Can this setup do crossfire in any way or not?

[Tarmash]

I have tried to find the answer to this question for a while now. Some sites, reviews and forums will say that it can crossfire at 8x8 mode and other sites and official reviews say it is completely unable to crossfire. The mobo is H57 intel and it has one 16x lane, one 4x lane, and one 1x lane. I have my x-fi titanium card in the 1x slot and it really looks like another card might not fit or would be a very tight squeeze (not length wise).

Heres the specs:
Newegg.com - Gateway FX Series FX6831-01 Desktop PC Intel Core i7 860(2.80GHz) 8GB DDR3 1.5TB HDD Capacity ATI Radeon HD 5850 Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

Can someone please tell me if this is doable or not i don't want to spend money just to find out its impossible.

Thanks for the help.

Also the model of MoBo is: H57M01 if that helps thanks again

 

[Sean W.]

no it is not possible....

 

[Tarmash]

can you please explain it to me? i just don't understand.

 

[patonb]

To do xfire you need 2 pci-e ports running at x8 or x16. That computer only has 1 x16 and 1 at x4.

So.. no xfire or sli.

 

[Roark]

http://image.ohozaa.com/i/e92/h57_1.jpg
You would need a second PCIe x16 slot to crossfire.

How much were you looking to spend on a new graphics card, would be more than happy to give some suggestions.

 

[Tarmash]

Thanks everyone for the definite answers. Hi again Roark . I have thought about upgrading my GPU, but i just have this nagging feeling that i want to have a crossfire capable Mobo and i could also have usb3.0 and all that new stuff (be more future proof). That would mean i might need a new case though. Anythoughts on case size with my rig for a xfire mobo? I also am not comfortable with taking my computer apart and reassembling it with a new mobo. Do you think it would be very expensive to have a computer place put my new parts together with my old ones? Selling my computer to buy a new one that could xfire would probably set me back quite a bit of cash, wouldn't it? So with this in mind, any other advice or options is appreciated.

What i really would like to know is, Which mobo can i use with all my current components that will make me very future proof and fit a liquid cooling system. If i needed a bigger case, which case do you recommend.

If you think this is all too much work and money to send this to a store to be reassembled, let me know. Maybe i should stick with what i have and buy a whole new rig a few years from now.

Thanks

 

[Roark]

Hello again

In my opinion, not worth it. Upgrade the GPU when it starts to lag and it should last you a few years.

1) USB 3.0 doesn't really seem to be main-steam for components yet. And even when we hit a point when keyboards/mice/etc.. are all USB 3.0, they're all backwards compatible to 2.0.
2) Watercooling is for hardcore overclocking, yeah its cool having all those tubes running around your case, but its a waste of money if they don't serve much function. Not sure about Gateway, but I know Dell cuts most/all of the overclocking functions out of the BIOS on motherboards they send out.
3) Crossfire and SLi are nice, but imo not worth gutting your current machine for, grab a smexy single card and call it a day. Depending on budget you can get a single card that will perform just as well as 2x 5850s.

*Edit - Just realized you have an H67, not an overclocking motherboard anyway.

 

[Tarmash]

Well, if i got a new mobo i could overclock for sure right? Thats why i was thinking of the watercooling, only if i got a new mobo. But your right i think about not gutting it out like that, lots of work and risk when i could just get a new GPU and be satisfied. When will the Radeon 7xxx series come out? i think i'll wait till then but how many pin connectors do they require?

 

[Roark]

Seen Q4 2011 to Q2 2012 thrown around for the 7xxx series.
Honestly though, if they drag arse with it like they are with Bulldozer it may never drop.

Can't say what they'll require for pins or power until they actually start announcing.

 

[Tarmash]

Thanks, i'm just gonna wait around cause my 5850 is pretty awesome no matter what the "elites" say lol. I guess Battlefield 3 will be the ultimate test for this year...

Problem solved. But whats bulldozer lol? got a link?