New GPU or go crossfire

[ShogunZ]

SETUP:

LG Ultrawide

1000W PS

R9 290

AMD FX8350

 

Q:

So I recently got an ultra wide monitor and the load on my gpu has doubled on the same settings. I need to either go Xfire with my R9 290 or upgrade to a single new GPU. (980/r9 390) Will the CPU bottleneck? Is Xfire even worth it at this time, prices haven't changed too much. Any suggestions are welcome!

[samcool55]

Cpu will probably bottleshrek in crossfire

Anyway, get a new cpu first tbh, and wait for 3XX series, you can decide then what to pick.

[JefferyD90]

With the new card Crossfire is actually kinda amazing.  But the problem still remains that MOST games don't take advantage of the extra card by more than 40% or so, and it taxes your CPU by about 10% to manage the extra load.  And if you just got a ultrawide monitor, then the problem probably isn't so much PROCESSING the data as much as having enough RAM so your card isn't having to swap stuff out all the time.

 

End result, we're way too close to the new cards coming out for me to recommend buying anything from the AMD camp until then.  You might be able to find a R9-390X or whatever for not a lot of money (considering Nvidia just released a splash and a half with the 980Ti pricing).

 

If you could find a 8GB variant of a 290 or 290X and or any of the newer cards, you'll be better off (I think)

[Sam Z Man]

Neither get a new CPU and mobo.