suiken_2mieu:
"5850 is more than enough for 5040x1050"
Riiiiiight. So i can max out bfbc2, mw2, fc2, crysis, crysis 2, avp, etc... with just 1 5850 at that resolution? I find that a bit hard to believe... Also, 30fps or dropping quality settings != maxed out. I like my games to run well and I definately like the ability to up settings on my older games...
...
And this is with my 'old' tri-sli gtx 260s...
I watercool my cpu currently, and am looking into video card watercooling for the performance and sound benefits. As a result heat and power isn't a problem. The whole watercooling process has been incredibly painless and fun to work on...
So although the thread title is overdramatic, it's true. nvidia surround performance DOES kill eyefinity. And not only that, they've 'backported' it to an entire previous generation of cards. AND done it using software... that alone is impressive.P
It's really a matter of the quality you "need" and the games you play. I don't know about the other titles, but I did get FC2 to hit 39fps at max settings at 5040x1050 on a single 5850. I hit 56fps at 0xAA/High. For many people that would be fine.
http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/wiki/ATI_Radeon_5850_5830_-_Featured_Review_-_Page_6
It's also a matter of what you play. Not everyone plays FPS games, and not everyone plays the newest. I realize not everyone plays through Steam, but their stats show a pretty interesting tale. Here are their most popular games.
Code: Select all
Current Peak Game
Players Today
46,925 65,802 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - Multiplayer
43,687 56,470 Counter-Strike
43,531 60,194 Counter-Strike: Source
14,260 20,579 Team Fortress 2
11,882 18,575 Football Manager 2010
9,502 14,289 Left 4 Dead 2
4,791 6,468 Condition Zero
4,687 5,614 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
4,638 6,743 Empire: Total War
4,135 7,516 Garry's Mod
3,410 6,202 Battlefield: Bad Company 2
3,254 4,652 Napoleon: Total War
2,775 4,588 Left 4 Dead
2,636 4,810 Day of Defeat: Source
2,343 3,606 Football Manager 2009
2,198 3,315 Killing Floor
1,837 2,709 Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II - Chaos Rising
1,701 2,556 Mount&Blade: Warband
1,540 2,243 Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II
1,484 2,107 Half-Life 2: Deathmatch
1,326 1,900 Half-Life 2
1,181 2,133 Grand Theft Auto IV
1,157 1,933 Supreme Commander 2
1,137 2,057 Torchlight
1,091 1,655 Dragon Age: Origins
1,012 1,416 Portal
MW2 does have the top spot, but considering that a single 5850 averaged 100fps in my HL2 tests at 5040x1050, I'm thinking it would be more than fine for CS, CS:Source, FT2, F4D2, Condition Zero, etc.
This user at HardForums averaged 45fps in BC2 with decently high settings - http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1500480
The problem is just because it is what you play, or what you would do, or what you would need - everyone else doesn't feel the same way. Some people don't have a motherboard capable of Tri-SLI, or have a PSU capable of pushing three video cards. Some many not even have a PSU capable of pushing SLI/CFX. For them, a single card solution would be the only solution. Now, they need to have proper expectations of what they can expect out of that system.
On the heat/power/noise issue, noise isn't a big deal for me. I live in a house with three kids. I can't game until they go to bed, and then have to do it with headphones. Power draw really isn't an issue either, back when I had a bit more money to throw around I got a 1k PSU. Not sure I would do that today.
For me, heat is the killer issue. My office ran about 5 degrees warmer than the rest of the house with the Mac, my screens and my work laptop running. Newer work laptop is much cooler. We had an AC supply and return added to my office last year. Even with that, running the E6 CFX benchmarks for hours made my office quite uncomfortable. I couldn't imagine pumping more heat in.
Since then we've put solar film on the house windows and fixed the attic ventilation, so everything is much cooler. But my office is still hotter than the rest of the house, even without the gaming PC running. I'm running an open case design for easy access and testing. That doesn't help. I have moved it so it's not under my desk at my feet. But I don't have the time, energy or money to pursue watercooling.
Is my situation unique? Yes. Does anyone share all of my issues? Doubtful. Are there people that can relate to some? Certainly.
There are plenty of people who...
... game with headphones
... are on a budget
... don't have the time, energy or interest to watercool
... need a single card solution
... don't need everything maxed out
... are happy playing Portal, L4D, TF2 or Torchlight.
Stop for a moment to see someone else's point of view. Even if it doesn't change yours, it helps with understanding. From Stephen Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" - Habit #5: Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Habits_of_Highly_Effective_People
