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The New AMD Video Division

ScrubletScrublet Registered User regular
edited June 2008 in Help / Advice Forum
For sometime I've been planning on building a new computer geared towards high-def widescreen gaming. For a number of reasons, this purchase has been pushed back to at least November. I'm starting to think about getting a new video card to tide me over, and I'm thinking about either the new 4850 or 4870. I have a 3800+ AMD processor and an Nvidia 7900 GT right now.

Will there be a significant benefit to me putting a 4850 in this system, or will CPU limitations hold it back too much to be worth it? All the reviews of video cards usually remove the bias of CPU limitation by using at least one core 2 duo extreme, which does not help me judge performance at the relatively outdated level of my CPU.

subedii wrote: »
I hear PC gaming is huge off the coast of Somalia right now.

PSN: TheScrublet
Scrublet on

Posts

  • Oz K. FodrotskiOz K. Fodrotski Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    What are the rest of your system specs? Memory / disc / etc.

    Oz K. Fodrotski on
  • ScrubletScrublet Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    2GB (upgradeable), normal 7200rpm SATA hard drive, audigy4 sound card, yada yada. Should be DDR2-800. The primary impactor here would most likely be the CPU. Win XP Pro.

    Scrublet on
    subedii wrote: »
    I hear PC gaming is huge off the coast of Somalia right now.

    PSN: TheScrublet
  • Phoenix-DPhoenix-D Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    We can't tell you if your CPU is a limiting factor if you don't tell us what it is. :P

    Phoenix-D on
  • zrikzzrikz Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Phoenix-D wrote: »
    We can't tell you if your CPU is a limiting factor if you don't tell us what it is. :P
    Scrubblet wrote:
    I have a 3800+ AMD processor and an Nvidia 7900 GT right now.

    I'd say it probably will be your limiting factor.. I have a 8800 GT and my 4200+ X2 is limiting my video card.

    I believe you would see a good deal of performance increase, but overall you could use a CPU upgrade to go along with the card... I'm jumping up to a 6000+ in a week or two.


    Then again it depends on what games your trying to run.

    zrikz on
  • Phoenix-DPhoenix-D Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    I brainfarted right past that, sorry. :P (is there a "report for idiocy" button?)

    Anyway- CPU limited, probably.

    Phoenix-D on
  • RookRook Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    You will get a boost in most games.

    Rook on
  • wunderbarwunderbar What Have I Done? Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    ya, your CPU will limit you, but don't think that you won't notice an improvement. You will. It wont' limit it enough to warrant not upgrading the video card.

    wunderbar on
    XBL: thewunderbar PSN: thewunderbar NNID: thewunderbar Steam: wunderbar87 Twitter: wunderbar
  • ScrubletScrublet Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    wunderbar wrote: »
    ya, your CPU will limit you, but don't think that you won't notice an improvement. You will. It wont' limit it enough to warrant not upgrading the video card.

    Then I guess the only question now is whether or not I want the 4850 or 4870. Since I'm looking to build with Nvidia around Christmas, I'm not sure picking up a 4870 with the idea of picking up a second one around Christmas is a good idea. From what I can tell, Crossfire is still a finicky, iffy system that doesn't yield a benefit in some games.

    Scrublet on
    subedii wrote: »
    I hear PC gaming is huge off the coast of Somalia right now.

    PSN: TheScrublet
  • Oz K. FodrotskiOz K. Fodrotski Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Scrublet wrote: »
    wunderbar wrote: »
    ya, your CPU will limit you, but don't think that you won't notice an improvement. You will. It wont' limit it enough to warrant not upgrading the video card.

    Then I guess the only question now is whether or not I want the 4850 or 4870. Since I'm looking to build with Nvidia around Christmas, I'm not sure picking up a 4870 with the idea of picking up a second one around Christmas is a good idea. From what I can tell, Crossfire is still a finicky, iffy system that doesn't yield a benefit in some games.

    The same can be said of SLI, though it is more mature.

    If you're after Nvidia, you might hold off until next month when the GeForce 9800 GTX+ becomes available -- similar price point, a bit better performance / lower power consumption.

    Oz K. Fodrotski on
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