1. I did hear rumour somehwere that PhysX was being discontinued for the newer cards. So is it that the 560 Ti 448 core lacks PhysX support and this is why you recommend keeping the 9800GTX+?
2. From what you say, you are recommending an Asymmetrical/Hybrid SLI config which I think has to be supported by the motherboard. I don't think my motherboard supports asymmetrical SLI and it doesn't have onboard graphics to support Hybrid SLI, so I don't know if the SLI config would be achieveable.
3. Failing the SLI config then, you are saying that one 560 Ti 448 Classified IS faster than my current SLI config then.

1. Actually the 9800GTX+ is DX10.
2. I will usually try to run all my games at 1440 x 980 max; 1024x768 min. with at least 4xAA if possible and all shadow/particle effects where applicable.
3. I only have one monitor, no space for more than one right now
4. I have a crapload of games, none of which I expect (or have given me) trouble with my present config. I play Far Cry 2, Crysis, NFSHP, Alien vs Predator, Brink, TF2, SFIV(not alot), Bioshock. There's just too much to call all. You will notice that I have from the list a general mix of old and new. It is only the Batman Arkham assylum where I really started seeing a problem. It is a graphically demanding game. Also as mentioned before, I would like to play BF3, I had also heard that it is graphically intensive (see my original comment for what I said about BF3). I played Crysis 2 Demo and it wasn't as taxing on my system as Batman. Just the FIRST fight scene.... forget that.... the first meeting with joker at the beginning of the game was murder... I was like holy crap! It's kicking the @rse out of my system.
5. I am talking about DX10 performance in SLI vs the DX11 performance single. Most new games would still provide the backwards compatibility with DX10 for a while (albeit without the eyecandy of 11), so I still have longevity. But are you saying that DX11 is that much more optimised than DX10?

hellmel

Quote from Toms hardware reveiw

It’s not often that a graphics card manufacturer goes through the trouble of launching a special, limited-run product just for the holiday season. But that’s exactly what Nvidia is doing with its GeForce GTX 560 Ti 448 Core.
Given the name, you might expect this new card to be an unlocked and enhanced version of Nvidia's existing GeForce GTX 560 Ti. But that's simply not so. Recall that the GF114 graphics processor used in the existing GeForce GTX 560 Ti is already unfettered. All of its 384 cores are functional, leaving no disabled hardware to turn on. Rather, the GeForce GTX 560 Ti 448 Core is equipped with a cut-back GF110.
This GPU was first seen on the company's GeForce GTX 580, slightly handicapped for use in its GeForce GTX 570, and now further trimmed back for the GeForce GTX 560 Ti 448 Core.

GeForce GTX 560 Ti 448 Core Specs:

Compared to the GeForce GTX 580, two Streaming Multiprocessors (SM) are disabled; the GeForce GTX 560 Ti 448 Core utilizes 14 of the GF110’s 16 available SMs. Each functioning SM has 32 shader cores and four texture units. Five of the six 64-bit ROP partitions are left enabled, each capable of handling eight 32-bit integer pixels per clock cycle.
All told, the card has 448 shader cores, 56 texture units, 40 ROPs, and a 320-bit memory interface. Not surprisingly, its power demands necessitate two six-pin PCIe power cables. And because it's one of Nvidia's higher-end boards, the GeForce GTX 560 Ti 448 Core card supports two-, three-, and four-way SLI through its pair of SLI bridges. You cannot match it up to a standard GeForce GTX 560 Ti card, of course. It'll only cooperate with other 448-core models. So, if you'd like to run in a multi-card configuration, buy these boards at the same time, since they're not expected to remain available.

hellmel

Different GPU, same as 570 from what I saw, but cut to a little slower, faster than the first 560's they came out with. Some of the test scores that some guys are getting are better than my 570SC's but they have better CPU's. I'm thinking of getting a couple for my son's first build I want to do for him. plenty fast for the games he plays and cheaper than my 570's where.  a single card would do nicely, but two in SLI would last him longer. But you can only lose a game so fast. They are limited editions so I might get two, just so he can have them now and not have to not find a second later, that I don't like.

crezno

Yea, depending on th emoney you want to spend will determin what you get.

the standard 560TI (384 Core) version is pretty cheap and still good.  If you wanted to spend a few more dollars, get the 560TI(448 Core) model.  Its capable of tri-sli, so it has more expansion capability.

But probably the most cost effective future proof card you can get for the price right now would be the 570 2.5GB versions. I highly doubt anytime soon that there will be anything that would ever need tri-sli.

But if you just want a step up from what you have, a single 560TI 384 Core would be a huge upgrade for you.  If you get a SC version your set.  They all run at leats 900Mhz otherwise, you just have to OC it there. They are always dropping to around $220 all the time.

Amazon has the EVGA 560TI SC for $250 with $20 rebate for the AR version. (Lifetime warranty).

1. 9800GTX+ SLI
2. 560Ti FBB single
3. 560Ti FPB with 9800GTX+

chiptouz

Let us know how your new card works in comparison to the last.

1. Yes I do believe that my processor could be a bottleneck, but not majorly
2. Anything below a 9800GTX+ as a dedicated PhysX card would most probably slow you down a bit