GTX 280 OR Not

[Topboy]

Hi All

Ok here is my dilemma.

I purchased a EVGA 9800 GX2 SSC Edition 5 days ago.

I have just spoken to the retailor who has said I can return it for an RMA as its within 7 days and this is the returns policy.

Question is -

1. Do I keep the 9800 GX2 considering the reviews and benches it is winning against the 280

OR

2. Do I send the 9800 GX2 back, get a GTX280 and purchase another GTX280 in the future when the drivers are settled in.

Im looking for longevity here.

Do you think this card will shine once the drivers are settled in?

Thanks for your help :thumbsup:

Topboy

[brady]

Send that GX2 back and get a 280. You don't want the headaches of SLI.

[GeeTeeEx]

Send that GX2 back and get a 280. You don't want the headaches of SLI.

very true.

[Topboy]

Send that GX2 back and get a 280. You don't want the headaches of SLI.

What headaches in SLI.

Im thinking of getting 2 GTX280s to replace my 9800 GX2

[K007]

Make sure what eva review you visit...get the min fps information. I noticed a few sites where they are showing the results the avg fps is higher on the GX2...but its min fps is suffering alot due to only having 512MB of ram...THE GTX280 is targeted at people on high ress with AA..so yes the GX2 is gonna have some issues with its 512MB of ram..and you will suffer from stuttering and low fps due its ram limitation...the GTX280 will shine on that..and i would say..

If you HAD to buy a GX2...i think a GTX260 might be a better choice. but if u want to decide between the two..i say GTX280...its good..but its price is high...

The GX2 is defiantly not future proof.

[brady]

Don't forget about microstutters. So far as I know the gt200 SLI generation is the only one to finally squash that nasty under-reported little bug.

[Maverickman]

I have a post about this very subject. I bought a 9800 GX2 to try it out in my system. My GTX 280 should be coming soon. Soon I'll know for sure about how beneficial that 1GB of RAM will be. My monitor has a native resolution of 1920X1200, and I like to use AA and AF, so the GTX 280 will be the better card for my uses. If you have a 30-inch monitor you'll definitely see a huge improvement with the GTX 280. It crushes the 9800 GX2 at that resolution. There are two main features the GTX 280 has going for it: It's 1GB of dedicated video memory and the 512-bit memory bus. These features can be helpful in today's games in high resolutions with AA and AF enabled, but they will really come in handy in future games that will definitely tax the card's memory subsystem. That's why the 8800 GTX still does well against the 9800 GTX in memory bandwidth-intensive games. It has that 384-bit memory and 768GB or onboard RAM.

[grimreefer]

current games- 9800gx2 is better.
future games - a bit of a gamble, but gtx 280 might be faster
cuda apps- gtx 280 is better
ppl are citing alot of things without evidence.
read the anandtech article and come to your own conclusion.
heres a taste: http://images.anandtech.com/graphs/geforcegtx200launch_061408203021/17060.png

[Blacklash]

If you're a single GPU guy get a GTX 280. If you want SLi I would think two overclocked GTX 260s would be enough for anything. The latest cards are really going to shine 1920x and up with AA piled on. I've used multi-GPU, SLi and Crossfire. Even when my GTX has put up lower numbers than the other methods metioned the FPS has been much smoother. I'd expect the GTX 280 to be even better. With the other methods I'd get odd glitches, hitching and wild FPS fluctuations. Also at some point 256Mb interface cards with 512Mb memory will run out.

Example-
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/8137/wic2560barkt5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

I'd prefer SLi over Crossfire because nVidia have more than one method of AFR. When standard AFR doesn't work in a title with Crossfire you are left with worse than a single card performance. At that point you may disable it to get back to single level of performance.

[Revs]

GTX280 for a little future proofing. 2xGX2(quad SLI) nothing like as good as 2x GTX280(SLI). Quad SLI just doesn't scale well.

[Roliath]

Send that GX2 back and get a 280. You don't want the headaches of SLI.

I don't think SLI is all that bad, its just on the GX2 its weird. I didn't really ever have compatibility issues when I briefly had a 8800GTX sli, nor back in the with the 7900GTX's.
Just with the GX2, its different..

Send the GX2 back FAST, and get the GTX280..

[Dual Core Joe]

How does the 9800 GX2 stand up against two 8800GTX's in SLI?

[K007]

current games- 9800gx2 is better.
future games - a bit of a gamble, but gtx 280 might be faster
cuda apps- gtx 280 is better
ppl are citing alot of things without evidence.
read the anandtech article and come to your own conclusion.
heres a taste: http://images.anandtech.com/graphs/geforcegtx200launch_061408203021/17060.png

Again...lack of min fps makes these results look like the GX2 is a clear winner...I think it was Hardops review that i read, when they were doing the test on grassy areas/etc...the GTX had a lot better performance with AA/trans aa over the GX2, and i think we all know that these cards are fast...but the GX2 is not going to be able to match up in min fps..

Just look at WiC min fps..in the end it could be just a driver issue, but i would rather buy a gtx260 than a gx2 -.-..

[Roliath]

I still want to see more benchmarks on Oblivion with Qarl's @ 2560x1600 with 4x TSAA 16xAF..

Who's got the results!!!

[XDanger]

If it was me Id get my fill of the GX2 then step-up down the line.

Not necessarily to a 280,

are the SSC GTX260's out at launch?

[DeusGear]

I'm stepping up my gx2 to gtx280. Don't be fooled what appears to be higher frame rates: 9800gx2 with its limited 256bit bus and 512 ram will quickly run out of ram with aa on and often crash. Compared to my odl 8800gtx, the gamepaly was MUCH smoother with the 8800gtx even though it didn't reach the higher frame rate of the 9800gx2 (but it never dipped as much as the 9800gx2 did). Also keep in mind you need sli profiels for everything with the 9800gx2, and it can cause some really annoying issues : source engine games have blinking shadows because of sli. Overall send it back, you have my vote and the vote of many others.

[Maverickman]

Grab that GTX 280 as fast as you can and dump the 9800 GX2. Crysis hardly stutters at all at 1920X1200 with everything on HIGH. When I had the 9800 GX2 in my rig, the stuttering was terrible on some maps. That 1GB of onboard RAM will really come in handy!!!

[Topboy]

Hi All

Thanks for all your replies

I have decided to send back the 9800GX2 and buy a GTX280.

Just ordered this http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=827381

Cheers

Topboy

[XDanger]

£519.22
=
$1,024.80

Thats about the same number as the memory :)


260 is likely £269.99.,

You sir have more money than sense, Fair play to you but.....

a watercooled 260 would have been cheaper ,faster and quieter.

[Blacklash]

The below were pulled off this website's review-

Min frame examples-
http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/8811/256016004xaaminfl2.png (http://imageshack.us)

Besides much better min frame rates you can also run 16xQ AA much easier at lower resolutions-
http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/1940/1680105016xqaaru8.png (http://imageshack.us)

So the card's usefulness is not only restricted to very high res.

The card also does much better with Transparency AA-

http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/4949/25601600taabb7.png (http://imageshack.us)

I've tried both SLi and Crossfire. I've always vastly preferred the feel of a single strong GPU. No profiles, no glitches, not microstutter, and beastly AA capability.

In closing, there really isn't a right or wrong as far as the GTX 280 goes, there is only a right or wrong for you.

[XDanger]

$1000+ for a graphics card is wrong whichever way you spin it, The guy was ripped off.
Id swap the EVGA's service and OC'nes for this any day.
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/146004
or
£378.45 Currently 6 in stock-
http://www.kikatek.com/product_info.php?products_id=77569&source=froogle