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  1. #1

    SLI or just buy a newer card

    In the next few weeks/early June at the latest i'll have some extra money laying around to purchase some upgrades, and I have some questions.

    1. I currently have a 1280mb GTX 570 HD and was wondering if it would be wise to drop the $290ish dollars to get another one for SLI, or if I should just go ahead and sell my current card to purchase something newer like a 7970 or 680?

    2. If I was to SLI, would the lower VRAM bottleneck me in upcoming games?

    Thanks!
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  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by gg1161 View Post
    In the next few weeks/early June at the latest i'll have some extra money laying around to purchase some upgrades, and I have some questions.

    1. I currently have a 1280mb GTX 570 HD and was wondering if it would be wise to drop the $290ish dollars to get another one for SLI, or if I should just go ahead and sell my current card to purchase something newer like a 7970 or 680?

    2. If I was to SLI, would the lower VRAM bottleneck me in upcoming games?

    Thanks!
    How about option #2, don't buy anything.

    A single 570 is hardly going to bottleneck you in any current game. Why waste the money? Wait until you have a legitimate need for an upgrade, and see what's available then.
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  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by glo View Post
    How about option #2, don't buy anything.

    A single 570 is hardly going to bottleneck you in any current game. Why waste the money? Wait until you have a legitimate need for an upgrade, and see what's available then.
    GLO,

    Why do you feel the need to belittle every person you speak with? This person is asking for advice and the least you could do is be nice.

    GG1161,

    It really depends on the games you are playing. If you are playing GPU intense games such as BF3 I would probably sell it and purchase a 7970, but if you are playing WoW or LoL type games you can just keep your current GPU.

    If you do want to SLI you would also need to upgrade your PSU.

    Last but not least, I saw you do not have an SSD drive. Seeing as your system should be capable of handling all games right now I would look into an SSD. They make the computer run faster and smoother and are about the biggest notable upgrade in terms of everyday use.

    This is what i would recommend for an SSD if you want to think about it

    Part list permalink / Part price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

    Hard Drive: Crucial M4 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($139.99 @ Adorama)
    Total: $139.99
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    (Generated 2012-04-19 14:28 EDT-0400)

    If you have any questions just let us know
    Last edited by noteworthynerd; 2012-04-19 at 07:02 PM.

  4. #4
    All depends on your system. I see your motherboard can support SLI but your power supply might be a little too low.

    The resolution of your monitor and CPU speed can bottleneck a SLI setup. I'd do some research on your card in a SLI setup and see at what point your cards get bottlenecked by a slow CPU or a small monitor. Generally buying a second card is cheaper if your hardware supports it. Again, it all depends on whether your computer can use a second card to its fullest potential.

    Also, your VRAM isn't going down, it just stays the same. Both cards have to load the same texture data if they're using Alternate Frame Rendering. So unless you're lagging with texture settings turned down, you should be fine with a dual-card setup.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by hapylol View Post
    GLO,

    Why do you feel the need to belittle every person you speak with? This person is asking for advice and the least you could do is be nice.
    Yeah, I'd love to see where I belittled them. Stating correct information in order to save someone money is definitely insulting.

    The bickering back and forth is hardly helpful to the OP - noteworthynerd
    Last edited by noteworthynerd; 2012-04-19 at 07:07 PM.
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  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by gg1161 View Post
    2. If I was to SLI, would the lower VRAM bottleneck me in upcoming games?
    Yes it will. BF3 and Witcher2 already requires 2GB VRAM and the list is going to get longer, that's why SLI is bad idea.

    What you should do instead is try to sell your current GTX570 while it has any value left and pick up new card for big bucks, or alternatively use your card as long as you can, and then get second GTX570 from discount pile instead of paying current price for it.
    Never going to log into this garbage forum again as long as calling obvious troll obvious troll is the easiest way to get banned.
    Trolling should be.

  7. #7
    Get a 680. 2 cards is just a hassle.
    Playing since 2007.

  8. #8
    What resolution are you playing at? That is the number one thing that is going to determine what graphics cards you need. The 570 is a great card but it's vram can be an issue. That's why I went with the EVGA 2.5GB version as it gives me the necessary vram I need to play things like BF3 or Arkham City with the physx turned on.

    However, the 2.5GB 570 is not really worth it from an upgrade stand point. If you were looking at a new build it be fine but upgrade wise look at a 7970 or 680. Personally I'd recommend the 680 as it beats the 7970 very nicely. It gets odd results in the benchmarks for Metro 2033 but that's it.

    That off benchmark probably has more to do with the fact that so many benchmark sites are still using first gen i7 cpus and they would all do better with Sandy bridge or the soon to be released Ivy brdige chips. That's why the benchmarks from AnandTech for Metro are much closer between the 7970 and 680, only 1fps difference, a difference your eyes are incapable of noticing. Guru3d is who I prefer for benchmarks but they are one of the places still using an outdated i7 965.
    Last edited by Organoth; 2012-04-19 at 07:22 PM.
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  9. #9
    I'm playing at 1920x1280 currently. I generally tend to pick up the GPU intensive games as well, so it looks like I might just have to go ahead and buy a new single card if I'm going to upgrade my GPU due to the low VRAM of the 570.

    However, I might just stick with the 570 until the holiday season and go ahead and buy an SSD for now if the improvement is that noticeable.
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  10. #10
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    First off you can't just go to walmart/bestbuy and buy a 680 there pretty hard to get atm http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102982 Sapphire 7970 470$ if you want to upgrade personally I think it's not really needed but that's your decision not mine. Like Hapylol said I would get a SSD if you don't have one it's a nice upgrade for the price atm if you don't have one that is. Also the difference between the 7970 and 680 isn't much and the fact that 7970's are cheaper and easier to get is why I suggested it.

  11. #11
    The 7970 is not bad but it still gets beat out by the 680. But either card will be more then enough for a 1920x1080 resolution. Your 570 is in all honesty a little weak for that resolution, most specifically in games that need the extra vram like was mentioned before. Again that's why I went with the 2.5GB 570 in my build so I would not feel the need to upgrade with the release of the next generation of cards.

    Both the 7000 and 600 series cards will do even better paired with the new Ivy bridge chips since the new PCI 3.0 requires a 22nm CPU in order to work. Both sets of cards are actually limited by the current technology they are paired with. The OP will be better off with either one of those cards instead of going SLI with another 570.
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  12. #12
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    We all agree Organoth. However, I don't feel the difference between a 680 and a 7970(if there is even a noticeable one) is worth the extra ~100 difference in price.

    GG1161,

    The real question is what do you NEED to upgrade. If you are dropping in FPS it would be wise to improve your GPU. If you just want to improve the overall computer I would get the SSD without a doubt.

  13. #13
    Yeah, I'm aware of the availability of the 680 and I've looked at comparisons of the cards, I just figured since it was going to be a few weeks until my decision was relevant that the availability of the 680 may increase between now and then. However, at the rate that the 7970 card prices are declining, it does seem to be the more economical and accessible choice if I decide to go the GPU route.
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  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by hapylol View Post
    We all agree Organoth. However, I don't feel the difference between a 680 and a 7970(if there is even a noticeable one) is worth the extra ~100 difference in price.

    GG1161,

    The real question is what do you NEED to upgrade. If you are dropping in FPS it would be wise to improve your GPU. If you just want to improve the overall computer I would get the SSD without a doubt.
    $100 price difference? Where are you shopping? 680 only costs $499 and the cheapest 7970 is listed at $449 but I would not waste my money on cheaper brands like HIS. Stick with ASUS or XFX for ATI cards for those brands you are looking at $479 to $499. So there is no $100 price difference, not even close.

    A SSD is nice but a proper GPU is more important for frame rates then a SSD. A SSD will do more for load times but for the OP's resolution the 570 1.2GB is just not enough unless you play with lower quality settings.
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  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Organoth View Post
    $100 price difference? Where are you shopping? 680 only costs $499 and the cheapest 7970 is listed at $449 but I would not waste my money on cheaper brands like HIS. Stick with ASUS or XFX for ATI cards for those brands you are looking at $479 to $499. So there is no $100 price difference, not even close.

    A SSD is nice but a proper GPU is more important for frame rates then a SSD. A SSD will do more for load times but for the OP's resolution the 570 1.2GB is just not enough unless you play with lower quality settings.
    K I was off by about ~40 sorry

    Nobody said that the SSD would improve his frame rates. I suggested that he decide what he actually NEEDS to upgrade(if anything) and go from there.

    Part list permalink / Part price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

    Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 680 2GB Video Card ($547.86 @ Newegg)
    Total: $547.86
    (Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
    (Generated 2012-04-19 16:05 EDT-0400)

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    Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card ($487.86 @ Newegg)
    Total: $487.86
    (Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
    (Generated 2012-04-19 16:07 EDT-0400)

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by hapylol View Post
    K I was off by about ~40 sorry

    Nobody said that the SSD would improve his frame rates. I suggested that he decide what he actually NEEDS to upgrade(if anything) and go from there.

    Part list permalink / Part price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

    Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 680 2GB Video Card ($547.86 @ Newegg)
    Total: $547.86
    (Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
    (Generated 2012-04-19 16:05 EDT-0400)

    Part list permalink / Part price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

    Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card ($487.86 @ Newegg)
    Total: $487.86
    (Prices include shipping and discounts when available.)
    (Generated 2012-04-19 16:07 EDT-0400)

    You are trying to compare a reference card to a non-reference card so yeah the price difference will be more. The XFX you list is a reference 7970 and is listed for $479 but that MSI 680 you list is a super clocked version. A reference 680 is only $499, which is only a $20 price difference so yeah your price comparison was way off. Comparing apples to apples the 680 wins in performance and it does it for only an extra $20.

    I'm gonna use Andtech as a benchmark example since as I mentioned before they are actually using a 2nd gen i7 when other places are still using first gen i7's for their tests. In Andtech's benchmark, using BF3 as an example since it was mentioned above, the 680 reference beats the 7970 reference by a large margin. That extra power gives a better indication of having the power to play future games.

    The 680 actually achieves playable frame rates at higher resolutions like 2500x1600. The only other cards to do so are dual GPU cards. Again the 7970 is not a bad card but for only $20 the performance gain of the 680 is significant. If the 7970 actually drops below $400 then it would be a hands down choice for price vs performance but until it does the 680 will be an extra $20 very well spent.
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  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Organoth View Post
    You are trying to compare a reference card to a non-reference card so yeah the price difference will be more. The XFX you list is a reference 7970 and is listed for $479 but that MSI 680 you list is a super clocked version. A reference 680 is only $499, which is only a $20 price difference so yeah your price comparison was way off. Comparing apples to apples the 680 wins in performance and it does it for only an extra $20.

    I'm gonna use Andtech as a benchmark example since as I mentioned before they are actually using a 2nd gen i7 when other places are still using first gen i7's for their tests. In Andtech's benchmark, using BF3 as an example since it was mentioned above, the 680 reference beats the 7970 reference by a large margin. That extra power gives a better indication of having the power to play future games.

    The 680 actually achieves playable frame rates at higher resolutions like 2500x1600. The only other cards to do so are dual GPU cards. Again the 7970 is not a bad card but for only $20 the performance gain of the 680 is significant. If the 7970 actually drops below $400 then it would be a hands down choice for price vs performance but until it does the 680 will be an extra $20 very well spent.
    Thanks for teaching me something new today I stand corrected

  18. #18
    At this moment a 570 is good enough for any game. (1920x1080). If you're playing on an extremely high res or on multiple displays then you might want to Sli. But from experience I can tell you that I have a Gtx 560 TI and it can handle anything I throw at it, including dual monitors. If you want to be set for the next year or 2 get GTX 680s in Sli, or SLI your gtx 570. Either would be good but to be honest you can probably get away with out getting a new vid card..

    I would invest in an SSD if I were you that would speeds up alot of everyday tasks. (and some load screens too)

  19. #19
    The 570 1.2GB is not enough for 1920x1080 unless you reduce the quality settings and at that resolution any SLI set up would be a waste. Your 560 Ti is not performing like you are claiming again unless you are playing with lower quality settings.

    With the 570 2.5GB I can just maintain 60fps with high settings in BF3 and Arkham City with Phyx enable, the 1.2GB is not enough to do that due to it's limited Vram. Even with all that depending on what is going on I still slip just below 60fps during really intense scenes. I monitor my vram usage with Precision and I am consistently around 2GB in both those games. Even in older games like GTA IV I need that extra vram.
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  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Organoth View Post
    The 570 1.2GB is not enough for 1920x1080 unless you reduce the quality settings and at that resolution any SLI set up would be a waste. Your 560 Ti is not performing like you are claiming again unless you are playing with lower quality settings.

    With the 570 2.5GB I can just maintain 60fps with high settings in BF3 and Arkham City with Phyx enable, the 1.2GB is not enough to do that due to it's limited Vram. Even with all that depending on what is going on I still slip just below 60fps during really intense scenes. I monitor my vram usage with Precision and I am consistently around 2GB in both those games. Even in older games like GTA IV I need that extra vram.
    With the sole exception of BF3 (and it's leaky VRAM usage), 1.2GB is enough for every single other game on this planet.
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