Hi guys ...
... dual 7800gtx 256 mb or single 7800gts 512 mb ...
I'm not sure ... but to play most games at 1920x1200 with all the settings at maximum I found the dual 7800gtx 512 mb cards were a must and even then there are still a few games that tax the things big-time.
I wouldn't like to say what the best way to go ... as what is acceptable to one person may not be to another ... and money is usually a big factor for most.
I just heard last night that there are now Quad SLI systems coming out ... where will it all end ... :shock:
Anyway ... as I say ... it's all this is about whether you can afford the available options..
I'm a very luck chap with a nigh on perfect life ... I'm quite a successful artist and so earn plenty of money ...
I get to paint pictures ... walk my dogs ... play games ... and for the most part I have enough of free time to help here on the forum.
If you can ...
I say get the best you can afford/justify at the time.
On a side note ...
I have been a dedicated PC gamer for many many years ... since the original Doom ... and I have never thought much to the graphics on consoles.
By chance I picked up an Xbox 360 over Christmas and wow I'm very impressed with the graphics ... on my 43" plasma (at the end of my bed ... :mrgreen: ).
The higher res textures and effects in the Xbox 360 NFS-MW are way better than the PC version even running at 1920x1200 with everything at maximum.
Things don't look so good when I use it with the Dell 24" for some reason the jaggies show up way more than on the Plasma.
So on the Dell I'll stick with a PC.
Some Xbox 360 photos on my plasma here ...
http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/node/
and on the Dell here ...
http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/node/
The Dell photos appear to be better than the plasma photos but in reality they aren't ...
On the plasma things look so much more photo realistic ... I just wasn't able to get good photos of the plasma.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@ Stretch ...
Ok ... here are some photographs (not screenshots) of F.E.A.R. running on my Dell 24" which has a native res of 1920x1200.
Various 16:10 resolutions but scaled up to fit the panel with all in game details at maximum and 4xAA.
Please forgive the graininess ... taking photos of a screen isn't easy ... :)
The lower resolutions don't look too bad at all ... IMHO.
Close-ups shown below these full screen shots ...
960x600
1280x800
1440x900
1650x1050
1920x1200
These close ups are uncompressed at the actual size the camera took them.
960x600
1280x800
1440x900
1650x1050
1920x1200
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BTW ...
I have two 6 month old 7800gtx 256 mb cards with Zalman coolers in a box under my bed ... they weren't quite good enough for everything at max but pretty dammed close.
A friend is away on his holls at the moment and he might want em ... if when he gets back he doesn't then I'll put em up for sale at half the price I paid for em.
Just in case you would like to see a couple of my paintings ...
I mostly paint pictures of dogs ...
http://www.paddywak.co.uk/K9ART/Guard%20Duty.jpg
but a few motorbikes too ... here's a painting of my bike ...
http://www.paddywak.co.uk/K9ART/Triumph.jpg