Is it worth upgrading from 2xGTX280 to GTX480?

[JrRacinFan]

Update your drivers LoD, that may be causing the problem with fan speeds.

Also, just say no to GTX480(for now). Costs too much for what it is and they run just as warm.

 

[aCid888*]

No one is missing any point (at least I'm not).....the coolers on the 280s are NOT that bad, he does not need to upgrade any cooling or for that matter his cards.


There is something wrong with either his cards (defective) or drivers giving wrong fan profiles as previously stated.

 

[LiveOrDie]

I love how all you guys tell him to buy a new card, he purely DOES NOT NEED ONE, it will be expensive for very little....do you tell him to upgrade because you wish you could or just so he can be sUpa-dupa-pr0-1337 with the biggest and best for no reason other than having it??


His 280 SLI setup would do the job very well @ 1920x1200 (his res) so he has no reason at all to upgrade yet.

He can afford to wait for the revisions of current cards, like everyone should of done back in the G80 days when DX10 was new and the cards got blown away by revisions coming out a year later that handled the newer games better.


Wait until the end of the year, take a look at why your cards are getting hot (drivers, fan speed etc) and enjoy your setup...you will thank me for the advice in a few months time when you have the choice of better cards than are out now due to revised editions always being better.

You could also try RMAing the cards...maybe they are defective and you would get something nice in return??


For the record, his 280's in SLI are about as fast as the 5970, that means the only real upgrade is 5870 Crossfire or the expensive 5970...the 5850 Crossfire setup would only give about 15 - 20% gain over his current stuff, not worth the effort or price...yet.

im running the newest drivers out the 197.13 and even if they were overheating my cards i dont use the stock fan speed i use afterburner i've set it to 100% at 80c, i think im going to wait like aCid888 said i never really liked ATI, i cant RMA my cards one i got 2nd hand and both have been reflashed so there fan speed speeds up at a lower temp, the 1st card i got on the lunrch of the 280s so its 2 years old and still works fine.

 

[r9]

2x280 is fast enough. But DX11 is something to think about.

 

[wahdangun]

im running the newest drivers out the 197.13 and even if they were overheating my cards i dont use the stock fan speed i use afterburner i've set it to 100% at 80c, i think im going to wait like aCid888 said i never really liked ATI, i cant RMA my cards one i got 2nd hand and both have been reflashed so there fan speed speeds up at a lower temp, the 1st card i got on the lunrch of the 280s so its 2 years old and still works fine.

why you didn't like Ati?


i think if you want to stick with nvdia at least wait for fermi refresh because it's useless if you get fermi right now, because if you can made GTX 280 overheating, you will be easy overheating fermi or if you still want it, you can just can go WC,

 

[GSquadron]

I think fermi was not for this generation, it is for 28 nm cards. If i had 2 GTX280 i would definitively upgrade IMMEDIATELLY!!! I know fermi has a lot of problems with temps, performance and other things, but wait and see... it has its own secrets, as people will start buying that card a year later... cuz it is not for 2010, maybe for later...

 

[KainXS]

I had GTX280 in sli until one of them died, if one is overheating what you can do is zip tie a 120mm fan on the side of them and vs a GTX480, I say keep the 2 280's in SLI vs a GTX295, the GTX480 is about the same but 2 GTX280's in SLI are a little faster than a GTX295, so theres not really a performance benefit(you will probably loose performance), but as said you do get DX11, but the question is, if you sell your 2 280's will you have enough to get a 480(no) if you don't have the money now, heat aside the GTX480 isn't a bad card, and as the drivers progress and more games utilize the 4 raster engines the card will probably perform better than now.

 

[LiveOrDie]

DX11 im not to fusted about atm because most games run in DX10 and im going to be upgrading now or at the end of the year, so i think ill hold off

 

[LAN_deRf_HA]

Is it possible the heatsinks aren't on correctly? Poor contact can cause those temps. Kinda like this http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/R5870_HD_5870_Lightning/32.html

If you can't fix them I'd try selling one for $200-250 so you still have a card, then get the 480 and sell the second one. Will end up not having cost you that much to upgrade.

 

[LiveOrDie]

i dont think its the cooler my mate has a XFX model of the same card and his runs around the same as mine, and he has never removed his cooling off his, one card seems to just run cool enough but when having 2 cards running in sli the heat in the case is alot higher,i dont really want to upgrade atm looking at the cards that are out, maybe when a GTX495 hits the shops i mite think about it.

 

[yogurt_21]

i dont think its the cooler my mate has a XFX model of the same card and his runs around the same as mine, and he has never removed his cooling off his, one card seems to just run cool enough but when having 2 cards running in sli the heat in the case is alot higher,i dont really want to upgrade atm looking at the cards that are out, maybe when a GTX495 hits the shops i mite think about it.

yeah that sounds about right

for what I've seen 2x280 > gtx295 fermi is barely faster than a 295 so the performance would be a wash if not in favor of your current setup.

the revision of fermi would be more worth it when it comes out imo.

 

[a_ump]

Sounds to me like ur best option is 3x SLI GTX 480's ... lol no like everyone else said keep ur GTX 280's. Your only other option that could be logical to me is to get 2 HD 5850's, performance boost and lower temps. But in all honesty that's only if u got a crave for more power. Logically stick with what u have.

 

[ToTTenTranz]

I'd say keep the 280s.

But then again, I switched 2*HD4890 for a single HD5870.
Yes, I get somewhat less performance overall, but SSAA rocks.

Nonetheless, the GTX480 isn't the best buy for the money. 2*HD5850 would crush the single 480 for the same price. I'd personally go the extra mile and try to get 2GB versions. 1GB isn't enough room for a dual HD5850 CF setup to do its magic.

 

[GSquadron]

They said the gtx 480 has technology much better than 285, even if the heat is tremendous. It has directx11 and what is more they said that the gtx480 will start revealing its real power when new titles which utilise directx11 will appear.

 

[johnspack]

I'd say stay with the 280s if they are still working. My horrible problem child of a 280 never goes above 80c however, don't know why you get so high temps. Furmark run at 99%:

 

[Goodman]

I had to edit my first post, I cant read.

Yeah! maybe the mask of yours is not helping...?

Lucky you i am not a mod or the owner of this site because i would ask you to remove/replace your avatar picture , it makes this site look like they encourage drugs & make TPU look bad IMO

 

[LiveOrDie]

I'd say stay with the 280s if they are still working. My horrible problem child of a 280 never goes above 80c however, don't know why you get so high temps. Furmark run at 99%:

http://img.techpowerup.org/100405/fur2.jpg

have u tryed running it for over 5mins mines around the same when sitting on 60sec

 

[johnspack]

Yeah, that might bring it up, but no way I'm going to torture test this card. However, even under heavy gaming (like Crysis ect) it never goes above the 70s. I haven't even re-greased this one!