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Thread ID: 111443 2010-07-27 07:21:00 GTX 480 Questions DeSade (984) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1122862 2010-07-28 23:29:00 I know I've said this before on PF1, but why are manufacturers still persisting with jamming massive, hot, power-thirsty cards inside a case?

Surely motherboard producers could design an external PCIe bus, and nVidia/ATI could just build their cards into an external housing with it's own PSU so you didn't need some 800w monster in your PC.

nVidia are already halfway there with this kind of thing? (www.nvidia.com)

Not being a gamer, this is my layman's take on things, so apologies if I've missed something bleedin' obvious. :D

Well, ATi hasnt made power-thirsty cards since the x1series.....they are now the opposite of Nvidia who I guess, like V8, while ATi do turbo ricers or something!
SolMiester (139)
1122863 2010-07-29 00:58:00 Who is "they"? no tech website I visit uses GRID as a benchmark tool, it's too old to stress a modern video card, even my 4870 can run it at 1920x1080 with 8AA at max detail...

Dude settle down
i havent been to a benchmarking site for ages, and i cant find grid in there any more. you are correct Things like l4d 2, bad company 2 etc
Any system running a 5970 should be able to run grid at those settings you have, it is a top of the line card, and a 4870 was top of the line when you could buy one also. i wouldnt mind a 4870 myself
I was just comparing my friends pc to my pentium D with a 8500 gt which ran grid ok. His was much easier to play as i said he had the advantage
Gobe1 (6290)
1122864 2010-07-30 06:28:00 Thanks for the replies guys, will get one of these for sure, not so sure about two right now. DeSade (984)
1122865 2010-07-30 08:26:00 Thanks for the replies guys, will get one of these for sure, not so sure about two right now.

Tom's just ran an article (www.tomshardware.com) on the SLI scalability of the 460's and found that 2x460 > 480 by 26%. They're cheaper, too. They suggest that the only reason to get a 480 is if you plan on using two in SLI.

I can't imagine a setup that would require 2x480's... are you running 3x30" monitors? Have a thing for more frames than your eyes can actually see per second? A "but mine goes up to 11" sort of thing?

Edit: Pricespy came up with 2x260 1GB at $750-770. 480's start at $720 and go upwards. Assuming a linear price scale (which we all know doesn't exist), 26% more than $720 is $907.20, so the 460's are a pretty good deal.
Thebananamonkey (7741)
1122866 2010-07-30 08:41:00 Tom's just ran an article (www.tomshardware.com) on the SLI scalability of the 460's and found that 2x460 > 480 by 26%. They're cheaper, too. They suggest that the only reason to get a 480 is if you plan on using two in SLI.

Someone was telling me about that a few weeks ago. I think he said they also ran cooler and used less power. (than a single GTX480) Don't know if that is true though.
Agent_24 (57)
1122867 2010-07-30 08:44:00 can't imagine a setup that would require 2x480's... are you running 3x30" monitors? Have a thing for more frames than your eyes can actually see per second? A "but mine goes up to 11" sort of thing?
Who cares, if he wants it and can afford it, why not?

I personally wish I could get it.....:crying
qazwsxokmijn (102)
1122868 2010-07-30 08:44:00 Someone was telling me about that a few weeks ago. I think he said they also ran cooler and used less power. (than a single GTX480) Don't know if that is true though.

Here is a comparison of 2x GTX460's vs. 1x GTX480. The GTX460's come out on top in just about everything..

www.tomshardware.com
pantera989 (14533)
1122869 2010-07-30 08:50:00 I personally wish I could get it.....:crying

I wish nVidia would come back to the chipset business, especially for AMD.


Here is a comparison of 2x GTX460's vs. 1x GTX480. The GTX460's come out on top in just about everything..

www.tomshardware.com

Yeah was reading it, looks like they do run a decent bit cooler anyway, although power usage is actually more on load (though less on idle)

Overall though, it does look like a much better idea than getting a GTX480.

Except... it seems that the AM3 boards with SLI are pretty much non-existant in NZ.
Agent_24 (57)
1122870 2010-07-30 08:55:00 I wish nVidia would come back to the chipset business, especially for AMD.
Neh, nVidia chipsets weren't very good anyway.....the 680i was crap for overclocking from what I have gathered.[/QUOTE]
qazwsxokmijn (102)
1122871 2010-07-30 09:33:00 My nForce 4 was great, rock solid and fast.

But this ATi chipset pisses me off.

For example, I can't access SMART status of my drives under XP with AHCI enabled on this one.
Agent_24 (57)
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