing...smiles...

on disability and my government gross of a whole $639 per month? Well, in simplicty ...$40more on something is a no way or maybe okay...so finding out how to do something, what way I can go and God bless, trying to understand some of this stuff in the process..helps me out on what little I can do..

don't mean to wah wah wah woe is me...its just my version of life is all....

[Midknyte]

If you're that tight on budget, i'd save up for a little bit. Enough beating a dead horse...

Once the 46x0s are in full swing, prices on lower cards should drop. Heck, the 46x0s may be in your price range already.

[djd_201]

Found this a bit interesting on Tom's Hardware

like I said, I don't know anything at all about how to compare video cards
other than the basics

http://www.madshrimps.be/vbulletin/f22/ati-hd-radeon-hd-4670-hd-4650-performance-tested-57425/#post223129

[djd_201]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102726

[Midknyte]

That's what I meant about benchmarks. It gives you a graphical representation. The THG link allows you to pick and choose the benchmark and cards you want to compare.

3650 < 4650 < 3850 < 3870

The 3850 still beats 2 3650s in CF.

http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/gaming-graphics-charts-q3-2008/Call-of-Duty-4-v1-6,741.html

The 3650 on your link is $50 after rebate. The Palit 3870 I told you to get is $90 after rebate. 2 3650s in CF is going to cost you more money and you'll end up with a slower setup.