Thinking of going Eyefinity x3 (1920x1080 x3)..thoughts?

[Apocalypse23]

I'm thinking of buying two more BenQ E2420HD 24" 1920x1080 2ms monitors to go with my single monitor for Eyefinity. The plan is to use them for intense gaming, BFBC2 would be the primary game. I figured since I will be running 1gb 5970 + 1gb 5870 in CF, I would try this out. It's also nice to have that peripheral vision on both ends to see more enemies. However, I'm still concerned about performance with 4xAA and 16xAF at that combined resolution. Does anyone know what the combined tri resolution would be running 3x 1920x1080? Would I get constant fps over 70 with High settings? Or would I need to add a third card for 70+ fps?

Let me know guys.

 

[mhouck]

3 gpus for 3 montiors... wouldn't that end up being comparable to a 5870 (depending on clocks of the 5970) output per monitor and just look at how that single card would do in a benchmark at that resolution.

I'm obviously not sure, and it may not be that simple but thats my semi educated guess to start the thread moving along.

 

[marsbound2024]

Resolution is easy to figure out... Multiple 1920 by 3. 5760x1080. I am unsure what FPS you are looking at however.

 

[Apocalypse23]

Thanks guys, I just looked up a review on the 5760x1080...BFBC2 registers some pretty sad frames with one card, I can't expect 70 fps from 3 cards....

 

[arkcom]

They should make it so the settings on the two side screens can be set lower than the center. It could by default halve the AA and AF on the side screens, and really give a nice boost to performance with minimal visual effect.

 

[skulkingghost]

I dont know if my settings will help you,

I run at 5040x1050 across 3 monitors.

I have a single 5870 and am able to run the game with all settings max and 4xaa 4x antro at around 40-60fps so take that how you will.

 

[cbn]

I'm thinking of buying two more BenQ E2420HD 24" 1920x1080 2ms monitors to go with my single monitor for Eyefinity. The plan is to use them for intense gaming, BFBC2 would be the primary game. I figured since I will be running 1gb 5970 + 1gb 5870 in CF, I would try this out. It's also nice to have that peripheral vision on both ends to see more enemies. However, I'm still concerned about performance with 4xAA and 16xAF at that combined resolution. Does anyone know what the combined tri resolution would be running 3x 1920x1080? Would I get constant fps over 70 with High settings? Or would I need to add a third card for 70+ fps?

Let me know guys.

If I had a 5970, I would definitely use Eyefinity.

Just realize running higher resolution will increase your input lag.

How relevant would the increase in input lag be? I have no idea.

 

[cbn]

3 gpus for 3 montiors... wouldn't that end up being comparable to a 5870 (depending on clocks of the 5970) output per monitor

It would result in the same FPS, but input lag contribution from the video card would be tripled.

 

[Apocalypse23]

It would result in the same FPS, but input lag contribution from the video card would be tripled.

interesting...I didn't see the input lag coming into the equation....Well, I don't know how noticeable that would be with 3 monitors and 2 video cards (5970 + 5870). The scenarios I'm looking at are as follows:

I buy the screens and setup eyefinity (5760x1080) running the 5970 +5870 in CF. If I don't get the desired fps (50+ minimum), then I add a third card, i.e 5850 (this will be to test it out).

The final scenario is to sell the 5870 and the 5970 and purchase 3 2gb 5870 Eyefinity 6 cards and run them in CF....But I need further justification to make this move...

 

[Apocalypse23]

Here's a quote from HardOCP's latest Eyefinity 6 CF review:

"The Bottom Line

If you are running ATI Radeon HD Eyefinity 6 as a single video card, the 2GB frame buffer is not going to help you much in high Eyefinity resolution situations. There are some exceptions, like AvP, but mostly you are going to be GPU limited and not able to tap the potential of the 2GB frame buffer. The real benefits of the Eyefinity 6 video card not realized until you combine it with another and enable CrossFireX.

In its multi-GPU configuration, the 2GB of RAM per GPU is going to start to show its advantages for you when you crank it up to high Eyefinity resolutions. This is where the Eyefinity 6 video cards shine, in that upper resolution area with CrossFireX. You are going to be able to use higher resolutions, higher texture quality settings and higher useable AA settings than you would with a Radeon HD 5970. While Radeon HD 5870 Eyefinity 6 CrossFireX is much more expensive than Radeon HD 5970 ($479 per card) it is certainly an upgrade in performance and gameplay experience in Eyefinity. ATI Radeon HD 5870 Eyefinity 6 CrossFireX simply delivers the best Eyefinity gaming experience you can get right now, and it is one that you will certainly enjoy.

-- http://www.hardocp.com/article/2010/04/12/ati_radeon_hd_5870_eyefinity_6_performance_review/7

 

[cbn]

interesting...I didn't see the input lag coming into the equation....Well, I don't know how noticeable that would be with 3 monitors and 2 video cards (5970 + 5870). The scenarios I'm looking at are as follows:

I buy the screens and setup eyefinity (5760x1080) running the 5970 +5870 in CF. If I don't get the desired fps (50+ minimum), then I add a third card, i.e 5850 (this will be to test it out).

The final scenario is to sell the 5870 and the 5970 and purchase 3 2gb 5870 Eyefinity 6 cards and run them in CF....But I need further justification to make this move...

I think 5970 OC'd to 850 Mhz + stock speed 5870 should be able to get 60 FPS average with triple 1080p.

@ 60 FPS spread accross triple monitors we are talking 20 FPS for each Cypress core using AFR. That would result in 50ms input lag (1000/20).

In contrast One 5870 running one 1080p monitor @ 60 FPS would result in 16.7ms input lag (1000/60).

However, what is most interesting to me is "minimum frame rate input lag". How big can that get? (EDIT: Let's assume 30 FPS is the minimum for BFBC2 with Tri-fire and triple 1080p Eyefinity. That would result in 10 FPS for each Cypress core using AFR. Input lag would be 100ms (1000/10).

 

[NoQuarter]

It would result in the same FPS, but input lag contribution from the video card would be tripled.

Wait the input lag on 3x5870 at 5760x1200 will be the same as 1x5870 at 5760x1200 so there's not much you can do?

 

[cbn]

Wait the input lag on 3x5870 at 5760x1200 will be the same as 1x5870 at 5760x1200 so there's not much you can do?

If the single 5870 nets 20 FPS @ 5760 x 1200, then yes input lag will be the same as running three 5870s @ 5760 x1200 for 60 FPS.

 

[NoQuarter]

If the single 5870 nets 20 FPS @ 5760 x 1200, then yes input lag will be the same as running three 5870s @ 5760 x1200 for 60 FPS.

Ok just the way you phrased that as 'tripled' seemed awkward, in my mind the input lag stays the same no matter how many cards you have, all depending on how fast just the single card is.

 

[cbn]

Ok just the way you phrased that as 'tripled' seemed awkward, in my mind the input lag stays the same no matter how many cards you have, all depending on how fast just the single card is.

The tripling of input lag comes from tripling of resolution when using AFR....even though the speed of each Cypress core is the same.

In contrast, If shared frame rendering were used input lag would not increase with increased resolution. Unfortunately I don't know anymore than that. Apparently getting shared frame rendering to work requires more a lot more GPU- GPU communication than AFR. Maybe someone from the IT industry can chime in on this?

P.S. Here is a link to ATI's upcoming multi-GPU driver plans--->http://www.rage3d.com/articles/ati_catalyst_10/index.php?p=3 (Asymmetric AFR vs SFR)

 

[toyota]

I dont know if my settings will help you,

I run at 5040x1050 across 3 monitors.

I have a single 5870 and am able to run the game with all settings max and 4xaa 4x antro at around 40-60fps so take that how you will.

sorry but that is not possible. that res used right there in the linked pic isnt much higher than that and they are only getting 12fps with those settings. plus even at 2560x1600 with HBAO off Bit-tech only pulled 40fps. now how in the heck are you going to have HBAO on(you said all max) and a higher res and match/beat that?

 

[1h4x4s3x]

..there in the linked pic isnt much higher than that and they are only getting 12fps with those settings..

Those are minimum fps though.

Here's another one.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-5870-eyefinity6,2595-10.html

BBC2:Custom (Highest) Quality Settings, 1xAA / No AF, 8x MSAA / No AF, vsync off, 1680x1050 / 1920x1200 / 6048x2276 / 5760x1080, opening cinematic, 145 second sequence, FRAPS

 

[Apocalypse23]

Those are minimum fps though.

Here's another one.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-5870-eyefinity6,2595-10.html

I wonder what filtering those results are at, and what settings exactly.

Check these out:

Assuming that 5870 E6 2GB scales at 160% in CF (as per Toms hardware review), the minimum frame at a setting of 4xAA/16xAF on a single 5870 E6 would be 16.25fps. Once you double up, it jumps to 26fps, if we triple up, then we might see a min of 41.6fps? Am I right here? 26 x 160% = 41.6fps??

 

[yh125d]

Imo ditch the 24", buy one big screen. 42" 1080p oughta do it

 

[Eymar]

Currently tri-crossfire or quad crossfire doesn't work with eyefinity (bad performance). Possibly solved by 10.4s, but wouldn't count on it since been around for a while:link

 

[SlowSpyder]

3 gpus for 3 montiors... wouldn't that end up being comparable to a 5870 (depending on clocks of the 5970) output per monitor and just look at how that single card would do in a benchmark at that resolution.

I'm obviously not sure, and it may not be that simple but thats my semi educated guess to start the thread moving along.

I don't think it would work like that. Eyefinity will see the three monitors as a single 5760x1080 resolution display. Then you'll get the typical scaling limitiations from 3 GPU's. It wouldn't be the same as 5870 level performance per 1080P display.

At least that's how I understand it to work.

 

[digitaldurandal]

I'm thinking of buying two more BenQ E2420HD 24" 1920x1080 2ms monitors to go with my single monitor for Eyefinity. The plan is to use them for intense gaming, BFBC2 would be the primary game. I figured since I will be running 1gb 5970 + 1gb 5870 in CF, I would try this out. It's also nice to have that peripheral vision on both ends to see more enemies. However, I'm still concerned about performance with 4xAA and 16xAF at that combined resolution. Does anyone know what the combined tri resolution would be running 3x 1920x1080? Would I get constant fps over 70 with High settings? Or would I need to add a third card for 70+ fps?

Let me know guys.

I am running 5870 in BFBC2 0x/8x with HBAO off and get between 50 and 60 fps almost always, with dips to 35 with intense explosions.

Hard to say if you will get over 70 with your setup because it is fairly unique in that I have never seen it used before, or read a review on it.

The periphreal vision is nice, but it is mostly for immersion. The eyefinity does not give 180 degree vision and as you get more towards the edge it tends to stretch the image. For instance in BFBC2 the setup may actually be fields of view of 40/80/40. This works fine as long as you do not actually watch the other two screens. I do see things out of the corner of my eye with this setup and I do enjoy it but some people who were thinking about doing it have seen it and decided it was not worth their time.

 

[mhouck]

I don't think it would work like that. Eyefinity will see the three monitors as a single 5760x1080 resolution display. Then you'll get the typical scaling limitiations from 3 GPU's. It wouldn't be the same as 5870 level performance per 1080P display.

At least that's how I understand it to work.

that would make sense especially if crossfire uses AFR. Isn't that the method they and nvidia are using currently?

I was thinking with the tri-display setup both companies are using you would want to divide the frame in a split frame rendering and then you could get closer to the 1 gpu per monitor output.

Does CCC let you choose between the AFR and SPR? I haven't seen anything about it expect on general overview pages about how multi-gpu scaling works but nothing in practice.

 

[solofly]

Here's a quote from HardOCP's latest Eyefinity 6 CF review:

"The Bottom Line

If you are running ATI Radeon HD Eyefinity 6 as a single video card, the 2GB frame buffer is not going to help you much in high Eyefinity resolution situations. There are some exceptions, like AvP, but mostly you are going to be GPU limited and not able to tap the potential of the 2GB frame buffer. The real benefits of the Eyefinity 6 video card not realized until you combine it with another and enable CrossFireX.

In its multi-GPU configuration, the 2GB of RAM per GPU is going to start to show its advantages for you when you crank it up to high Eyefinity resolutions. This is where the Eyefinity 6 video cards shine, in that upper resolution area with CrossFireX. You are going to be able to use higher resolutions, higher texture quality settings and higher useable AA settings than you would with a Radeon HD 5970. While Radeon HD 5870 Eyefinity 6 CrossFireX is much more expensive than Radeon HD 5970 ($479 per card) it is certainly an upgrade in performance and gameplay experience in Eyefinity. ATI Radeon HD 5870 Eyefinity 6 CrossFireX simply delivers the best Eyefinity gaming experience you can get right now, and it is one that you will certainly enjoy.

-- http://www.hardocp.com/article/2010/04/12/ati_radeon_hd_5870_eyefinity_6_performance_review/7

That goes without saying and if I was buying today two 5870s 2GB (each) would be the ultimate setup...(next time ATI)

 

[mhouck]

I did a couple searches on enabling SFR and this thread at guru3 shows how to do it w/ ati crossfire xtension if anybody was interested. I don't have an eyefinity set up myself to see how this would compare to AFR but it would seem that conceptually it would be more in line w/ generating a 1 to 1 performanc or 3 to 2 depending on how many GPUs you have going.

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=293467