Buying a new graphics card - (read first post)

Alright, I'm not gonna start a whole new thread just for this, so I'll just drop it here: can an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 400 series PSU actually handle two HD 4850s without blowing up, especially paired with a 20" monitor and this motherboard: ASUS P45 series, LGA 775, Intel P45 + ICH10, running at 1600OC?
And honestly, is it even worth grabbing a 4850 in the first place for a screen that size? I mean, I'm trying to push higher resolutions on newer games with this setup, so maybe it's a waste of time?

Honestly, Crossfire isn't worth the headache for you. You’re better off just putting that extra cash toward a single, stronger card like an HD 4870 or a GTX 260. It's a much more solid move than trying to run a 4850 Crossfire setup on an ASUS P45 series board...

I suppose I would hold onto it, though if you ask me, there is absolutely no way it's worth the investment.

aha! okay, but which HD 4870 should I actually grab? there's a ton of them out there, and everyone keeps rambling about how some run hotter than others and stuff...

wanderingjackal2 said:Aha! Okay, but which HD 4870 should I actually grab? There are so many versions out there, and everyone keeps talking about how much they overheat and stuff.

Look, running two 4850s is going to be significantly faster than just one 4870 (or even a GTX260, doesn't matter). If I were in your shoes, I’d either go with a single 4850 or pick up a 4850X2 if you're looking for real performance.

A friend was asking me what kind of power supply he'd need to run two GeForce GTX 260 cards (separately), and if it's even possible to SLI a GeForce GTX 260 with a different card model entirely.

Mark Sanchez3 said:A buddy of mine was asking me what kind of power supply he’d need to run two separate GeForce GTX 260 cards, and if it’s actually possible to pair a GeForce GTX 260 with a different type of card using an SLI bridge.

Nah, that won't work—they absolutely have to be the exact same model.

Is a CX 400 power supply up to the task? Will it actually handle two GeForce GTX 260 cards without running into issues?

😂
Honestly, I find it hard to believe that power supply could even handle those two graphics cards, let alone support the rest of your system setup 😁

So, what should I suggest he uses to power those two graphics cards along with the rest of his rig?
I'm looking for something effective, but let's not go overboard with the price tag, okay?

So, how much do you think we should budget for the power supply? Maybe around 300 to $133?
The graphics cards are sitting at about 3.5k anyway...

He mentioned he’d grab one now and pick up the second once there's enough time, but honestly, it would be pretty foolish to settle for a weak power supply for the first unit just to buy a beefier one later. He's budgeting roughly $133 for a high-end model—maybe even more if necessary—as long as it can reliably handle both of them

If you're truly aiming for a high-end build...
maybe consider something like a Corsair 650W unit...

Ugh $247
There’s basically nothing left in the high-end market
?

And you’ve got plenty of options for graphics cards $1.25..but apparently there isn't a single thing listed for the power supply $250?

Can I get something similar to this, maybe two GeForce GTX 260 ICE cards? http://www.ocztechnology.com/product...m_power_supply

No, I am not suggesting you grab both cards at once; I mean over a long period of time, specifically when one finally becomes obsolete.

When one generation eventually loses its luster, the next one is already waiting in the wings to take its place.🙂
It feels like we're seeing a constant influx of new GPUs, each one significantly faster than the last...

And then I'll just tell him there's no saving his skin and he better just take one.

The most sensible approach, really...
And besides, he should probably just sit on his cash for a newer, faster graphics card when the time eventually comes. 😉