Why does Anandtech only use GTX770 SLI to test CPU performance in games?

Dave2150

Senior member
Jan 20, 2015
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As title - looking at the 4790k, or x99 reviews, why does anandtech only use the NVIDIA 770 SLI?

Other websites show much bigger differences in CPU performance when using much faster GPU's, 780ti SLI, 290X Crossfire, titan blacks etc etc.

I simply cannot understand this - I mean who buy's X99 for gaming and then proceeds to buy really crappy cheap GPU's to run on it?
 

Phynaz

Lifer
Mar 13, 2006
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Because it's what the reviewer owns. I'm sure he would be happy to use other GPU's if you would send him some.
 

Dave2150

Senior member
Jan 20, 2015
639
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Because it's what the reviewer owns. I'm sure he would be happy to use other GPU's if you would send him some.

I find this hard to believe - with Anandtech being a high profile tech review website, surely they could afford to provide top end GPU's for the reviewer to use?

For the X99 review in particular I find it very strange at their choice of GPU. Nobody is going to buy a 5960X and run it with 770 SLI.

The other well known review sites, Guru3rd, Tomshardware for example test with high end cards (that were available at the time of review) such as 780ti SLI, or with titans.

The gaming results obtained in the Anandtech review of the 5960x don't seem very meaningful, when running such weak GPU's and testing games in resolutions that produce hundreds of FPS.

I'd argue a much better test scenario would have been with 780ti SLI/Titan SLI, in higher resolution.
 

MrTeal

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2003
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I actually like AT's system. Their consistency in a test be makes it easier to compare results across different reviews. When sites have different reviews use completely different hardware it makes it it challenging to look at number from review A and another from review B and draw meaningful conclusions from them.
 

gdansk

Golden Member
Feb 8, 2011
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I actually like AT's system. Their consistency in a test be makes it easier to compare results across different reviews. When sites have different reviews use completely different hardware it makes it it challenging to look at number from review A and another from review B and draw meaningful conclusions from them.

Exactly. That very frequently used "Bench" tool is made better when they stick with the same setup.
 

Phynaz

Lifer
Mar 13, 2006
10,140
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I find this hard to believe - with Anandtech being a high profile tech review website, surely they could afford to provide top end GPU's for the reviewer to use?

If you find it hard to believe then you haven't read the reviews where they stated it.
 

Techhog

Platinum Member
Sep 11, 2013
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What's funny is that I'm pretty sure a single Titan X is faster than dual 770s at this point...
 
Aug 11, 2008
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Lets go to Kickstarter and fund a gpu upgrade for AT.

I have to agree with some of the posters that SLI 770s is a very strange configuration to use to test cpus. I dont recall the full specs, but I certainly hope they arent 2gb models.

I also agree that I dont see how the site can be so strapped for cash that ti cannot afford a high end gpu or 2.
 

Ryan Smith

The New Boss
Staff member
Oct 22, 2005
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www.anandtech.com
I think a few people have already mentioned this at this point, but there's really two reasons:

1) We're geographically distributed, so Ian doesn't have access to my video card stockpile

2) We pick a hardware configuration and stick to it for some time, so that results are comparable over a longer period of time.

That said the CPU testbed is due for an upgrade this year, so the GTX 770s will be getting replaced as part of that process.