GTX460 SLi or 6850 Crossfire setup for my new rig?

Cannot seem to find any DECENT benhchmarks directly comparing these two setups in a range of performance tests. Both setups cost roughly the same (pricing difference really doesn't matter at all to me) I'm just looking for what option will give me the best performance and futureproofing for my new rig!

Please help out an fellow Gamespotian! :)

The 6850's are faster at stock speeds and draw abit less of power than 2 460's

I would get 2 460 because they run cooler, can overclocker higher and gives you phsyx options.

But if you really want Future proofing go with something like x2 6870 which will stomp the 2 mentioned

The 6850's are faster at stock speeds and draw abit less of power than 2 460's

I would get 2 460 because they run cooler, can overclocker higher and gives you phsyx options.

But if you really want Future proofing go with something like x2 6870 which will stomp the 2 mentioned

lickisg

Wait for the newer cards 69xx and GTX5xx. They are around the corner.

6850 beats overclocked 460gtx sli by a chunk and beats trades blows with 470gtx sli I believe.

6850 beats overclocked 460gtx sli by a chunk and beats trades blows with 470gtx sli I believe.

Human-after-all

Thats the 6870.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/3987/amds-radeon-6870-6850-renewing-competition-in-the-midrange-market/8

[QUOTE="Human-after-all"]

6850 beats overclocked 460gtx sli by a chunk and beats trades blows with 470gtx sli I believe.

Bikouchu35

Thats the 6870.

It depends on the game. There are several games where 6850's in Crossfire hang right with GTX 470's in SLI-

http://www.guru3d.com/article/radeon-hd-6850-6870-crossfirex-review/12

I'm waiting to see what the 6900's can do for my own purposes.. but 6850 Crossfire is the most attractive multi-gpu option to me in terms of bang for the buck.

Im waiting for the next series as well. Since their stock clocks are very high already thus the overclocking headroom is less for the 68xx and I love tinkering with clocks :( buzzkill

Go for SLI if you want stable drivers during installation. Hekynn

[QUOTE="lickisg"]

The 6850's are faster at stock speeds and draw abit less of power than 2 460's

I would get 2 460 because they run cooler, can overclocker higher and gives you phsyx options.

But if you really want Future proofing go with something like x2 6870 which will stomp the 2 mentioned

-CheeseEater-

[QUOTE="-CheeseEater-"][QUOTE="lickisg"]

The 6850's are faster at stock speeds and draw abit less of power than 2 460's

I would get 2 460 because they run cooler, can overclocker higher and gives you phsyx options.

But if you really want Future proofing go with something like x2 6870 which will stomp the 2 mentioned

29121994

[QUOTE="29121994"][QUOTE="-CheeseEater-"] It's odd, here in Australia two 6850's or GTX460's will cost you about $440 for the two, yet the cheapest I could find two 6870's for was $640 - which is sad to say, out of my price range.-CheeseEater-

I don't think there is a general consensus on this yet. We will have to wait until the 6950 and 6970 come out to know the answer. I'm very curious to see how it turns out.

I prefer the 460s over the 6850s. You could wait though for one or two months to see the newer cards. And btw I always thought we're called "Gamespotters" not "Gamespotians??" abuabed

It is gamespotters

get the 6850's good performance, run cooler than 460, use less power, and with the 460's u are only limited to 2 cards in SLI while the 6850 u can have up to 4 if u ever wanted to upgrade in the futureBangerman15

Can you show me where a 6850 runs cooler than a GTX 460? The results that I've seen show the 6850 running a bit hotter. The GTX 460 is a cool-running card.

[QUOTE="Bangerman15"]get the 6850's good performance, run cooler than 460, use less power, and with the 460's u are only limited to 2 cards in SLI while the 6850 u can have up to 4 if u ever wanted to upgrade in the futurehartsickdiscipl

Can you show me where a 6850 runs cooler than a GTX 460? The results that I've seen show the 6850 running a bit hotter. The GTX 460 is a cool-running card.

They are pretty much the same.

Mostly depends on what cooling solution the manufacturer uses.

[QUOTE="hartsickdiscipl"]

[QUOTE="Bangerman15"]get the 6850's good performance, run cooler than 460, use less power, and with the 460's u are only limited to 2 cards in SLI while the 6850 u can have up to 4 if u ever wanted to upgrade in the futureNailedGR

Can you show me where a 6850 runs cooler than a GTX 460? The results that I've seen show the 6850 running a bit hotter. The GTX 460 is a cool-running card.

They are pretty much the same.

Mostly depends on what cooling solution the manufacturer uses.

Based on that link, the GTX 460 is significantly cooler under load.

[QUOTE="NailedGR"]

[QUOTE="hartsickdiscipl"]

Can you show me where a 6850 runs cooler than a GTX 460? The results that I've seen show the 6850 running a bit hotter. The GTX 460 is a cool-running card.

hartsickdiscipl

They are pretty much the same.

Mostly depends on what cooling solution the manufacturer uses.

Based on that link, the GTX 460 is significantly cooler under load.

EDIT: Actually, it's pretty even.

These two reviews can be used for a direct comparison,

HD 6850 CrossFire, (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATI/Radeon_HD_6850_CrossFire/1.html)

GTX 460 1GB SLI, (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NVIDIA/GeForce_GTX_460_SLI/1.html)

Looking at the Performance Summary section where all the comparisons are averaged by resolution and using the 5970 as reference between the two reviews, it appears that the 6850s outperform the 460s by about 10% on average.

[QUOTE="NailedGR"]

[QUOTE="hartsickdiscipl"]

Can you show me where a 6850 runs cooler than a GTX 460? The results that I've seen show the 6850 running a bit hotter. The GTX 460 is a cool-running card.

hartsickdiscipl

They are pretty much the same.

Mostly depends on what cooling solution the manufacturer uses.

Based on that link, the GTX 460 is significantly cooler under load.

LOL what are you smoking?

6850 - 66 degrees

460 - 70 degrees

6850 - 71 degrees

6850 - 73 degrees

460 - 74 degrees

get the 6850's good performance, run cooler than 460, use less power, and with the 460's u are only limited to 2 cards in SLI while the 6850 u can have up to 4 if u ever wanted to upgrade in the futureBangerman15

[QUOTE="hartsickdiscipl"]

[QUOTE="NailedGR"]

They are pretty much the same.

Mostly depends on what cooling solution the manufacturer uses.

NailedGR

Based on that link, the GTX 460 is significantly cooler under load.

LOL what are you smoking?

6850 - 66 degrees

460 - 70 degrees

6850 - 71 degrees

6850 - 73 degrees

460 - 74 degrees

If anybody's smoking something, it's you. You're the one comparing 6850's with non-reference coolers to a reference GTX 460. Here's the right way to compare data. I think you'll find my point is made by looking at reference vs. reference-

And-

[QUOTE="NailedGR"]

[QUOTE="hartsickdiscipl"]

Based on that link, the GTX 460 is significantly cooler under load.

hartsickdiscipl

LOL what are you smoking?

6850 - 66 degrees

460 - 70 degrees

6850 - 71 degrees

6850 - 73 degrees

460 - 74 degrees

If anybody's smoking something, it's you. You're the one comparing 6850's with non-reference coolers to a reference GTX 460. Here's the right way to compare data. I think you'll find my point is made by looking at reference vs. reference-

And-

Who the hell buys a card with reference cooling when there are other options available?

Who the hell buys a card with reference cooling when there are other options available?

NailedGR

Oh.. I don't know.. probably over half the market. :?

[QUOTE="NailedGR"]

Who the hell buys a card with reference cooling when there are other options available?

hartsickdiscipl

Oh.. I don't know.. probably over half the market. :?

You know this because?

[QUOTE="hartsickdiscipl"]

[QUOTE="NailedGR"]

Who the hell buys a card with reference cooling when there are other options available?

NailedGR

Oh.. I don't know.. probably over half the market. :?

You know this because?

It's very possible that there may be more non-reference 6850's sold in the US.. I don't know. I know that at launch most of the cards were using some sort of custom cooler. Whether or not they were all better than the reference one, I don't know. I just know that historically, reference coolers are more frequently used than custom designs, and therefore purchased more often.

However, my original argument is still valid. If you want to compare some GTX 460's with non-reference 6850's, find some non-reference GTX 460's for the comparison.

[QUOTE="NailedGR"]

[QUOTE="hartsickdiscipl"]

Oh.. I don't know.. probably over half the market. :?

hartsickdiscipl

You know this because?

It's very possible that there may be more non-reference 6850's sold in the US.. I don't know. I know that at launch most of the cards were using some sort of custom cooler. Whether or not they were all better than the reference one, I don't know. I just know that historically, reference coolers are more frequently used than custom designs, and therefore purchased more often.

However, my original argument is still valid. If you want to compare some GTX 460's with non-reference 6850's, find some non-reference GTX 460's for the comparison.

I couldn't find any.