Buying a new graphics card - (read first post)

Aha! Exactly. That was actually my top suggestion to him, but then he asked if a CX 400 would even handle the whole setup along with two HDDs. (Specifically, he's asking about running a GeForce GTX 260)

Mark Sanchez3 said:Oh, absolutely. That was my top recommendation, but he specifically asked if that CX 400 would handle everything, including both HDDs—meaning the GeForce GTX 260 as well.

It will hold one GeForce GTX 260 just fine. However, that 600W OCZ unit could easily power two, or even three, without breaking a sweat.

Is this thing actually reliable and high-quality? I was seriously thinking about pulling the trigger on this—and honestly, I don't want to hear any other suggestions right now! It just looks a little sketchy to me since there isn't a photo or a proper description included, or is that just how these sites usually work? Is the card actually worth the price? It’s pretty cheap, and I've heard a rumor floating around that all the 4870 models are basically identical and they just slap different stickers on them to differentiate them.
= > http://diskont24.com/product.php?pro...cat=390&page=5

The fact that it’s a dual-slot design suggests it probably doesn't use a standard cooling setup. You should check the Force 3D website to be sure.😉

So, when we talk about dual-slot cooling, does that actually mean the thermal performance is better or worse? I’m trying to wrap my head around whether more bulk equals better temps or if it's just extra weight—haha! Also, quick technical question: can you actually run Crossfire using any two HD 4870 cards (like mixing a Gigabyte and a Sapphire), or am I stuck having to buy two identical Gigabyte models to make it work?

A dual-slot setup offers better cooling, but the only Force3D card I can actually find online is the Twin Turbo model (which isn't the one at the discount store)... either way, make sure you verify the exact specs before you buy.
When setting up CrossFire, the most important thing is having the same chip, clock speeds, and so on. The manufacturer doesn't really matter.

Dual slot means it takes up two PCI-E slots just like this one
Plus the cooling on those cards is way better 😉 than the single slot versions
And regarding Crossfire, the cards gotta be the same model, but the manufacturer can be different

Aha, awesome! Thanks so much—I think I'm definitely going to grab that graphics card.

Just one more quick question for a friend—I don't want to start a whole new thread just for this, so I'll ask here! Basically, what kind of power supply should he get that can objectively and subjectively handle two HD 4870s alongside a relatively beefy build (two HDDs and a 3.0 GHz Core 2 Duo E8400, if I remember correctly, and he’s thinking about overclocking it if he can (AC 7))?
I found this cheap one, so what do you guys think? Will it be okay for two 4870s, and is it actually any decent quality?
http://www.diskont24.com/product.php...5&cat=0&page=1
He's willing to spend up to $217 to get a sufficiently powerful PSU.

hmm two 4870s 🤔
should be plenty this I think

yours isn't enough

I'm currently running a Pentium D CPU 2.80.
Would that processor be enough to handle a GeForce 9800gt or maybe a 9600gt?😕

you aren't even asking about the rest of the build, just the GPUs ☕

Timothy Palmer28 said:You aren't even asking about the rest of the build, you're just fixated on the GPU.☕

Well, the question was specifically about the graphics card.🙂

@kexx: A 9600GT would have been mostly utilized.🙂

Asking about the processor 🙂 😬

@kexx: It'll work, but honestly, there are tons of killer dual-core chips 👍 out there right now that are fast and run cool—way better than that Pentium D CPU 2.80 for gaming 😉

Timothy Palmer28 said:He was asking about the processor 🙂 😬

@kexx:It'll do the job, but honestly, there are some killer dual-core processors out there right now 👍 that are relatively fast and run cool—they are way better than that Pentium D CPU 2.80 for gaming 😉

You are forgetting that this is a dual-core processor 🙂

Anthony Scott93 said:But they were specifically asking about the GPU performance 🙂

@kexx: A 9600GT would basically be running at its absolute limit already 🙂

Thanks!
The only other thing I'm wondering is if a 9600GT actually has enough juice to handle modern titles (like Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway...)?🙂

steelharbor63 said:Thanks!
I also want to know if the 9600gt is fast enough for newer games (like Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway...)?🙂

That depends on several other factors. 🙂
It will run, that much is certain. 😉

So, what now? The specs for the HD4870 state that if you're running two of them in Crossfire mode, you need at least a 600W power supply!
I'm just not sure if my Xilence 800 goes far enough. It's the gaming edition, and while it claims to be Crossfire compatible and has all the necessary connectors, I'm still second-guessing myself.