just before purchasing of a new card I do a extensive search on forum and review site to find a card that will get I through another 3 year of gaming . previous experience tell I that new card should be in $ 300 - $ 400 range . cheaper stuff get outdate too fast and more expensive card might buy you some extra fp today , but when the technology leap again they will become as obsolete . I do not believe in sling in the future , but I be consider get two 1gb 6850s to flash they to 6870 and put in x-fire today . similar money , similar or better performance in some game . but at the end I have decide to stay with one evga 560 card - less heat , less noise , easier to install , no need to worry about scale and 20 % more effective memory , which might come handy in 1080p . 2gb 6850 be also a valid competitor , especially with good cooling to overclock , and with dual bio switch to up it to 6870 -lrb- not all model can do that -rrb- . for multi-monitor or 1080p + resolution atus would be the clear choice with 2gb of memory , but for 1080p resolution I have stay with 560 - slightly cheaper , better performance out of the box , physx support . so the real contender here be gtx560 TI Classified _ ULTRA _ . Standard model be base on gtx 480 pcb , Ultra be base on 580 pcb . Standard model have open dual fan heatsink , Ultra have single fan exhaust , which be also slimmer . the later will not cool the card as good , BUT it take the hot air out of the case . if you have tight case or plan to SLI - get ultra card . if you only use one card and have good air flow in you case - standard classy would be a better solution - it be cheaper and easier to cool . let I reiterate - gtx560tus classify blow air towards PCB and exhaust it back into the case . if you leave it alone , the hot air will rise and get suck back into the card start a overheating cycle . each case be different , but what I find the best in my lian-li mid tower be to revert the fan on top , so it blow inside , install the card as close to it as possible and use ventilate pcus slot cover . this way I create positive pressure in the case , which be always good anyway , get additional air flow direct at the card and push the hot air outside through the back . the result be artifact free 920mhz core , 2200MHz memory and 40\/70c operating temperature with -lrb- 50 % fan speed . that be what I call a good value !