AMD R9 290/x Crossfire (Faster and smoother than SLI?)

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akahoovy

akahoovy

Golden Member
May 1, 2011
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So something I want to ask about. My 2560x1440 monitor arrives Friday, but I haven't decided whether or not I really want to go Xfire or SLI yet. Guru3D recommends just getting a single card if a person is only going to have a single monitor, like myself.

The monitor I'm getting is overclockable, so I'll run it at 100Hz or 120Hz. I really want to run games like Metro: Last Light and Bioshock: Infinite at over 60 fps, but will I actually notice a difference in the appearance? I also plan on playing BF4 online, so I imagine I'll benefit from the frame rates there, but I just don't know.
 
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ICDP

Senior member
Nov 15, 2012
707
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akahoovy said:
So something I want to ask about. My 2560x1440 monitor arrives Friday, but I haven't decided whether or not I really want to go Xfire or SLI yet. Guru3D recommends just getting a single card if a person is only going to have a single monitor, like myself.

The monitor I'm getting is overclockable, so I'll run it at 100Hz or 120Hz. I really want to run games like Metro: Last Light and Bioshock: Infinite at over 60 fps, but will I actually notice a difference in the appearance? I also plan on playing BF4 online, so I imagine I'll benefit from the frame rates there, but I just don't know.
Click to expand...

I'm using a single GTX780 at 2560x1600 and most modern games will not get near 60FPS let alone over. The only way a single GPU will run > 60 FPS at 2560x1440p is if you are OK to lower settings by quite a bit.

You could always purchase on single GPU, then wait for prices to drop over a few months and get a second for SLI/CF.
 
wand3r3r

wand3r3r

Diamond Member
May 16, 2008
3,180
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An AMD representative on a Q&A on Toms said this yesterday.

2) Frame pacing for multi-GPU systems, at any resolution (e.g. Eyefinity/4K), is fully resolved in hardware on the 290 and 290X.

3) Frame pacing for the R9 270, R9 280 and HD 7000 Series systems will require a software solution. Our engineers are working on that right now, and we intend to release a driver this quarter to resolve the issue.
Click to expand...

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/id-1863987/official-amd-radeon-representatives.html#11877136
 
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amenx

Diamond Member
Dec 17, 2004
3,909
2,131
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Whatever SLI/CF frame-pacing, smoothness, performance issues there are, its almost entirely related to drivers (and games of course). And with frequent driver releases, whatever one vendors situation may be in these areas, its only a brief snapshot in the moment which could change quickly with newer drivers (and newer games). So you cant say 'X has better smoothness, frame-pacing than Y therefore case closed'.
 
wand3r3r

wand3r3r

Diamond Member
May 16, 2008
3,180
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amenx said:
Whatever SLI/CF frame-pacing, smoothness, performance issues there are, its almost entirely related to drivers (and games of course). And with frequent driver releases, whatever one vendors situation may be in these areas, its only a brief snapshot in the moment which could change quickly with newer drivers (and newer games). So you cant say 'X has better smoothness, frame-pacing than Y therefore case closed'.
Click to expand...

Of course, that's the point. 1-1.5 years ago it was clear, now it requires some assessment to see the current situation.

It's interesting to see the statement about hardware frame pacing. I would be curious as to what the AMD/NV hardware things do. (Was it 690 only, or was it 680/780 too on the NV side)
 
L

Leadbox

Senior member
Oct 25, 2010
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