2x HD6870 vs HD7950

[Artas1984]

Here is the deal: bang for buck wise, the HD6870 is unmatched - my friend can get two Sapphire HD6870 cards for the same price as a single Sapphire HD6970. Everybody knows that CrossFire HD6870 will wipe the floor with HD6970, and my friend actually bought a rig with 1050 W PSU and Asus Crosshair 5 Formula, so logic states that he needs to use the rig to his advantage - my suggestion to him was to use CrossFire HD6870 + 9800GTX for physx (hacked). I persuaded him to do that. I checked the prices and there was nothing cheaper than 2X HD6870 for the performance he needs.

However, we see that HD7950 will soon be released, and the most amazing thing about it is that it will demand just a single power connector. So i am suggesting that he should sell his rig in the future, and get a cheaper one, with much more simple and cheaper motherboard and with much more simple and cheaper supply to save a lot of money and just get a single HD7950. He actually is not that good with components, therefore sometimes he buys things, which he does not need (overkill).

Now, HD7950 should be slightly slower than 2X HD6870: HD7950 will have 1920 units clocked at 900 MHz and 2X HD6870 have 2240 units clocked at 900 MHz. To those who think that HD7950 will be faster - it won't.

The question is - will HD7950 be less or more expensive than 2X HD6870? I am afraid that it will be more expensive, but i don't know how much.

[Volkszorn88]

I'm sorry, but what's the point of this?

[xenocide]

Originally Posted by Volkszorn88

I'm sorry, but what's the point of this?

I believe he's wondering whether or not buying 2 6870's will be better than waiting and getting a "7950". My honest answer would be to wait, because I think the 7xxx/6xx series GPU's will be very powerful, and worth waiting for.

[BlackOmega]

Originally Posted by xenocide

I believe he's wondering whether or not buying 2 6870's will be better than waiting and getting a "7950". My honest answer would be to wait, because I think the 7xxx/6xx series GPU's will be very powerful, and worth waiting for.

I agree, however, as with any GPU at launch, they're going to be prohibitively expensive. I bought my 4870 shortly after launch and guess what? That sucker was damn near $280. Then of course 4 months later is was $160

At any rate, I agree with waiting if not just for the inevitable price drop of the 6850's.

[Artas1984]

Originally Posted by xenocide

I believe he's wondering whether or not buying 2 6870's will be better than waiting and getting a "7950". My honest answer would be to wait, because I think the 7xxx/6xx series GPU's will be very powerful, and worth waiting for.

I can see how powerfull they will be by myself, but there is noone who knows if HD7950 will cost like 3 HD6870 or different?

And at this moment you actuality suggest waiting for HD7950 having only 9800GTX with an Asus Crosshair 5 Formula motherboard and a 1050 W power supply? Are you saying that you would sit with 9800GTX instead of getting 2 HD6870 for the price of single HD6970? Is that what are you saying? No, i don't think i can believe you... Then tell me - what is the point of having such a motherboard and power supply?

[erocker]

Originally Posted by Artas1984

and the most amazing thing about it is that it will demand just a single power connector.

There have been no official announcements or otherwise about this. There is also no release date for this card as of yet.

That said, if you need cards now, get cards now. Don't base a purchase off of speculation which is all the 7950 is right now.

[Huddo93]

I would honestly wait for the new AMD HD79xx or HD78xx series due to the 28nm die shrink, reducing power or inevitably more performance for the same amount of power compared to the current HD6xxx series.

Or if your a nVidia fan wait for the 6xx series as well!

[Outback Bronze]

Yep. Youll just have to wait....

[Xaser04]

Originally Posted by Artas1984

Here is the deal: bang for buck wise, the HD6870 is unmatched - my friend can get two Sapphire HD6870 cards for the same price as a single Sapphire HD6970. Everybody knows that CrossFire HD6870 will wipe the floor with HD6970, and my friend actually bought a rig with 1050 W PSU and Asus Crosshair 5 Formula, so logic states that he needs to use the rig to his advantage - my suggestion to him was to use CrossFire HD6870 + 9800GTX for physx (hacked). I persuaded him to do that. I checked the prices and there was nothing cheaper than 2X HD6870 for the performance he needs.

Unless you run out of video memory @ Eyefinity resolutions.

1800Mb + in BF3 is fun @ 3560x1920

As for the original question, the only real answer is wait. We don't know how well the HD7950 will perform at the moment.

*Facepalm* - I forgot about the new architecture. DOH!

[xenocide]

The only issue I foresee, is that AMD is making a lot of changes as once with the 7xxx series. If all the rumours are true, they will be using a new kind of VRAM, on a new architecture, on a new manufacturing process, and with some crazy form of cooler.

[n-ster]

TBH, if you wanna wait, you can... but you could be waiting for a long time for all we know

[cdawall]

The way i still look at it is my pair of 3870X2's still match most high end cards in xfire supported games On my single 1080P screen they are more than enough. When a series is released that actually destroys those cards for under $400 I might look at upgrading. The same should go for the 6870's they are plenty powerful cards and will be for quite a bit. This coming from a guy who bought all of the dual cards up to the 5xxx series. NV and ATi alike.