Primarily Gaming Purposes - GTX 970 vs GTX 980 vs GTX 780Ti - 2/3 Way SLI ?

[sidrockrulz]

Now that NVIDIA has launched the GTX 980 and the GTX970s, the GTX 700 series is dropping in price pretty radically.

The GTX900 series cards definitely have more technology and features and lower power consumption and temperatures! But i could always get a higher powered PSU and run older GPUs.

The 970s are 350$ and the 980s are 550$. GTX780Tis are about 400$.

I am definitely doing a SLI configuration, so..

Does dropping 1100$ in a 2Way 980 make more sense or 1050 in a 3 way SLI? Which would perform better?

Or a 2/3 Way GTX780Ti ?

I will be watercooling, so i guess there's only waterblocks for reference design cards, are these even available anymore ?

Or does it make sense to get 2 way 980s and add one later on if I need to boost performance ?

My monitors would be a 3x1080p or a 3X1440p monitors/...

 

[bystander36]

If you simply want to burn ~$1100, then I'd personally choose 2-way 980 SLI. SLI already has drawbacks from time to time, and 3-way steps that up a notch.

 

[bystander36]

Another few questions that is quite important. What monitor are you using, what is the rest of your system, and what target FPS are you shooting for?

 

[3DVagabond]

I wouldn't go Maxwell SLI until we see the dropped frames sorted.

 

[sidrockrulz]

If you simply want to burn ~$1100, then I'd personally choose 2-way 980 SLI. SLI already has drawbacks from time to time, and 3-way steps that up a notch.

Would a GTX780Ti in SLI be worth it over the GTX980SLI ?

Mainly because the GTX780Ti s are only 400$ compared to the GTX980s which are 550$... and the FPS difference is only about 8 FPS !

 

[bystander36]

Would a GTX780Ti in SLI be worth it over the GTX980SLI ?

Mainly because the GTX780Ti s are only 400$ compared to the GTX980s which are 550$... and the FPS difference is only about 8 FPS !

It may be, but you should tell us the rest of your system, and resolution. Possibly your target FPS as well. There is no need to throw money at GPU's if there is no need, or another part more in need.

 

[sidrockrulz]

Another few questions that is quite important. What monitor are you using, what is the rest of your system, and what target FPS are you shooting for?

i'm not shooting for a specific FPS, but i want to be able to play games for the next 4 years in Ultra/High !


Monitor setup = 3x1080p or a 3x1440p

 

[sidrockrulz]

It may be, but you should tell us the rest of your system, and resolution. Possibly your target FPS as well. There is no need to throw money at GPU's if there is no need, or another part more in need.

i'm not shooting for a specific FPS, but i want to be able to play games for the next 4 years in Ultra/High !


Monitor setup = 3x1080p or a 3x1440p

Rest of the PC,

Debating between a 4790k vs the 5820k at 16GB DDR3/4 RAM with SSDs in RAID Performance and HDDs in RAID Storage...

 

[sidrockrulz]

I wouldn't go Maxwell SLI until we see the dropped frames sorted.

So you're saying GTX780Tis ?

You think the features of the 980 are going to come in the 780 with driver updates ? They just brought DSR

 

[bystander36]

So you're saying GTX780Tis ?

You think the features of the 980 are going to come in the 780 with driver updates ? They just brought DSR

It's hard to imagine this not being fixable.

I'd choose the 980's over the 780ti's, in part for the extra VRAM, which is starting to be asked for. I also think you are better off with fewer cards if possible.

 

[3DVagabond]

So you're saying GTX780Tis ?

You think the features of the 980 are going to come in the 780 with driver updates ? They just brought DSR

I'm not sure how far out you are on buying this setup. They might fix SLI by the time you do. But right now, I'd recommend 780ti over Maxwell. At the res you are talking I don't know how much downscaling you are going to be able to get away with anyway.

 

[Grooveriding]

Your OP is confusing. Are you operating under a budget where you want to get the most performance out of an SLI setup ? If so 780ti 3 way SLI would be the fastest at those $400 prices coming close to the $1100 you mentioned. If money is not a concern then obviously the 3 way 980 is best. Keep in mind scaling drops off big time on the new 980/970 after 2 cards. 3 and 4 way tests show really bad scaling on the 980. 2 cards is still the sweet spot for SLI.

Performance wise at stock it looks like this:

980=100%
780ti=93%
970=88%
780=81%

If you get into overclocking it gets murky because right now there are a lot more aftermarket 780ti/780 offerings than there are aftermarket Maxwell cards and you can get better overall performance improvements out of the overclocks on the aftermarket 780ti/780 cards. Overclocking is what put me off the 980 as a 780ti replacement. After overclocking they perform the same as one another; 1250-1300Mhz 780ti=1500-1550Mhz 980.

tldr; no budget get 3 way 980, if around $1100 is your budget then 780ti 3 way

edit: if you are watercooling you are going to want two 980s. It's difficult to find brand new reference 780ti still in stock and the ones that are don't have the deep discounts the aftermarket cards do.

 

[cbn]

i'm not shooting for a specific FPS, but i want to be able to play games for the next 4 years in Ultra/High !


Monitor setup = 3x1080p or a 3x1440p

Keep in mind when looking at gaming comparisons that three 1080p monitors only have 75% of the pixels of one 4K monitor, but three 1440p monitors have the same number of pixels as 1.5 4K monitors.

So if X video card(s) happen to be good enough for one 4K monitor (at X detail settings), it follows that 50% extra performance would be needed for triple 1440p.

 

[KaRLiToS]

i'm not shooting for a specific FPS, but i want to be able to play games for the next 4 years in Ultra/High !


Monitor setup = 3x1080p or a 3x1440p

3 x 1440p?

Get 3 x GTX 780ti or even better, get 3 x GTX 980 and you are good for 4 years.

Because if you get 2 x GTX 980, you gonna run High/Mid (not Ultra) for the next year and a half.

4k ( 3840x2160) = 8,29 Mega Pixels
3 x 1080p = 6,22 Mega Pixels
3 x 1440p = 11,1 Mega Pixels

 

[master_shake_]

i went with sli 980's from 780 sli.

from a gaming aspect especially with high rez monitors 980s all the way.

 

[sidrockrulz]

I'm not sure how far out you are on buying this setup. They might fix SLI by the time you do. But right now, I'd recommend 780ti over Maxwell. At the res you are talking I don't know how much downscaling you are going to be able to get away with anyway.

My main components are going to be a late November purchase... Right now, i have a Case; I will be getting the PSU and Watercooling components soon.

So hopefully they take care of those issues

And can you explain when you say: " I don't know how much downscaling you are going to be able to get away with anyway "

 

[sidrockrulz]

It's hard to imagine this not being fixable.

I'd choose the 980's over the 780ti's, in part for the extra VRAM, which is starting to be asked for. I also think you are better off with fewer cards if possible.

That's exactly what i was thinking., And lesser power consumption...

 

[sidrockrulz]

Your OP is confusing. Are you operating under a budget where you want to get the most performance out of an SLI setup ? If so 780ti 3 way SLI would be the fastest at those $400 prices coming close to the $1100 you mentioned. If money is not a concern then obviously the 3 way 980 is best. Keep in mind scaling drops off big time on the new 980/970 after 2 cards. 3 and 4 way tests show really bad scaling on the 980. 2 cards is still the sweet spot for SLI.

Sure.. There is a budget, but i may stretch it if it seems worthy to me !

When you say 3 way on the 970/980 is problematic, is 3 way working just fine with the 780Ti s ?

no budget get 3 way 980, if around $1100 is your budget then 780ti 3 way

edit: if you are watercooling you are going to want two 980s. It's difficult to find brand new reference 780ti still in stock and the ones that are don't have the deep discounts the aftermarket cards do.

I plan to get 2 980s or 3 780-Tis now... If needed, i might add one later.. And yes,,, There arent many selling the 780Tis anymore.. and they are overpriced too !

If they did at the price of the regular 780Tis, I'd be all over it and OC them to 980 standards..



Also, What do you think about performance drops after 2way SLI ? the second GPU adds a 60% boost, 3rd GPU only a 20% boost. Is that true ?

 

[sidrockrulz]

Keep in mind when looking at gaming comparisons that three 1080p monitors only have 75% of the pixels of one 4K monitor, but three 1440p monitors have the same number of pixels as 1.5 4K monitors.

So if X video card(s) happen to be good enough for one 4K monitor (at X detail settings), it follows that 50% extra performance would be needed for triple 1440p.

Sure,,, So in which case, which card setup would you recommend ?

 

[sidrockrulz]

3 x 1440p?

Get 3 x GTX 780ti or even better, get 3 x GTX 980 and you are good for 4 years.

Because if you get 2 x GTX 980, you gonna run High/Mid (not Ultra) for the next year and a half.

4k ( 3840x2160) = 8,29 Mega Pixels
3 x 1080p = 6,22 Mega Pixels
3 x 1440p = 11,1 Mega Pixels

But would you think 3x1080p will work fine on this ?

So you think i cannot run 3x1440p at Ultra on a OC 2x980 setup ?

 

[Grooveriding]

Also, What do you think about performance drops after 2way SLI ? the second GPU adds a 60% boost, 3rd GPU only a 20% boost. Is that true ?

If you want to watercool you should go with the 980s because the reference cards can be found fairly easily. The reference 780tis that are still around cost as much as a 980 does, at least on newegg they do, so it's not worth it.

That sounds about right on the scaling, the third card adds maybe 20% more performance. With the setup you want to run it would help, but it doesn't do much.

 

[sidrockrulz]

i went with sli 980's from 780 sli.

from a gaming aspect especially with high rez monitors 980s all the way.

When you say High-res monitors, what spec are we talking about ?

 

[AdamK47]

No 4-Way?

 

[sidrockrulz]

No 4-Way?

No money for 4-Way GTX 980 Unless you let me borrow one of your cards

 

[wand3r3r]

It's a tough choice since going over 2 way SLI has limited scaling. The frametime issue needs to be resolved, I'd assume it is resolvable with a driver update but there hasn't been many sites investigating it thoroughly.

Personally I'd probably go 970 2 way since 3 way gains are not enough to merit the third card (imo) and OC them as much as possible. These cards beg to be overclocked, it'd be awesome without the voltage neutering if there's a BIOS to unlock it yet?

In the end if you go 1440p x3 you will probably have to turn down settings. If that doesn't bother you I'd go 970 SLI and drop them right before 980 ti comes and upgrade to that instead with the saved $. 970's might not even drop much in price if the 980 ti price is sky high so you might not lose much on that upgrade.