GTX 260 a good choice?

[an1sh]

I recently ordered a customized computer from a toronto(canada) computer dealer(i have to pick it up on 16th aug). It has Asus p5n-e-sli mobo and Zotac GTX 260 graphic card


I just wanted to know whether I made a good choice in buying that graphic card. After I did a bit of research, I found that 9800 GTX Sli (Dual gfx card) is around the same price of gtx 260 and I felt disheartened that I made a bad choice in getting that card. Please understand that I needed a good gaming computer desperately because I needed to use it for school(for homework, animation, graphic design) as it is opening in september, and I just went with what I thought was the latest.


I am not a advanced computer buff(still learning), i just kno the basics. So please help me out here by explaining the difference between the gfx choice


Btw, does Dual 9800 gtx need a cooling stuffs or can it run like gtx 260 without any cooling stuff?


Here is my full pc config:

Intel COre 2 Quad 9300
Asus p5n-e-sli
4 gig ram
500 gb sata 2 7200 ram
zotac gtx260 896 mb
Prism Case with thermaktake 550 W

It costed me around 1000 bucks for the cpu

Please be honest

[KarmaKiller]

It's a solid gaming/work rig. There is always going to be something faster out there. You have to think in terms of budget IMO. If your going to be using this PC for years, and for a combo of entertainment/work, then I think it'll hold up great.
I would not recommend the 9800GX2 (that's the dual card, GTX is a single version). It depends on which site you look on, but the benchs for that card vary by site. After reading a couple of thread BY OWNERS of the GX2, they pretty much came to the conclusion it wasn't worth it.
With your motherboard, you can always get another GTX260 (PSU allowing, read below) and upgrade to a SLI rig later on when needed. But the GTX260 is a solid card.

Now the bad thing about buying a pre-built PC, you never know the quality of ALL the components. A lot of times they'll throw a cheap Power Supply (PSU) in there because most people think the more watts, the better, no matter what the brand is. THIS IS NOT TRUE.
A quality PSU is really the most important peice of your tower. It is basically the heart if you think about it. The PSU your getting in the above tower is really a unknown. See if you can get more specs on it. More then likely, it's a cheapy, which really isn't good. Especially if you do end up getting another 260 down the road.

After all that, it's a solid build. Double check the PSU, and everything else should be good.
Good luck and enjoy!

[2monsters]

Good choice on the graphics card. Not such a good choice on the motherboard. Well later on down the road if you want to do any overclocking on the cpu that mobo is gonna hold you back. If your not planning on doing any overclocking then that board will be pretty stable for ya.

[an1sh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KarmaKiller

It's a solid gaming/work rig. There is always going to be something faster out there. You have to think in terms of budget IMO. If your going to be using this PC for years, and for a combo of entertainment/work, then I think it'll hold up great.
I would not recommend the 9800GX2 (that's the dual card, GTX is a single version). It depends on which site you look on, but the benchs for that card vary by site. After reading a couple of thread BY OWNERS of the GX2, they pretty much came to the conclusion it wasn't worth it.
With your motherboard, you can always get another GTX260 (PSU allowing, read below) and upgrade to a SLI rig later on when needed. But the GTX260 is a solid card.

Now the bad thing about buying a pre-built PC, you never know the quality of ALL the components. A lot of times they'll throw a cheap Power Supply (PSU) in there because most people think the more watts, the better, no matter what the brand is. THIS IS NOT TRUE.
A quality PSU is really the most important peice of your tower. It is basically the heart if you think about it. The PSU your getting in the above tower is really a unknown. See if you can get more specs on it. More then likely, it's a cheapy, which really isn't good. Especially if you do end up getting another 260 down the road.

After all that, it's a solid build. Double check the PSU, and everything else should be good.
Good luck and enjoy!

thx, it meant a lot to me to kno that someone agrees on the gfx choice i made

btw, i edited the power supply, for some stupid reason i didn't put that down properly

[an1sh]

btw karma

Anitec.ca - Zotac GeForce 9800 GTX 512MB PCI-Express


if i had 2 of those, will it be better than the single gtx 260??, i kno u mentioned abt the 9800 gx2

I spent 320 dollars on the gtx 260

and btw, if i had dual gtx 260, wat power supply do u recommend, and do i need cooler and stuff like that?

i planned to get another gtx 260 down the road later


Also, is it okay to have dual gfx cards that are of different version?, like gtx 260 and gtx 280

sorry if i am being too noob asking that question lol

[#43 fan]

That PC should be a good PC for a few years.
If you go the SLI route you may need a new Power Supply.
You need to have two 260's, I forget if SLI needs them to be the same type or not. Such as 260GTX and a 260GT.

[KarmaKiller]

Quote:

if i had 2 of those, will it be better than the single gtx 260??, i kno u mentioned abt the 9800 gx2

It would be faster technically. But it would use 2x the power, and 2x the heat in your case also.

Quote:

I spent 320 dollars on the gtx 260

[RamonGTP]

Do yourself a favor. Scrap the SLI motherboard and go with a Intel P45 chipset.

[an1sh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KarmaKiller

It would be faster technically. But it would use 2x the power, and 2x the heat in your case also.


Not a bad price really from a dealer..


According to Anandtech, the GTX 260 uses 262watts a piece at full load. So that's 520watts just for GPU's. Then a Quad added in there ~100watts, HDD's and drives and such, I'd say a QUALITY 750watt PSU would do.


It's got to be the same model. Like 260's, or 280's. You can mix manufactures, like XFX and Zotac, or whatever, but it's got to be the same model of card.

ok thx

Quote:

Originally Posted by RamonGTP

Do yourself a favor. Scrap the SLI motherboard and go with a Intel P45 chipset.

[#43 fan]

That mobo should be ok.
Do you know what your psu is?