2x 285 best performance. Both when and when not SLI is scaling/working at all. 1x 295 500 dollars, good performance when it works, seems to have scaling issues with quite a few games still. 10-15% faster then a 4870x2 in general. Alot of games the 4870x2 is still faster in. 1x 285 should do you well, not many games but crysis that req anything higher then a single 285 @ 24".
Yeah, def gtx 285's. I mean, we all know that 2 gtx 275's thrown into one card is a gtx 295, so, the gtx 285 is the next step up. aka, its better!
A GTX295 is like two GTX275s but at GTX260 speeds. So two GTX285s would obviously be faster but you're asking what option would be better including price... what are the prices in your area? Edit: I didn't notice this was already posted :wanker:
285SLI hands down. Reasons: 1) The 295 is 2 x 275's as stated above. The 285 has slightly better specs: 2) Supply. Because you have two cards (chips) in one PBC the chances that this one card has issues is doubled over a single 285. In other words, if you have issues with the 295 and you have RMA it you are out your video card completely. If you get two separate 285's and one of them is messed up, at least you still have one to use while waiting for the other one to return from RMA. If one chip is flaky in a 295 you have to send the whole thing back 3) There are slight differences between how SLI works on the 295 as compared to single GPU solutions. Historically NVidia seems to not care about driver support for their x2 type cards. So it's usually best to stick with the most common configs (i.e. two separate cards) so you don't even have to deal with this possible issue. There are really only two benefits as far as I'm concerned when going with a 295: 1) If you don't have an SLI compatable motherboard but want the performance of SLI 2) You want to go quad SLI. Other than those two reasons, two me there is no good reason to go with a 295.
I think a single 285 would be suffice for any game, except Crysis at max settings, up to 1920x1200. My 285 flies at 1650x1080. Plays everything at max settings, even Crysis. Also I want to take time to say BFG just released a new overclocked model of the 285. The 285 OCFU. I believe it's clocks are similar/faster than eVGA's FTW model. http://www.bfgtech.com/bfgegtx2851024ocfube.aspx I just saw it today and was excited/disappointed as I put a lot of money into the OCX version which was supposed to be the highest binned ones. Now they have OCFU and my OCX feels inferior. None the less mine overclocks very nicely. If you get one or two of those I'm sure you'll be able to run any game you want. Also your e-peen will grow substantially. :banana:
Funnily enough? Now that I have my Rig running sweet on SLI. Phew! (It's been a long haul. GTX285in SLI. On Crysis benchmark. 11/07/2009 10:58:29 - Vista 64 Beginning Run #1 on Map-island, Demo-benchmark_gpu DX10 1920x1080, AA=No AA, Vsync=Disabled, 64 bit test, FullScreen Demo Loops=3, Time Of Day= 9 Global Game Quality: Custom Custom Quality Values: VolumetricEffects=VeryHigh Texture=VeryHigh ObjectDetail=VeryHigh Sound=VeryHigh Shadows=VeryHigh Water=VeryHigh Physics=VeryHigh Particles=VeryHigh Shading=VeryHigh PostProcessing=VeryHigh GameEffects=VeryHigh ============================================================== TimeDemo Play Started , (Total Frames: 2000, Recorded Time: 111.86s) !TimeDemo Run 0 Finished. Play Time: 44.79s, Average FPS: 44.65 Min FPS: 37.83 at frame 1975, Max FPS: 71.79 at frame 997 Average Tri/Sec: -6818551, Tri/Frame: -152709 Recorded/Played Tris ratio: -6.00 !TimeDemo Run 1 Finished. Play Time: 35.56s, Average FPS: 56.24 Min FPS: 35.80 at frame 1958, Max FPS: 73.90 at frame 998 Average Tri/Sec: -8336776, Tri/Frame: -148228 Recorded/Played Tris ratio: -6.18 !TimeDemo Run 2 Finished. Play Time: 35.81s, Average FPS: 55.86 Min FPS: 35.76 at frame 1974, Max FPS: 74.38 at frame 85 Average Tri/Sec: -8208405, Tri/Frame: -146957 Recorded/Played Tris ratio: -6.24 TimeDemo Play Ended, (3 Runs Performed) ============================================================== Completed All Tests <><><><><><><><><><><><><>>--SUMMARY--<<><><><><><><><><><><><><> 11/07/2009 10:58:29 - Vista 64 Run #1- DX10 1920x1080 AA=No AA, 64 bit test, Quality: Custom ~~ Overall Average FPS: 56.05 With the GTX295. Average FPS. 51.12. We keep banging on about Crysis. But it is the Program. That sorts out the GPU. Strengths and weaknesses? Also. You have the option, to run one card on less demanding games. With Cooling and Power, being more efficient?
