I have to make a decision. Need OCF help.

[Koaka]

I have a decision to make my budget is around 150-170$ for a new video card. My brother is currently is running a 9800gtx(512mb) with the motherboard - Biostar Tpower I45 (P45 Chipset).

I can buy another 9800gtx and SLI them ( we will trade ) or I can buy a 260 216gtx and put it in my mother board ( DFI Lanparty LP DK P35/G33/G31)
Will be using a E8400 clocked at 3.8ghz stable at 55c load.
So my choice... is... 9800gtx sli or 260 216 ( Trying to get the 55nm for a price around $170 )

I have heard horror stories about microstutter that you get with sli and it's extremely annoying and I don't want that. I should have this GPU for around a year I'm guessing. I have had my 8800gts 320mb for about a year and a half now. I am also considering that I could get a 260 216 and later SLI them when I feel the need.

Games I play: Prototype, Demigod, Last Remnant, Grid, Overlord 2, Fuel, CSS, TF2.

Just got a new 24'' ASUS at 1920x1080. My games ran great on my 19'' 1028X1024 but now at this beautiful resolution it lags hah. Side note ASUS monitor is fantastic. No dead pixels. extremely happy with the purchase.

Thanks for the replies,
Chase

 

[Brutal-Force]

Go with the 260 and go SLI Later. I love my 260 and don't even have SLI and in reality probably won't for the next few years.

 

[Koaka]

Does the new 55nm 260 216 beat out two 9800gtx's in sli at high resolutions? I dont' think I've seen any updated comparisons.

 

[Brutal-Force]

I dunno, because I don't have 9800 GTXs, but I can do max resolution 1680X1050 on my 21" monitor. :/ I am sure If i had higher it would go higher.

I usually go by these benchmarks as I have no prior experience with High end graphics cards.

http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html

I guess realistically two 9800GTXs would be double which would be a little better than 1 260.

But!.... Since it really isn't double in SLI, I would call them 2 9800GTX = 1 260. That being said, when you have 2 9800GTXs you won't be able to get more later by adding another card. If you get a 260 you will.

I think of SLI or X-fire like I think of single core and dual core CPUs. More clock speed = Faster, and More Cores = Power. You want the speed for faster graphics in games and such, and you want the power for filling Large monitors. Everything I have read kind of hinges on the size of the monitor, so if you don't have something larger than say 24", then SLI won't be as neccessary.

One game I played for example, where the "filling" was very apparent was The Mirrors Edge. Because of the entire city in the background, you could literally see the monitor being filled from top to bottom while quickly panning left and right.

 

[Koaka]

I went with the BFG GeForce GTX 260 OC Maxcore 55 which is your same card I just noticed hah. Hopefully it serves me well at 1920x1080. If I want I can SLI later and get alot more performance than 2 9800gtx.

 

[jobrien2001]

Jump to a 260 216, I would... and i have a 9800GTX

 

[Marshmallow64]

Go with the 260 its a big improvement.

 

[nightelph]

If your current 9 is disappointing you in games, grab the 260 for now. Keep in mind that in the next six months, nVidia is going to release the GT300, and current prices will drop.

 

[Brutal-Force]

good choice

 

[Zap]

My brother is currently is running a 9800gtx(512mb) with the motherboard - Biostar Tpower I45 (P45 Chipset).

I can buy another 9800gtx and SLI them ( we will trade ) or I can buy a 260 216gtx and put it in my mother board ( DFI Lanparty LP DK P35/G33/G31)

AFAIK neither of those boards support SLI, so the BFG GTX 260 was a good choice.