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I using the Asus Pentium3 desktop computer with configuration: 4GB RAM, 256GB HDD, Windows XP, HD 4850 graphic card. I mainly use the computer for gaming and for internet purpose. I play lots of game and use internet for surfing, downloading various files and playing online games as well. Now i want to add second card to my computer, to play higher graphics games. I planning to buy either Crossfire 4850 or 5770. Don't know which to buy from this both card, confused a bit. Please help me out.
My statistics about the graphics cards says that, the 4890 is about 25% better then either of the 4870 or the 5770. The downside of the mentioned cards by you is that it uses more of the power and also runs hotter compare to 4890.
Statistics goes like this:
4870: The Cheapest
5770: DX11, runs cooler, uses less energy
4890: 25% better performance than the 4870 or 5770.
I surely vote for using another 4850 in your machine. First thing its very cheap and i don't that from which companies and which logo on your card is, what matter is its performance. But also make sure that by adding or using another card you are not crossing the limits of the PSU, this most important thing to consider. And also note that crossfire allows different clock speeds for cards to run, there is no downclocking if one card has higher default clocks. Hope your problem will get solve.
MY suggestion would that if you mix and match with brand names and use two different cards, then unsure that you get one with the same clock speeds or ram. This is because if you purchase a faster card it will be throttled back to the slower cards speeds. And for using multiple crossfire cards, you need its connector, but if you purchase the new then will get that connector otherwise not. Go for 4850 it is better.
Before inserting the second card on your motherboard, check that PSU will be able to take load or not. And between 5770 and 4850, the 5770 will always comes forward to the 4850. It will atleast run with a 4870 and that is just at stock. Addition to that 5770 feature is DX11 and the savings on power consumption, thus it is definitely a forward then the 4850. So would suggest to buy 5770. Hope you will be able to solve the problem.
According to me, the two cards can do downclock to card with lower/lowest speeds and frame buffer will also be limited to card with lowest/lower memory. And have no idea if 5000's and 4000's series cards will actually crossfire together. It would work with a motherboard that has Lucid Hydra though have no idea about the performance. I personally think 5770 will be better option then 4850, but don't know about multiple cards. Hope you get better way of using two cards.
i would say 'go for ati hd 5770... "price-performance" :-)
or if u can, then go for ati HD 5850 i.e, 30-40% more price depending on retailers but you will see the difference by pumping up the performance almost 90-100% more den 5770 and should've a good PSU, i would say 600W is enough u can find'em on various manufacturers such as CoolerMaster, Antec or OCZ if am wright..lol...
BUT first of all i do have some BIG concern about your MOBO & processor...lol and I recommend you to upgrade it wright away before u insert another card or before you buy....:-)
GUDLUCK!!!
u know.....in ATI, u can crossfire a 4000 series with any HD 4000 series, but not 4000 and 5000 series
so if ur asking if 4850+4850 > 5770.......HELL YES
its way too better than 5770, its like more than 1.5 times the performance of 5770
and if u are crossfiring both 1 GB cards, ur setup is more than amazing
but the question is about pricing, if u can go for 4870, i think u can manage a 4870
but if i were u....i wud save myself some more money and crossfire 4850 and 4890
the only advantage of 5770 is DX11 gaming, which can be easily shadowed by high settings handled by the crossfireX