[H]NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN 3-Way SLI Review

[Jaydip]

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2013/04/22/nvidia_geforce_gtx_titan_3way_sli_review#.UXV3Wcr3M5M

"If you want the best 3-way multi-GPU performance, nothing is better than GeForce GTX 3-way TITAN SLI for gaming. These cost $999 each, and $3,000 will buy you the best gaming experience you likely have ever had. Sadly, finding TITAN in stock at the price is not easy and currently you will pay an in-stock premium. We've said it before in our original evaluation, the GeForce GTX TITAN sits in its own unique place, in its own unique market, with its own unique player base in mind. Two or three GeForce GTX TITAN's will allow for the ultimate gaming setup right now. There is no game you won't be able to enjoy today at the highest settings. It simply does not get better than this." The performance is there but the pricing is horrible

 

[Eureka]

Holy hell is anyone else tired of [H]'s reviews using different settings for every setup? I understand they want to get "playable framerates" but it you don't have an actual comparison.

Also, I think it's interesting that (at least for BF3, where it's apples-to-apples) the 7970 triF setup actually hits higher framerates than the Titans, but has lower mins.

 

[blackened23]

Holy hell is anyone else tired of [H]'s reviews using different settings for every setup? I understand they want to get "playable framerates" but it you don't have an actual comparison.

I initially felt the same, but it has grown on me. I kinda like it to be honest - It gives you a rough idea of what a card can do at it's maximum potential for a specific game - and they do apples to apples comparisons as well if highest playable doesn't suit you.

Anyway, it's really about time AMD fixed their crossfire latency issues. I don't think any website will ignore this, and the 7990 release is days away. It'll be a slaughter if it isn't fixed in time for launch.

 

[Cloudfire777]

Hardocp is one of the worst reviewers out there. I mean seriously? LOL at this review
EDIT: BAH, I see they are using different settings, more demanding settings on the Titans. hahahaha, talk about skewing the review toward AMD. wow, just wow

 

[blackened23]

Hardocp is one of the worst reviewers out there. I mean seriously? LOL at this review

So is there any specific reason for this statement? Care to explain how that statement ties in with your argument, along with the linked images? That would be more interesting to read rather than just insults directed at their reviewers, or something like "LOL AT THIS REVIEW".

 

[Jaydip]

@ Cloudfire777 What am I missing here?

 

[Cloudfire777]

@ Cloudfire777 What am I missing here?

Just look at the FPS scores man. I thought that they atleast tested the same settings on all GPUs, so the average FPS could be compared. Like any normal person would do. But instead you have to study the settings to find out. Most people who reads these reviews just look at FPS and move on.

I`m shocked. What is the purpose with doing this?

 

[blackened23]

Just look at the FPS scores man. I thought that they atleast tested the same settings on all GPUs, so the average FPS could be compared. Like any normal person would do. But instead you have to study the settings to find out. Most people who reads these reviews just look at FPS and move on.

Apparently you didn't read through the entire review and don't understand their methodology. I'll clue you in on the fact that they do, in fact, test cards at the same settings for every game.

 

[railven]

Perhaps you should look at the apples2apples chart? Might make you feel better.

 

[Jaydip]

Just look at the FPS scores man. I thought that they atleast tested the same settings on all GPUs, so the average FPS could be compared. Like any normal person would do. But instead you have to study the settings to find out. Most people who reads these reviews just look at FPS and move on.

I`m shocked. What is the purpose with doing this?

There is an apple to apple section if you are interested.lol rail beat me to it

 

[Cloudfire777]

Well thats great, although kinda hidden compared to the first pictures.

I rush through reviews like this all the time. Never really read through the reviews properly. Graphs and numbers interest me more. Silly me

 

[Eureka]

I initially felt the same, but it has grown on me. I kinda like it to be honest - It gives you a rough idea of what a card can do at it's maximum potential for a specific game - and they do apples to apples comparisons as well if highest playable doesn't suit you.

Anyway, it's really about time AMD fixed their crossfire latency issues. I don't think any website will ignore this, and the 7990 release is days away. It'll be a slaughter if it isn't fixed in time for launch.

Yeah, I look for the apples-to-apples review too, and it's nice they have both, but it isn't included for every test and they don't present the apples-to-apples results very well.

That and they have a fetish for the white/red on black color scheme. [H] is just a headache and a half to read sometimes.

 

[Jaydip]

Yeah, I look for the apples-to-apples review too, and it's nice they have both, but it isn't included for every test and they don't present the apples-to-apples results very well.

That and they have a fetish for the white/red on black color scheme. [H] is just a headache and a half to read sometimes.

Couldn't agree more, that is a serious issue to me.They really should consider about a new UI design.

 

[blackened23]

That and they have a fetish for the white/red on black color scheme. [H] is just a headache and a half to read sometimes.

Yeah, while I like their methodology I can see this argument. Perhaps it's something H can do in the future.

 

[Fx1]

To get the best out of Titan you need 3 of them and run 3x 1900x1200 monitors?

This will suck when a new game drops in 2 years time and you have to play it on medium settings to get to 60fps lol.

 

[Eureka]

Couldn't agree more, that is a serious issue to me.They really should consider about a new UI design.

Yeah, while I like their methodology I can see this argument. Perhaps it's something H can do in the future.

IIRC they're pretty deadset on it. I remember there's been quite a few suggestions on the forums but they won't even implement an alternate color scheme for the forum users.

 

[blackened23]

To get the best out of Titan you need 3 of them and run 3x 1900x1200 monitors?

This will suck when a new game drops in 2 years time and you have to play it on medium settings to get to 60fps lol.

Or you could be one of the folks who a) prefer a single card over multi card, b) want to use a powerful card in a small form factor and c) use surround or high resolution (eg 2560x1440/1600). I'm not saying Titan is a cost effective GPU but it's not hard to see why one would want it.

H has always tested exotic setups, as there are some users who buy such things. They have never suggested that one go out and immediately buy them.

 

[Olikan]

Anyway, it's really about time AMD fixed their crossfire latency issues. I don't think any website will ignore this, and the 7990 release is days away. It'll be a slaughter if it isn't fixed in time for launch.

yep, it seems that they improved... but the site is under nda, so they pulled out early today
http://www.techpowerup.com/183022/AMD-Makes-a-Breakthrough-in-Improving-Frame-Latency.html

Over the past few months, certain tech publications led a borderline-smear campaign against AMD over the way in which its GPUs stream frames to displays. "Frame latency" or "frame time" was purported as a metric of the same importance as frame-rates, in graphics card reviews. Various essentially identical methods were used to show that AMD Radeon GPUs yield higher frame latency (time taken for frames drawn by the GPU to make it to the display) than NVIDIA GeForce ones, even in cases where AMD's chips offer higher frame-rates. AMD has apparently made a significant breakthrough in improving frame latency.

In January, AMD made its first official response to early tests that showed Radeon GPUs to pose higher frame latency. In its defense, AMD stated that frame-latency issues are not a hardware design flaw, and can be ironed out by optimizing drivers to the redesigned memory controllers on GPUs based on its Graphics CoreNext architecture. Sources told us that AMD is ready with its first prototype drivers that fix frame latency issues. These drivers are pre-alpha, and are made available to select industry partners, with an adequate level of competence and expertise. After AMD takes feedback from these partners, the company will begin rolling out the first beta drivers, followed by WHQL-signed ones.

 

[Fx1]

Or you could be one of the folks who a) prefer a single card over multi card, b) want to use a powerful card in a small form factor and c) use surround or high resolution (eg 2560x1440/1600). I'm not saying Titan is a cost effective GPU but it's not hard to see why one would want it.

H has always tested exotic setups, as there are some users who buy such things. They have never suggested that one go out and immediately buy them.

i never said any of that.

I said you need 3 of them to get the best out of them.

See the difference?

 

[Sable]

Are people really that stupid that they can't interpret the Hardocp results?!

AND they do an apples to apples comparison for all you specials.

 

[smithkt]

Are people really that stupid that they can't interpret the Hardocp results?!

AND they do an apples to apples comparison for all you specials.

Stupid? No. Sounds more like too lazy to actually read the article. If you don't read the testing methodology and just look at the pretty pictures you won't come away with the correct conclusions.

 

[Skurge]

yep, it seems that they improved... but the site is under nda, so they pulled out early today
http://www.techpowerup.com/183022/AMD-Makes-a-Breakthrough-in-Improving-Frame-Latency.html

It would be pretty funny if he new drivers make crossfire far smoother than SLI. we shall see.

 

[BrentJ]

Holy hell is anyone else tired of [H]'s reviews using different settings for every setup? I understand they want to get "playable framerates" but it you don't have an actual comparison.

Also, I think it's interesting that (at least for BF3, where it's apples-to-apples) the 7970 triF setup actually hits higher framerates than the Titans, but has lower mins.

On every game page, we include apples-to-apples performance under the highest playable settings section. Both evaluation methods are tested, each and every time, in every review.

We offer something a little different from the norm, that you can get everywhere else. Hopefully you will see the benefits of real-world gaming, playing games just like gamers do, on video cards, using video cards for the purpose of gaming and relating that experience back to the end user. Afterall, that's exactly what gamers do: install video card, manipulate graphics settings in-games to find what's playable, and then enjoy their game. We do the same, and report back what we find.

 

[BrentJ]

I rush through reviews like this all the time. Never really read through the reviews properly. Graphs and numbers interest me more. Silly me

imagine that, having to read a review, I know it's hard work....

 

[cmdrdredd]

Sheesh...reading this thread is like explaining the TV remote to my 91year old grandmother. It's so simple yet you still don't get it?

Cloudfire is the type of person I referenced in other threads. Someone who won't read a review and simply looks at the FPS graphs then the conclusion and wants it written by itself in bold letters "this setup is worth it" or "This setup is not worth it". Unlike some who enjoy reading the commentary throughout the review article to draw conclusions based on anecdotal evidence and objective commentary.

To get the best out of Titan you need 3 of them and run 3x 1900x1200 monitors?

This will suck when a new game drops in 2 years time and you have to play it on medium settings to get to 60fps lol.

No. They are basically saying that these cards are too fast for 1920x1080, 2560x1440, and 2560x1600. You need to go with multiple monitors to explore the limits of them. One titan is almost at the level if 2x GTX 670s. Not quite, but not that far off considering the reduced heat, power usage, GPU Boost 2.0, and the fact that it's a single GPU.

I believe they were just showing that when you have a setup like this, with multiple titans. You really waste the power available to you with single monitors.

In two years time I guarantee someone who can afford this setup would have the next big thing out there and have sold these long ago. Think about that. This is a $3,000 setup of GPUs. If someone has that money just for GPUs, it is very likely they would simply buy the cards that are necessary to keep gaming at their current surround setup. They would probably sell the titans to offset any cost too. Or heck, I'll just claim that most games are ports on the PC and wouldn't even come close to the type of stress levels that Crysis 3 puts on them.