gtx 660ti sli vs gtx 680 4gb single card

vamsinath

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Apr 25, 2013
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660ti sli -- better performance for single monitor and outperforms 680 2gb
680 4gb -- performs better in multi monitor gaming(higher resolutions)

will u play mult imonitor gaming in future ...... yes --go for 680 4gb ......only single monitor----- go for 660ti sli

 
SLI:
SLI and Crossfire still suffer from microstutter and other profile issues. This topic has been beat to death elsewhere and almost all experts will recommend you get the best SINGLE card (single-GPU) you can afford. I can provide links if need be. There's a lot of confusion on this topic with many people thinking it's a very minor thing. It isn't.

4GB:
In case you don't realize, when you have two, 2GB cards in SLI you don't have 4GB as your frame buffer. Video RAM is cloned in SLI/Crossfire. If you had three cards, such as 3x (GTX670 2GB) you don't have 6GB, you have 2GB.

4GB needed?
Not presently for single monitors, even high-res ones. 4GB cards tend to cost more, so it's best to get a better 2GB card instead unless multi-monitor is on the horizon (then we're back to SLI/Crossfire).

SLI vs Crossfire:
SLI is superior to Crossfire overall.

AMD vs NVidia:
Pros and Cons, however the AMD games package presently offered is quite amazing. If you aren't committed to NVidia, a single HD7970 might be your best bet.

Four HD7970's to consider:
1) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125439

2) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127732

3) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125413

4) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202008

*GTX700 series:
NVidia has said these newer cards should have less of the micro-stutter/frame time issues. They should include an improved version of the frame rate metering technology to improve the SLI issues. Look for reviews specifically looking at these issues.

If you're dead set on SLI, I strongly recommend waiting a few months to see what happens. I suspect we'll also see more Video RAM as standard (such as a 760 3GB card).


Cheers.
 


For the most part, in all reviews, SLI shows as pretty good. It is CF that has major issues. That said, SLI isn't perfect either. However, if you look at the frame variance charts on the latest THG review, it's still quite good.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7990-review-benchmark,3486-13.html

That said, I agree that always go for the single GPU setup if you can. If you only gain 10-15% performance over a single card, you'll probably get a better overall experience with the single GPU.

Edit: I'm pretty sure 660ti SLI is more than 10-15% faster than a 680.

Edit 2: yeah, it's more like a 50% improvement, which may be worth going SLI with: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-660-ti-benchmark-review,3279-10.html
 


It depends on how FAR into the future.

Since you appear definitely interested in NVidia for SLI, I bring up the point again that the GTX 700 series is supposedly going to offer design improvements related to micro-stutter/frame time issues.

It might be best to wait for a GTX760Ti or GTX770 with more than 2GB per GPU, i.e. 2x(GTX770 3GB).
 

Jexta

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May 9, 2013
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I was skimming and had a question: SLI has these stutter issues and other errors - something one can fix or is this just something one must accept on certain games?

Also, I heard some games won't utilize both cards due to some issue with it.. this being the case; would the game run fine still or does this mean it will run by only 1 card.. so basically you're running your game on 1 low end card? And is this something that can be fixed?

I was interested in doing this but im a complete noob and only about to build my first computer.. im steering to avoid these issues until I learn more. Ill just have to do without 2 monitors lol. Thanks.