Can i run Skyrim on this Graphics Card with intensive Mods?

Angelz · Sep 16, 2014

I currently own a GTX 780 TI SC Edition

http://www.evga.com/Products/Product.aspx?pn=03G-P4-2883-KR

But i want to sell it or trade it for this one instead: (GTX 780 6GB)

http://www.evga.com/Products/Product.aspx?pn=06G-P4-3787-KR

The problem is, ever since i rebuilt my Skyrim with a sackload of mods, i so much as turn my screen, i get major lagging. So i'd be basicly trading some performance for double the Vram. My question is, will this stop the lags? I tested it on MSI Burner thanks to a friend, and it read the Vram at like 3499 as SOON as i started (i wasn't even moving my character). It would take too long to save up for a Titan Black.

maxtex · Sep 16, 2014

Cant you wait 1 day and get the 980 which has 4GB RAM as well as faster memory? (Well, probably 2-3 days) It's also gonna be faster than a 780 Ti, at least that's the prediction.

Angelz · Sep 16, 2014

Ahh, yes, the thing is i don't want to risk a 4GB card and still have these awful lags. >_<

Angelz · Sep 16, 2014

The texture packs i have... are INSANE. I went so overboard i don't wanna give any of them up. lol

GRUxTSAR · Sep 16, 2014

The 780 will be limited to 3.8gb VRAM due to the memory bus. You'd be better off with an R9 290(x)

Angelz · Sep 16, 2014

Whatt? I didn't know that. What's the point of selling it with 6GB then! I would of been MAD if i found this out AFTER the swap..

GRUxTSAR · Sep 17, 2014

Angelz :

Nvidia also sells their 4gb 760s/770s that are limited to 2.5gb VRAM. Shady tactics like this along with overpriced hardware are why I don't support them

Angelz · Sep 17, 2014

I'm so disappointed to learn about this. Does this mean the GTX Titans are like that too?

zaysk · Sep 17, 2014

GRUxTSAR :

Angelz :

Nvidia also sells their 4gb 760s/770s that are limited to 2.5gb VRAM. Shady tactics like this along with overpriced hardware are why I don't support them

Source?

Mahisse · Sep 17, 2014

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/44197-memory-bus-size-and-how-it-effects-your-vram-usage/

It's not a "source" as such but it explains the problem. But keep in mind that this theory should only be true when gaming with constant frames updates.
Personally I'm not convinced that's true in every case since I've seen other threads where this theory was shut down due to some missing factors but I can't remember the arguments.

zaysk · Sep 17, 2014

Mahisse :

Sweet, thanks for the information.

Angelz · Sep 17, 2014

I actually just got off the phone with an EVGA rep, and they said they've never heard of a 6GB card capping at 3.8GB.

GRUxTSAR · Sep 17, 2014

Angelz :

I'd say they're either doing it to cover themselves, or it capped at around 3.9-4gb. The 384 bit memory bus bottlenecks the VRAM. Google "GTX 760/770 4gb VRAM memory bus" and you'll see. The 780s probably won't have any results since they're newer to the market, but it's been a problem. AMD uses overkill memory bus' (512 bit I believe) which is pretty pointless since their cards only have 4gb

Angelz · Sep 17, 2014

What if i get a Titan Black, will it be capped too? I'm running a 60hz 1080p Monitor.

GRUxTSAR · Sep 18, 2014

Angelz :

I'd just get a Radeon R9 290 if I were you. With a good aftermarket cooler you can OC it far past GTX 780 levels of performance. It's also $100 cheaper. Also, why are you using a 780ti on a 60Hz 1080p monitor? That's kinda overkill since 1080p texture mods can only get you so far. You'd be better served by 1440p

maxtex · Sep 18, 2014

I'd check out some more info before switching cards though, these are expensive cards and you wanna be sure your game will run well.
Also I'm not so sure about switching to AMD, I actually recall that back in the earlier Skyrim days everyone said that the Nvidia cards were faster than AMD's for that game, and especially with mods. Though that might've changed now with drivers and stuff.

Angelz · Sep 18, 2014

Thanks, but i rather stick to Nvidia and EVGA. Also, probably true, but the 3GB limit is being far reached with the texture packs i have even on this monitor. I just don't wanna get rid of any of them.. They're all so wonderfully made.

Yeah, true, i suppose i will then. I still think the lags are being caused by lack of Vram need. Unless it's something else i'm too dumb to realize. I think it's the Vram though. >__<

maxtex · Sep 18, 2014

Maybe it's your CPU? System memory? Totally didn't see you didn't mention those yet..

Angelz · Sep 18, 2014

Oh sorry. It's a 4790K and 32gb of memory with a 850watt psu.

maxtex · Sep 18, 2014

Yeah ok, those can't possibly be a bottleneck then

Well, what you could do is get a 290 with 4GB, although more likely a 970 or 980. We'll have to see it confirmed when they come out, but they will also have 4GB, and more importantly the new Maxwell cards will have much faster memory speeds than the Kepler ones, which makes me think they will run memory-intensive games and applications more smoother.
So you could do that, for example just get a 970 and try out if it works well, and if not then return it (although I don't know where you live, at least over here you can do that by law).

nikoli707 · Sep 18, 2014

stock skyrim can only address 3.1gb of vram before it will ctd. there is a somewhat complicated hack that you can do to allow more, but its very uncommon. with memory management built into enbs now along with extremely effective smaa, you shouldn't be passing 3.1gb unless your rendering at 4k and are using 8k/16k texture mods. use well known optimized 4k textures packs or the s.t.e.p. install and an enb based on boris's original enb.

as far as your reported 3499mb used, thats accounting for about 300mb for windows alone, then 3099mb for skyrim. long story short, and not to offend, you have crap mods. i would discard all of them and start over and making sure to clean, order, bash, and tag all mods before you start a new game.

on my 780 there are no fps problems at all. i have a full step install(whatever version number they were at roughly a year ago) along with boris's enb, and I'm at 1440p maxed out but using the smaa and i only get roughly 2.5gb vram used at most after a considerable amount of time playing. skyrim has a memory leak anyways, so you should always close and restart between 45min and 2hours.

Angelz · Sep 18, 2014

maxtex:

Yeah, that does sound like a plan. It feels dumb to sell a 780 TI and add over 400 to 500 bucks more just for a Titan Black, which i'm only paying 3GB extra for since they're nearly the same thing. I live in the united states - MA state.

nikoli707:

Perhaps, but i only choose the highest endorsement mods on Nexus with the most trust. It's nothing unoriginal. Skyrim HD, Flora Overhaul, ECE, Racemenu, Apachii Hair, Player Headtracking, Weapons and Armor fix, Smithing Perks Overhaul, Brawl Bugs, Showracemenu, Pure Waters, SMIM, Tamriel Reloaded, RS Children, SG Skin, SG Brows, Fair Skin, HDT Weapons, I yield i yield, Remove Fog interior, frecklemania, The eyes of beauty, and SkyrimURWL. Then i put in the more popular custom races like Lunari, Ashen, Temptress, The Ningheim, and the unofficial patches. For ENB i use Project ENB with the latest ENB dll. file. I had rebuild the entire game over a few weeks ago. Actually, i stopped the CTD's ever since i started playing with Windows Aero turned off.. Weird, isn't it?

Can i run Skyrim on this Graphics Card with intensive Mods?

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