GTX 260 Core 216 vs GTX 285 (both two way SLI)

[Aynjell]

Hello everybody, still reviewing and considering my next build. Here's the new question that's popped up. Seeing as how GTX 260 Core 216's are much cheaper nowadays, I'm considering Core 216 SLI.

If I go Core 216 SLI, my highest OC will limit me, which is 675/1458/1152. But it would only cost me 180$, and I'd probably order the second card right now just to get it at that price.

If I go GTX 285, there's a good chance I'll be able to have higher OC's, but it would cost me 105$ for a step up, and then 355$ to get the second card. So a total of 460$, as opposed to 180$.

Also, with 2 216's as opposed to 2 285's, I'd probably step down from the current 1000HX I'm considering buying to the 850TX. That should save me an extra 100$.
Here's my intended build:

Core i7, with at the least a 3.7Ghz OC, which seems fairly common.
Asus P6T Deluxe V1
6GB of DDR3-1600
850TX or 1000HX (corsair)

Monitor is an Acer X223WBD, that runs 1680x1050.

Considering teh huge amount being spent to upgrade to 285, do you think it's worth it? I am sure that 216 would run everything, and the money saved could better be spent on another video card or two down the road, as opposed to going all out now. I can't find any performance numbers of the GTX 260 Core 216 in two way SLI, though. :(

[Shiggity]

Anandtech recently did a multi-card roundup on performance and price. The ATI 4850x2 2GB and SLI'd GTX260 core 216's were the best in terms of bang for your buck, especially with the crazy deals you can get on the 216's atm.

I wouldn't bother with SLI'd 285's unless you upgrade your monitor to 1900x1200, it's just overkill at your current resolution.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3517 good read (you can also see graphs in different resolutions)

[Aynjell]

Anandtech recently did a multi-card roundup on performance and price. The ATI 4850x2 2GB and SLI'd GTX260 core 216's were the best in terms of bang for your buck, especially with the crazy deals you can get on the 216's atm.

I wouldn't bother with SLI'd 285's unless you upgrade your monitor to 1900x1200, it's just overkill at your current resolution.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3517 good read (you can also see graphs in different resolutions)

That's a good read but it doesn't discuss core 216 SLI at all. Just 260 sli, and I'd argue that performance between the two is pretty different.

[Roisen]

IIRC, the 216 is better than the 260 at about the same price

[jason4207]

I wouldn't bother with SLI'd 285's unless you upgrade your monitor to 1900x1200, it's just overkill at your current resolution.


+1

I wouldn't worry about SLIing the 260's either at that rez. 1 260 should handle any game w/ ease at 1680x1050.

Are you having some issues w/ games on your current rig?

[EarthDog]

There is absolutely no need for SLI anything at that res. If I was you I would just go ahead and sell that 260 off, and buy a single GTX285 to run damn near everything full tilt with AA, yes, even Crysis and Warhead. Or really, the best bang for the buck card out now has to be the HD4850x2. Im just NOT a proponent of SLI/Crossfire.

[Aynjell]

There is absolutely no need for SLI anything at that res. If I was you I would just go ahead and sell that 260 off, and buy a single GTX285 to run damn near everything full tilt with AA, yes, even Crysis and Warhead. Or really, the best bang for the buck card out now has to be the HD4850x2. Im just NOT a proponent of SLI/Crossfire.

Why would I sell it off when I can step it up?

I know very well that a single 285 would do fine, but I'm not worried about now. I'm worried about later. I had two options in my answer list:

216's, or 285's. Should I go all out, or should I stick with cost effective?

[EarthDog]

I didnt know you could step up dude, I missed that part in your post.

My answer is still the same, just get one GTX285.

[Aynjell]

I didnt know you could step up dude, I missed that part in your post.

My answer is still the same, just get one GTX285.

This is something that bothers this **** out of me when I ask for a suggestion. Sometimes it's obvious when somebody is making a bad decision and steering them in the right direction with a gentle suggestion can be the best thing you can do for the person.

That being said, what about me going i7 makes everybody thing I'm going to have any problem getting any benefit out of SLI? Forget that, I don't want to discuss it.

My question is pretty cut and dry:

Should I step up my current 216 to a 285, and buy another 285, or should I buy another 216. The only reason I'm considering the 216 SLI route is because they've gotten 70$ cheaper since I bought them and there's a pretty major cost difference.

Plus I'm buying a whole new PC to improve gaming performance... I ain't sticking with a single card, no way.

So I want to ask again:

GTX 260 Core 216 (55nm) SLI
GTX 285 SLI

I think it's pretty simple. Here, I'll add a third option I'd consider, but is actually less desirable than the other two:

A single GTX 295.

[EarthDog]

This is something that bothers this **** out of me when I ask for a suggestion. Sometimes it's obvious when somebody is making a bad decision and steering them in the right direction with a gentle suggestion can be the best thing you can do for the person.

That being said, what about me going i7 makes everybody thing I'm going to have any problem getting any benefit out of SLI? Forget that, I don't want to discuss it.

My question is pretty cut and dry:

Should I step up my current 216 to a 285, and buy another 285, or should I buy another 216. The only reason I'm considering the 216 SLI route is because they've gotten 70$ cheaper since I bought them and there's a pretty major cost difference.

Plus I'm buying a whole new PC to improve gaming performance... I ain't sticking with a single card, no way.

So I want to ask again:

GTX 260 Core 216 (55nm) SLI
GTX 285 SLI

I think it's pretty simple. Here, I'll add a third option I'd consider, but is actually less desirable than the other two:

A single GTX 295.i7 + SLI has nothing to do with my statement. My statement has EVERYTHING to do with the mediocre resolution you play at and how worth it it is to even go SLI in your case aside from status (which is ok as well) or unless you enjoy benchmarking.

Since you are obviously not open to anything but what you suggested, I would say just get the 260 216 SLI and enjoy your mediocre gains through the inefficiency that is SLI/Crossfire. I wouldnt do SLI GTX285 b/c that is a completely waste of money at your resolution. At least the 216 idea is half of what the 285 solution would be.

Good luck bro! :burn:

EDIT: For the record, maybe I do think you are making an 'obvious bad choice here' in going SLI at that resolution but Im trying to be polite. Maybe. :)

Seriously even at the cost for 260 216 sli, I just dont think its worth it.

[Aynjell]

i7 + SLI has nothing to do with my statement. My statement has EVERYTHING to do with the mediocre resolution you play at and how worth it it is to even go SLI in your case aside from status (which is ok as well) or unless you enjoy benchmarking.

Since you are obviously not open to anything but what you suggested, I would say just get the 260 216 SLI and enjoy your mediocre gains through the inefficiency that is SLI/Crossfire. I wouldnt do SLI GTX285 b/c that is a completely waste of money at your resolution. At least the 216 idea is half of what the 285 solution would be.

Good luck bro! :burn:

EDIT: For the record, maybe I do think you are making an 'obvious bad choice here' in going SLI at that resolution but Im trying to be polite. Maybe. :)

Seriously even at the cost for 260 216 sli, I just dont think its worth it.

Even at 1280x1024 I had noticed gains and significant ones with my 7600GT SLi. I imagine that with a 3 year lifespan of the intended PC, and the more than likely chance I'll upgrade my monitor at some point... the SLI will pay itself off. Plus the gains in image clarity are more than worth it, since I can stack on more AA.

Personally, there's one game that my PC can't play. And that's crysis... sure I can run it but I can't max it out. My thought is, if I can get my PC running Crysis at maximum + 2AA, it'll last at least a few years without any issues.

Anyway, every review I've seen shows a doubling of performance with SLI in some of the key games I play.

[EarthDog]

Even at 1280x1024 I had noticed gains and significant ones with my 7600GT SLi. I imagine that with a 3 year lifespan of the intended PC, and the more than likely chance I'll upgrade my monitor at some point... the SLI will pay itself off. Plus the gains in image clarity are more than worth it, since I can stack on more AA.

Personally, there's one game that my PC can't play. And that's crysis... sure I can run it but I can't max it out. My thought is, if I can get my PC running Crysis at maximum + 2AA, it'll last at least a few years without any issues.

Anyway, every review I've seen shows a doubling of performance with SLI in some of the key games I play.Absolutely if you plan on getting a bigger monitor woudl it help!!!

I play Crysis with only post processing and physics on HIGH with 2xAA with the rig in sig, the rest is DX10 vhigh of course.

100% scaling ehh? Links? Ive only seen that across 1 or two games!

[||Console||]

SLI will help with crysis . I get a a whole 13FPS in crysis @ 1920x1080 with my 1 8800gt . ( that I would put against a stock 260 any day )

[EarthDog]

( that I would put against a stock 260 any day )And you would get crushed. I upgraded from an 8800gts g92 ( a bit faster than a 8800gt), to the gtx260 216. Stock 260 216 scored a bit faster than my HIGHLY overclocked gts g92 (800 core, 2k shaders).

Pass w/e you are smoking over here. :D

PS - I was at 16k stock with my quad at 3.6Ghz. ;)

[SF101]

seeing your on a over clockers site.

personally id buy the 2nd core 216 (standard version) and over clock them to SSC settings.

this should put your card performance up to about 280 GTX area - doing so you are fairly close to the 285 already and saved yourself alot of $.

the 260 (core 216's ) perform really well. My SLI has scaled really well on my current system. sometimes double my frame rates. in WARHAMMER it doubled my frame rates . COD 4 its complete over kill but it doubled my frame rates. My SLI setup outside of server crashing populated fortress(darkcrag) rushes in warhammer gets to the fps cap @ 100fps in warhammer. so its quite a boost.

[mxthunder]

And you would get crushed. I upgraded from an 8800gts g92 ( a bit faster than a 8800gt), to the gtx260 216. Stock 260 216 scored a bit faster than my HIGHLY overclocked gts g92 (800 core, 2k shaders).

Pass w/e you are smoking over here. :D

PS - I was at 16k stock with my quad at 3.6Ghz. ;)


Boy, I was really hoping it would make an even bigger difference than that. How much did your 3dmark06 score go up? I hope I didnt waste my money upgrading to a 260

[EarthDog]

3dmk06 means nothing really, look at the res its done at!!!! Currently Im about to break 19k in 06 with her fully overclocked. After she goes under water tonight + bios flash voltage increase, Im looking at 20k+. If you do the math on that, its almost 50% faster in 3dmk06 shen comparing overclock to overclock.

But in real games at my res, it was significant. I would normally run 4x AA on COD4 and with the frame limit raised to 125, It would float over 100fps most of time. With my GTX260 216 at stock, I run 8xQAA and its normally pegged at 125fps.

[mr.max-amd]

to me....the core 216 overclocks better then the 285 and its a much better card....maybe not a better....but for the price difference i believe 95% the gtx 260 is a better choice....easily overclocks to 700mhz the ssc edition is at 675 and we all know superclockers are barely oc'd to there potential
if you buy an evga for 199(not the superclocker) you can use their tools to overclock the card til you kill it....and they will still cover it
killing it is at somewhere over 800mhz considering you can add volts and go much higher then previously possible

[EarthDog]

Voltage tuner does not work with the 55nm GTX260 216, so thats a no go on killing that card through teh evga tool.

Bios editing though to bump it up to 1.12 volts may be a different story.

[mxthunder]

Interesting. I was hoping to break 20k in 3dm06 but Im thinking thats gonna be a little bit of a stretch.

[EarthDog]

Not with a PHII at 3.6Ghz you wont. Its likely going to take me 3.9Ghz Intel quad + these mods to do that in Vista. XP though I may be able to get it now at 3.9Ghz.


Again, 3dmk06 doesnt matter. Its resolution is really CPU bound. ;)

[ratbuddy]

If I go GTX 285, there's a good chance I'll be able to have higher OC's, but it would cost me 105$ for a step up, and then 355$ to get the second card. So a total of 460$, as opposed to 180$.

Also, with 2 216's as opposed to 2 285's, I'd probably step down from the current 1000HX I'm considering buying to the 850TX. That should save me an extra 100$.

No need to get snippy with people trying to help. It was pretty offensive but I'm gonna try and help you anyway :beer:

You'd be chucking cash out the window going with the GTX 285 setup. You could take that $280 price difference, and if you can really afford to spend that much more on marginal gains, go buy a better monitor. If you sold the old 22" for $140ish you could probably go with a new 26" or 28" or something that would do more justice to the GTX 260 SLI setup.

I'm fairly sure you could run either setup off a TX850W as well. Yes, TX850W, not 850TX. Pet peeve of mine, sorry.

[Dapman02]

Interesting. I was hoping to break 20k in 3dm06 but Im thinking thats gonna be a little bit of a stretch.

Alright, this may help you
With my phenom at 3.8Ghz and 2x4870's I get 21000 in 3dmark06
Overclocking my GPU doesn't do a thing for scores, but overclocking the cpu does. Unfortunately when it comes to benchmarking intels are much better, but the AMD's make up for it with superior gaming performance.

[Aynjell]

No need to get snippy with people trying to help. It was pretty offensive but I'm gonna try and help you anyway :beer:

You'd be chucking cash out the window going with the GTX 285 setup. You could take that $280 price difference, and if you can really afford to spend that much more on marginal gains, go buy a better monitor. If you sold the old 22" for $140ish you could probably go with a new 26" or 28" or something that would do more justice to the GTX 260 SLI setup.

I'm fairly sure you could run either setup off a TX850W as well. Yes, TX850W, not 850TX. Pet peeve of mine, sorry.

No, I don't think so. It's a recurring annoyance that wasn't asked for, I was specific, Core 216's in SLI (two way), or 285's in SLI (two way). I know for a fact that there are gains with 2 cards, and I want to experience them. I asked about people's opinions one way or the other, and I'm resolved to go SLI. 260 is still an option only because my current 260 clocks a bit higher with 1.12.

What a lot of people aren't getting is that the GTX 285 would cost me 105$ to move to. To get another GTX 260 is 180$. The cost is only slightly more. is 75$ enough to skimp when it will add performance? My concern is, are teh 285's fast enough over the 216's in SLI to warrant the increase in price. I wasn't asking for video card suggestions, I was just wondering where they stood against each other because for the life of me I can't find an honest review of Core 216's in SLI.

[deathman20]

I'd hold off. Now I did come from a 2x4850 setup before but my GTX285 is doing wonderfully in games... better than I thought. I was considering getting 2 of them, or even 2x GTX260's recently (after I got this card) with all the price drops and such but really I don't see why I'd get 2 cards at this point.

Yes 2x GTX260's would be more powerful than my GTX285 but even at 1920x1200 even Crysis runs good with nearly everything cranked and thats basically the most demanding game out there.