280x CF or 970?

[jnmbhj]

What will be better getting another 280x or to sell my current 7970 ghz and get a gtx 970? 

I will be doing battlefield 4 playing and recording as well as video editing and rendering. 

[Sumsar]

How  expensive is the 970? And how much is the 280x?

[Fulgrim]

Get a GTX970 - less heat & power consumption.

 

You would net some more fps with CF 280x's, but i'd rather have a better single card tbh.

[Imakuni]

• How much each component costs in your area?

How much energy costs there?

How good is the airflow of your case?

Which games are you interest in most? AMD's or nVidea's?

[Timmy-P]

I say if your PSU is up for the task, go for Crossfire:

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1355?vs=1058

 

If it can blow the 970 out of the water in Crysis, then imagine what it can do to Battlefield.

[jnmbhj]

How  expensive is the 970? And how much is the 280x?

 

 

• How much each component costs in your area?
• How much energy costs there?
• How good is the airflow of your case?
• Which games are you interest in most? AMD's or nVidea's?

 

The GTX 970 costs $370 in my area

And the R9 280x costs $280

 

As for energy I usually do not pay for the electricity. In the winter times its about 0.05 kw. (Lots solar panels) 

 

The airflow is very good 200mm intake at the front 140mm intake from the side h100i push pull from the top and 120mm exhaust.

 

As for games I like FPS games (BF4, BF3, Crysis 3 grid 2, Arma 3) And I am waiting for star citizen to come out.  

[DildorTheDecent]

Get a GTX970 - less heat & power consumption.

 

You would net some more fps with CF 280x's, but i'd rather have a better single card tbh.

Less power consumption yes. Less heat? Not really no. 

[jnmbhj]

I say if your PSU is up for the task, go for Crossfire:

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1355?vs=1058

 

If it can blow the 970 out of the water, then imagine what it can do to Battlefield.

I am pretty certain that my 1000w cooler master PSU will handle the 2 280x + a 8350 OC to 4.6  

[Imakuni]

Less power consumption yes. Less heat? Not really no. 

Yes really. 2 cards consuming much more power DOWS increase heat. Either it being restrained in the case, or on the room.

 

The GTX 970 costs $370 in my area

And the R9 280x costs $280

 

As for energy I usually do not pay for the electricity. In the winter times its about 0.05 kw. (Lots solar panels) 

 

The airflow is very good 200mm intake at the front 140mm intake from the side h100i push pull from the top and 120mm exhaust.

 

As for games I like FPS games (BF4, BF3, Crysis 3 grid 2, Arma 3) And I am waiting for star citizen to come out.  

When I meant "games you like", I meant the free games from AMD's Never Settle bundle or the gtx 970 (the crew/ farcry 4/ assasin's creed unity). Right now, these are free games you get depending on the card you buy.

 

Given the energy cost, the price and the airflow, I'd say get the 280x. Do note that this will block you from any upgrades in the VGA area, though, so next time you want something better, you'll have to dump those 280x away. In that sense, a 970 allows for future upgrades.

 

Still, I'd recommend 2nd 280x.

[DildorTheDecent]

Yes really. 2 cards consuming much more power DOWS increase heat. Either it being restrained in the case, or on the room.

I'm referring towards the GTX 970 since that's where that comment originally came from. a 970 will consume less power but it too can have no problem going to 80C. 

[Aniallation]

I am pretty certain that my 1000w cooler master PSU will handle the 2 280x + a 8350 OC to 4.6  

Long story short,

 

280X CrossFire for 1080p

Single 970 for 1440p and higher

[Imakuni]

I'm referring towards the GTX 970 since that's where that comment originally came from. a 970 will consume less power but it too can have no problem going to 80C. 

Mistakes were made today :wacko:

[Sumsar]

Get the 280x then

[Timmy-P]

I am pretty certain that my 1000w cooler master PSU will handle the 2 280x + a 8350 OC to 4.6  

My apologies, I'm not accustomed to being able to view someone's specs from a click away.

(I've used nothing but vBulliton for years)

[jnmbhj]

I know that the 280x will have much better performance but I have heard that crossfire is difficult to work with. I have the psu and motherboard that supports it.

@Timmy-P,

@Imakuni,

@Fulgrim 

[Aniallation]

I know that the 280x will have much better performance but I have heard that crossfire is difficult to work with. I have the psu and motherboard that supports it.

@Timmy-P,

@Imakuni,

@Fulgrim 

It's not that difficult to work with. Honestly, if a game doesn't support CF, chances are, it will run fine using one of the 280X's.

[Imakuni]

I know that the 280x will have much better performance but I have heard that crossfire is difficult to work with. I have the psu and motherboard that supports it.

It's not really difficult work with. It's just that sometimes, a particullar game might not scale very well with 2 VGAs; sometimes it just plain doesn't support it and in even rarer cases it might actually DECREASE performance.

 

EDIT: got ninja'ed by Aniallation

[Aniallation]

It's not really difficult work with. It's just that sometimes, a particullar game might not scale very well with 2 VGAs; sometimes it just plain doesn't support it and in even rarer cases it might actually DECREASE performance.

Honestly, in games that do decrease performance the difference is very very small compared to a single card, and if you want to get back that difference ypu can just disable crossfire in CCC

[YubinTheBunny]

How bout the performance of a 7970 X R9 280 (non-x) vs a GTX 970

[jnmbhj]

How bout the performance of a 7970 X R9 280 (non-x) vs a GTX 970

280 non x = 7950 

[YubinTheBunny]

280 non x = 7950 

Well, i know that, but I would think that if your on a budget, crossfiring a 280 non-x is more cost efficient. Doe you might lose that 4 percent of performance vs a Full 7970 xfire. 

[hadesjoy72]

I am pretty certain that my 1000w cooler master PSU will handle the 2 280x + a 8350 OC to 4.6  

Your good....

[hadesjoy72]

Depends on your needs....if you can find a 280x with stats comparable to your current 7970 (if higher stats, the 280x will clock itself down to meet the other card's needs), then pull dat trigger if the price is right.  Crossfire/SLi has/had multiple issues with certain titles...if you go for the 280x, you can (as previously stated) disable the crossfire when not needed.  Please make sure if crossfire is what you choose, to disable the ULPS function....ran into crap when I was crossfiring my 7870's / 7970's in the day.  

 

Insofar as Nvidia, if they have what you need (PhysX, ShadowPlay), then get that 7970 up for sale and enjoy the 970 or 980.

 

If you decide to sell, just remember to scout out prices on Ebay or whatever medium you intend to sell on....whichever way you go, good luck in your choice

[jnmbhj]

Long story short,

 

280X CrossFire for 1080p

Single 970 for 1440p and higher

Um right 280x crossfire Does not work at 1080p on my 8350 I get better and much smoother gameplay using 1 card

 

It's not really difficult work with. It's just that sometimes, a particullar game might not scale very well with 2 VGAs; sometimes it just plain doesn't support it and in even rarer cases it might actually DECREASE performance.

 

EDIT: got ninja'ed by Aniallation

I Tested this and well its NOT rare at all! Battlefield 3, Battlefield 4, Crysis 3 they all lowered performance. The only place I saw an improvement was in a benchmark.  

[Aniallation]

Um right 280x crossfire Does not work at 1080p on my 8350 I get better and much smoother gameplay using 1 card

Why are you talking about gaming performance when an 8350 will bottleneck two 280X's in most games. Also not sure why you're bumping a thread almost a month old.