680 Lightning SLI - the itch is back..

[Hauk]

I'll say this up front, I game in 1080p. I'm sure my current config seems like overkill to some, but it does allow for max detail in just about every game. Say I could get $300 for each card and could spend $200.. would you consider upgrading and to what? Current config looks and runs beautiful. Ugh..

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q62/steelsix/IMG_2135_zps0b891fdf.jpg

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q62/steelsix/hehe_zps01cef9e0.jpg

 

[blackened23]

For 800$ total you could get a 780ti, 290X, or 770SLI. The single GPU 290X will be slower than 680 lightning SLI, 770SLI will be a sidegrade and same performance, and the 780ti will be slower most likely. Depending on how far you overclocked your lightnings.

It really is hard to say, man. I don't think you'll get an outright upgrade in terms of performance with 800$, but you can possibly get a single GPU solution with more VRAM that is better poised for the next year of PC gaming, you know? For 1080p it may not be worth the bother. It's all up to you though - you should also consider re-sale value. Your 680 lightnings are in depreciation mode while a 780, 290X or 780ti are less subject to depreciation. It's all about selling in the right time window, I guess. If you wait too long to sell the lightnings, they will just lose more and more value over time.

 

[WiseUp216]

I feel your pain.

I'm kind of in the same boat with 670 SLI at 1080p. It is nice to use loads of AA and crank all the settings up but I still get the upgrade bug sometimes.

2GB VRAM limit doesn't seem to hold me back on anything I play so I can't use that excuse, yet.

780ti or one of high-end 780s have been tempting but I'm going to hold out for 20nm.

 

[The Alias]

wait till tuesday and see how much 290(no x)'s cost .

 

[bystander36]

I'll say this up front, I game in 1080p. I'm sure my current config seems like overkill to some, but it does allow for max detail in just about every game. Say I could get $300 for each card and could spend $200.. would you consider upgrading and to what? Current config looks and runs beautiful. Ugh..

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q62/steelsix/IMG_2135_zps0b891fdf.jpg

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q62/steelsix/hehe_zps01cef9e0.jpg

It has never really been possible to Max every game. It is becoming increasingly difficult to "max out" every game, because they continue to offer more extreme versions of AA, PhysX, TressFX, advance DoF and so on.

You just need to get used to the fact that PC games are meant to be "maxed out". Just turning down AA will get you great performance in most games. In other games, it may be the CPU preventing great FPS. That 2nd pic is showing your CPU may indeed be holding you back a little.

 

[dragantoe]

can't you add another 680?

 

[guskline]

Hauk, what cpu are you running?

 

[Hauk]

@ gasoline, i7 3770k 4.4ghz, @bystander, I hear ya but at my res it's Damon near max on most games, @ blackened, yea that pretty much sums it up. I may consider waiting for 290 cf benches if launch price doesn't seem like it'll impact my sell price. Thanks for the input

 

[Screech]

If you want to burn money so badly, you could get a bunch of one dollar bills and have a bonfire at the beach!

I kid, I kid. But seriously, blackened is correct. Its all about when you can get the most money for your current cards and their depreciation rate vs the current and soon to be current prices on top end cards now. I would at least wait for any price changes from the 780ti and 290 (non x) on release. Of course, if you wait too long then the 680 prices could drop quite a bit. tricky. Of course, I'm sitting here with my lone 570 which is getting ronery, so take anything I say with a few grains of very cheap salt.

 

[bystander36]

@ gasoline, i7 3770k 4.4ghz, @bystander, I hear ya but at my res it's Damon near max on most games, @ blackened, yea that pretty much sums it up. I may consider waiting for 290 cf benches if launch price doesn't seem like it'll impact my sell price. Thanks for the input

If you are damn near maxed in most games, why chase for that tiny bit more, which will cost you a premium?

 

[wand3r3r]

The 290 is coming (this Tuesday or Thursday?) for a rumored $450 so if you can stretch your budget to $900 it will dominate everything at that price due to massive crossfire scaling and the rumored leaks placing it around 780 performance wise.

You may want to check your list of games to be sure crossfire frame pacing is tuned for the games you play but according to a number of sites crossfire is quite good with the XDMA cards (290/x).

 

[bystander36]

The 290 is coming (this Tuesday or Thursday?) for a rumored $450 so if you can stretch your budget to $900 it will dominate everything at that price due to massive crossfire scaling and the rumored leaks placing it around 780 performance wise.

You may want to check your list of games to be sure crossfire frame pacing is tuned for the games you play but according to a number of sites crossfire is quite good with the XDMA cards (290/x).

The massive crossfire scaling is not really any better than before, except with the very high resolutions. The 4k resolution particular sees major improvements, but for 1080p, it doesn't improve things, not that it needs to.

I frankly can't see recommending spending any money on an upgrade that may only see 10-20% boosts in performance, especially with unknowns coming soon in G-sync and Mantle.

 

[wand3r3r]

The massive crossfire scaling is not really any better than before, except with the very high resolutions. The 4k resolution particular sees major improvements, but for 1080p, it doesn't improve things, not that it needs to.

I frankly can't see recommending spending any money on an upgrade that may only see 10-20% boosts in performance, especially with unknowns coming soon in G-sync and Mantle.

He wants to scratch that itch. Clearly the 290 rumors imply it's the best $900 improvement, likely until 2H of next year..

It's not just the extremely high scaling, it's that AMD has improved crossfire so much that reviewers are not seeing the difference between SLI and crossfire. Toss that in with the best bang for the buck high end card and you're set.

Granted it's hard to justify selling those cards for say $500-600? and dropping $300+ on new cards with potentially (x%?) more FPS, but that's a choice the OP will have to make. Either way, reviews will be out on all the new cards in the near future and it's wise to way until then at least. By then the urge just might reside.

 

[Hauk]

Yes it's more about resale and what I can get for some additional coin. Think I'll hold tight, do wanna see what happens in the coming weeks. Good advice all thanks

 

[Headfoot]

Scratch the itch with a monitor upgrade and/or more monitors. Then the $ spent will be easy to appreciate. Can always use more screen real estate if you ask me

 

[moonbogg]

Those lightnings must fly at 1080p. I am in the same boat as you currently. There isn't an upgrade option that fits me right now, but then again since going to windows 8.1 I don't need an upgrade.
I buy cards that cost about $400 and I get two of them. Nothing fits that category right now. We need to wait it out.
If you want an upgrade, why not go X79 with a 4930k? I had an upgrade itch last year and scratched it with a 3930k platform. Newer games seem to benefit a little (that's what I tell myself).

 

[Face2Face]

Those lightnings must fly at 1080p. I am in the same boat as you currently. There isn't an upgrade option that fits me right now, but then again since going to windows 8.1 I don't need an upgrade.
I buy cards that cost about $400 and I get two of them. Nothing fits that category right now. We need to wait it out.
If you want an upgrade, why not go X79 with a 4930k? I had an upgrade itch last year and scratched it with a 3930k platform. Newer games seem to benefit a little (that's what I tell myself).

Everyone is hoping the R9 290 is going to be around $400 each. You also could look for a used GTX 780? I assume with the 780Ti coming many people will sell their current GTX 780's to make the move..

 

[guskline]

Those lightnings must fly at 1080p. I am in the same boat as you currently. There isn't an upgrade option that fits me right now, but then again since going to windows 8.1 I don't need an upgrade.
I buy cards that cost about $400 and I get two of them. Nothing fits that category right now. We need to wait it out.
If you want an upgrade, why not go X79 with a 4930k? I had an upgrade itch last year and scratched it with a 3930k platform. Newer games seem to benefit a little (that's what I tell myself).

moonbog: I'm in the same boat! I decided to do a custom water cool of both the 3930k AND both gtx 670s. My 3930k is clocked at 4.4Ghz and cool and the gpus are OC'd by 50 on the core and 400 on the memory. Full block water coolers really help. Max temps never exceed the mid to high 40s! on the gpu. The highest cpu core temp was 73C after running HOURS of Prime 95 toture test. Most of the cores had maxes in the mid to high 60s. When I ran BF4 multiplayer for @ 1 hr the cores on the cpu were in the high 50s and the gpu hottest core was 46C and the other was 42C

Hauk, your 3770k at 4.4Ghz is very strong and dual GTX680s in SLI, likewise are very strong. If you go to 780/780ti SLI or R9 290X/290 CF sure, you'll see improvement. I doubt using a single 780/780ti or R9 290x or 290 will be an improvement.

 

[Hauk]

R9 290 CF is looking stellar for the coin:
http://www.guru3d.com/news_story/radeon_r9_290_crossfire_review.html


Bring on the aftermarket coolers and good PCI-E spacing..

 

[NTMBK]

There's nothing really worth it. Spend the money on something else.