Graphics Card Upgrade

My current build:

Core i7 920 @ 3.8 GHz
6GB of DDR3 @ 1520 MHz
EVGA 8800GT overclocked ~15%

The cpu and ram will be fine playing games for at least a few years to come, but the graphics card is already starting to show its age. Previously, my plan was to pick up a GTX 275 or 4890 or two in a month or so in time for all the titles coming out around November. This computer, with new graphics cards, would have to last me without any real upgrades until I graduate high school (2 years from now).

A friend suggested that I could take one of my older EVGA 8800GTS 320's and put it in SLI with the 8800GT. Alternatively (but much harder logistically), I could remove my 8800GT and put both 8800GTS' in the computer to put off upgrading the graphics card until ATI's 5xxx or Nvidia's GT300 series come out.

So my question:

Will two 8800GTS 320's or a 8800GTS 320 and a 8800GT be able to play new titles like Assassin's Creed 2 or Bioshock 2 at 1600x1200 high details (16x AF, 4-2x AA)?

With that kind of high quality? Maybe. Have they released stats for these games? Knowing their requirements would make this easier.

Either way, I'd say wait for a the Giants (ATI/Nvidia) to release new chipsets to push the old ones down in price. You can even find a 4870 today for less than $150. Two 8800's in SLI would give pretty good framerate at reasonable high quality, but don't expect to be blown away.

What's your current budget?  If you pick up 2 4870s and SLI them they'll blow the 4890 and 285 out of the water.  I don't know much about nvidia's cards, but I don't think the two 8800's in SLI would be able to handle the newest games at the quality you're looking for.

I've got a single 4890 1gb running in my new machine right now and it handles wonderfully.  Runs every game I can think of maxed out, and cost me about $180 off of newegg.  Plus, if you get one 4890 now it'll hold over for a fairly long time as far as graphics cards go, plus in a year or so you can pick up another one and SLI them and they'll most likely perform on par with whatever generation of cards is out by then.

Generally I try to get the best price/performance which usually falls around $200. I'm looking to spend around $250, maybe a bit more with a good argument, but definitely under $300.

With that budget I'd go with a single 4890.  Like I said earlier, if you want better performance down the line, I'd just get another one and SLI them, they should be cheaper by then.  But you won't be unhappy with the 4890.

But like I said, I'm not familiar with the nvidia cards, so take it for what it's worth

make sure you buy the 45 nm chipset ones thier phasing out the 55nm ones and come next spring they wont be anywhere so going sli at a later date will be moot.

Which cards are 45nm? How can I tell?

Here's a very nice GTX285 for $300 after rebate: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127403

Aside from a $500 GTX295, you aren't going to find better performance in a single card.

most should say in the specs

When I was building my new PC, I really didn't really think the GTX285 benchmarked high enough to warrant the extra $100 dollars over the 4890.  It's certainly the better card and was the one I had originally included in my build (took it out to save money), but is it really that much better?

The 295 though...holy bejeesus
Though it's 500 bucks lol