Help with choosing video card or cards

[bevo]

I have a nvidia gtx 570. Is it better to go with 2 570s or one 580, and while we're at it, would one 590 be better then 2 570s?

Another video card question.
A friend has a radeon 4870 and was wondering if he should just buy another one of those and run dual cards, or buy a newer card like the GTX 570?

 

[Casio]

2 x 570s would be better than a 580 and, off the top of my head similar to a 590. But obviously the 570s will produce more heat and as much will most likely be louder.

On the ATi front. I'd buy a 6950/570 and get similar performance. Unless you can get another 4870 for particularly cheap.

 

[David]

Pretty much what Casio said. The 2 570's would be better than a 580, but the 590 should be the best out of those three options since its basically 2 580s on one card.

As for the ATi question for your friend. That all depends on what they want to do, but at this point whether they stick with ATi or not I would probably step up to a newer card with DirectX 11 support instead of wasting money on another 4xxx regardless of how cheap it may be now.

 

[Submerged]

Wasn't a 590 supposely two 570's on one card? Due to heat and speed limitations?

 

[David]

No the chips have the 580 architecture, but are slightly underclocked for heat or whatever reasons.