A 3rd 3870 or a 3870x2?

[Bytor]

I'm running 2 3870's now and want to add a 3rd 3870 or a 3870x2.
The 3870's run on GDDR4 and the x2's on GDDR3.

Which would be a better setup?

Thanks

[DanishDevil]

Get an ASUS 3870X2 TOP. It has quicker memory than the other 3870X2s, and it would pair beautifully with two 3870s.

Two of them currently hold the 3DMark06 world record, and the guys attributed the memory on the cards to their score.

[erocker]

Your're just going to bottleneck those cards with your processor even more. If you got the cash, get a QX9650 and a X48 motherboard!

[DanishDevil]

Your're just going to bottleneck those cards with your processor even more. If you got the cash, get a QX9650 and a X48 motherboard!

Hey! He's getting a 9850BE. Leave him alone! :slap:

[DanishDevil]

BTW - 750W PSU might be pushing it with 4GPUs. I do have an 850 for sale, but you might want even more. Although I could be wrong...calculate what you need.

[Bytor]

Hey! He's getting a 9850BE. Leave him alone! :slap:

Lol. yes my 9850 BE is on order right now..

[erocker]

Aye!:o On order I see! You have the right mobo for it too, three 3870's seem pretty neat, though one of them will have to be of the single slot variety to fit.

I'll be hooking up my two 3870's and two 3850's together soon! Though untill I get my Phenom, it will have to be done with my 5000+ B.E. It's all for testing purposes anyways.

[DanishDevil]

You know what I would do? Hold off on the X2, and go water. Clock the hell out of that 9850BE, and then grab a 3870X2 and a full coverage block to add once you have the money. Then you won't have to worry about spacing!

I wish I could build your rig :o

[erocker]

Aye!:o On order I see! You have the right mobo for it too, three 3870's seem pretty neat, though one of them will have to be of the single slot variety to fit.

I'll be hooking up my two 3870's and two 3850's together soon! Though untill I get my Phenom, it will have to be done with my 5000+ B.E. It's all for testing purposes anyways.

Lol, just wait for the pics, I'll have everything on a workbench.

Dang, I keep screwing up and quoting myself, when I mean to edit.

[Bytor]

Yeah your right didn't think about the PSU....

I know I must be pushing my PSU now with whats running.

2-Raptors
6-120mm,141 CFM Delta fans.
1-90mm Delta fan
2-80mm fans
2-3870 video cards
1-Swiftech MCP350 Pump
1-Swiftech MCP355 Pump

Not sure how much this adds up to but must be up there.

[DanishDevil]

Lol, just wait for the pics, I'll have everything on a workbench.

Dang, I keep screwing up and quoting myself, when I mean to edit.

Failed. You're getting old and senile erocker!

[Bytor]

Aye!:o On order I see! You have the right mobo for it too, three 3870's seem pretty neat, though one of them will have to be of the single slot variety to fit.

I'll be hooking up my two 3870's and two 3850's together soon! Though untill I get my Phenom, it will have to be done with my 5000+ B.E. It's all for testing purposes anyways.

Nah I could fit 3 dual slot cards on this MB.

[DanishDevil]

Yeah your right didn't think about the PSU....

I know I must be pushing my PSU now with whats running.

2-Raptors
6-120mm,141 CFM Delta fans.
1-90mm Delta fan
2-80mm fans
2-3870 video cards
1-Swiftech MCP350 Pump
1-Swiftech MCP355 Pump

Not sure how much this adds up to but must be up there.

Use this

http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp

[Bytor]

Ok with my current rig as it sets now using that Calc. I'm pulling 472 watts.

Once I add the 9850 BE and a 3rd 3870 it will be pulling 540 watts.

And it would pull 630 watts if I added a 3870x2.

[erocker]

Nah I could fit 3 dual slot cards on this MB.

I have the motherboard as well, I guess I'll have to look at it again.:ohwell: DD is right, I am going senile!:o

I need to borrow someone's 3870, hehe. For four cards you can only have two, two-slot cards.

[Dyno]

Changing from processor and motherboard to another is worthless. Yes i would of went Intel to begin with along with either a x38 or the X48 motherboard, but that's not in your case and that's okay. But just like someone above me has stated regarding the bottleneck which is correct and adding more cards are no benefit to you anyway unless running high resolutions. Okay, even if you think about adding another board you'll probably need to change that PSU. 3DMark series are for bragging rights, it doesn't tell you #$%^ about how well your games run, so i wouldn't even think about that. Do whatever you think is clever, but always ask which you have done before making your own decision. Good Luck!

[erocker]

Huh? You went all over the board there Dyno.

[Bytor]

I have the motherboard as well, I guess I'll have to look at it again.:ohwell: DD is right, I am going senile!:o

I need to borrow someone's 3870, hehe. For four cards you can only have two, two-slot cards.

Yes if you wanted to run 4, 2 would have to be single slot cards.

[Megasty]

Yuck :shadedshu Feed the beasty. Go for the 3870x2. The Asus Top uses the samsung 0.8 mem which OCs a great deal better than the 1.0 the ref designs uses. The 9850BE screams with the x2 anyway.

I just tried watering my tri-fire & I used a seperate loop with a tri-rad for them. Temps were just a little under the stock coolers which sickened me. I just gave up & went back to the delta fans. Atleast with those the temps are 10-15C below stock.

[Bytor]

Yuck :shadedshu Feed the beasty. Go for the 3870x2. The Asus Top uses the samsung 0.8 mem which OCs a great deal better than the 1.0 the ref designs uses. The 9850BE screams with the x2 anyway.

I just tried watering my tri-fire & I used a seperate loop with a tri-rad for them. Temps were just a little under the stock coolers which sickened me. I just gave up & went back to the delta fans. Atleast with those the temps are 10-15C below stock.

I didn't think my 360 BIX rad would cool 3 3870's.......

[Megasty]

I didn't think my 360 BIX rad would cool 3 3870's.......

It won't. I even tried a 120.2 & a 120.3 & still no dice. Its just too much heat for anything to handle - maybe phasing :D

[Bytor]

Don't see why a 240 & 360 wouldn't cool 3 cards well..Maybe even one 480 GTX.

[erocker]

Mabye just add a single HD3850 for now?
http://img.techpowerup.org/080413/DSC00210.jpg
http://img.techpowerup.org/080413/DSC00202.jpg

I'm letting my brother borrow my other 3850 atm, it's going to be tough for these things to breathe!
It's a 3800 sandwich!

[tkpenalty]

Mabye just add a single HD3850 for now?
http://img.techpowerup.org/080413/DSC00210.jpg
http://img.techpowerup.org/080413/DSC00202.jpg

I'm letting my brother borrow my other 3850 atm, it's going to be tough for these things to breathe!
It's a 3800 sandwich!

Looks pretty cool :) haha... 3800 sandwich. Quadfire is absolutely overkill in my opinion, but yeah as mentioned, go for the ASUS TOP with better memory. Anyway on a side note, erocker I'd recommend replacing that fan.... it looks nice but try a nine bladed fan.

[Bytor]

Could replace it with a D-Tek Fuzion.

[erocker]

Looks pretty cool :) Anyway on a side note, erocker I'd recommend replacing that fan.... it looks nice but try a nine bladed fan.

I have an Antec Tri-Cool I use when really pushing the processor, plenty of CFM. The temps on this chip with the current fan and cooler are just fine at 3ghz. And the cards aren't staying in this config, only doing it for testing and benching purposes. The only two other 3870's I'll be getting are the cheap Sapphire single slot cards. I'm just thinking of the noise they're going to make with the fans at 100%. Going to need earplugs.:laugh: Bytor, I say go for another 3870 for sure, you won't have to sell anything, and it will eat less power and hopefully work well with two other 3870's. Plus it will look awesome!:toast:

[DanishDevil]

erocker, that thing's not only a 3800 sandwich, it's also a threesome that I wouldn't mind getting in on ;)

Bytor, what resolution do you game at? If it's 1080P res. or higher, the 4 might help, but if it's a 1680x1050 LCD or lower, three cards will be enough. I still say 3870X2 though, just for the bragging rights! :rockout:

[MKmods]

what about throwing some Acceleros on those cards? (the fins are set so air passes from the front of the case out the back)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186016
mine cooled the heck out of my 8800GTs