AMD 290x (CF) vs GTX 970 (SLI)

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Reeadon

Reeadon

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Jan 23, 2013
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Hi,

My PC(Built in 2012):

Motherboard: ASUS P8Z77-V Deluxe
CPU: Intel 3770k 3.50GHz (Stock Cooler)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H105 (With 2 x Corsair SP120 Quiet Edition) <-- UPGRADE ON THE WAY
GPU: 2 x ASUS GTX 970 4GB STRIX (Driver 347.25 and SLI Enabled)
RAM: 2x8GB Corsair Vengeance 1600MHz
Storage: 1 x 120GB Corsair SSD Force Series 3 + 1 x 240GB Corsair SSD Force Series 3
PSU: 1050w HX Corsair Silver Certified
Case: CM Storm Trooper.
Case: Corsair Obsidian 750D (With 3 x Corsair AF140 Quiet Edition) <-- UPGRADE ON THE WAY

Backstory:
I recently held my birthday, and I have some money to spend on an upgrade for my PC. Before my birthday, I bought the ASUS ROG Swift PG278Q and at the time, I only had one GTX 970. I was aware that my GTX 970 werent enough for a 1440p monitor. Well, in some games yes, but I would like to take advantage of the 144Hz and the G-Sync feature. So I bought a second 970.
I am going to add a CPU Cooler (once it arrives) because I wanted to overclock, and because my CPU was in the 60-70 range in degrees celcius when under heavy load, ever since I bought a second 970.
I am going to replace the case (once it arrives), because I have been unlucky with the Storm Trooper. One of the USB ports does not work, and one of the "feet" broke off.

Now to the problem:
Dying Light just came out and it is utilizing 3.6GB of VRAM. This is a problem, because when a 970 uses over 3.5GB of VRAM you are probably going to experience stuttering and other problems since the card is "running out of VRAM", and starts to use the remaining 0.5GB of VRAM that is not as efficient as the rest. This is atleast what I am experiencing. My second 970 is still new, and I'm able to return it and get all of the money that I spend on it.

Should I return the 970 and use one 970 until something new comes out (390x or GM200)? Sell them both and go for 290x 8GB in CrossFire? Or is Dying Light just bad optimized?

TL;DR: I have the 3.5GB issue in Dying Light. Return my second 970 and wait until the 390x/GM200 comes out? Go for 290x in CrossFire? Or is Dying Light just poorly optimized?

EDIT: Forgot that G-Sync only works with NVIDIA, so AMD is not an option of course! Me so stupid...
 
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rhysiam

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Mar 24, 2013
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One of the headline features of the ROG Swift, alongside the 1440p @ 144hz, is the GSync. You'd lose that going AMD cards.

The VRAM "issue" is really overblown (from a performance perspective). Everyone is really upset because Nvidia were not honest about the specs of the card... and rightly so, it's really poor form on Nvidia's part. But numerous tech sites have been searching for benchmarks that show a bigger than expected gap between the 970 & 980, which would demonstrate a real-world "impact" from the memory controller arrangement. They're not really finding any.

Just because 3.6GB is "used", doesn't mean it's all vital, performance sensitive info. Nvidia has algorithms which put the lowest priority data in the slower section of VRAM, that's why everyone's struggling to demonstrate a real-world impact.

SLI 970 is by far the best solution for you and is a much better match for your ROG Swift. Given the cost of that monitor you'd hope it will support AMD's freesync via a firmware update or something, but Freesync is still in development and we have no idea whether it'll actually deliver.

SLI 970s all the way!
 
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Reeadon

Reeadon

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Jan 23, 2013
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I completely forgot that G-Sync only works with NVIDIA cards, so AMD is not the way. My bad. But the stuttering issues when the 3.6GB VRAM is used in Dying Light, maybe that is my CPU that is having problems? Thermal Throtteling? I could just disable SLI until my cooler arrives.
 
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rhysiam

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Mar 24, 2013
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Use HWMonitor or something to check your temps.

Dying Light has only just been released yes? Often it takes a little while before drivers for new games are up to scratch, that's true 10fold for SLI setups. You running the latest drivers?

Try disabling SLI and see if performance improves. If so, it's almost certainly a driver issue and should be fixed with a new driver update (now, or on next release).

If you really think it is a VRAM issue, the easiest way to test it is to reduce is to drop the AA a little. Can you try that too?
 
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Vergilangleos

Vergilangleos

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Apr 22, 2014
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best option is return second 970 and stay with one 970 , dying light has many problem in optimization but 3.5 gb ram of 970 will not be enough for playing 2016 titles at 1440p and sli will not change that
 
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Reeadon

Reeadon

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Jan 23, 2013
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Yes, Dying light just released and I also have the latest drivers. When I get home, I will try without SLI enabled, and see if performance improves. I will also watch my CPU's temperatures when SLI is enabled and disabled through HWMonitor.

Dying Light only has one AA option and that is ON or OFF. The only FPS hog is Draw Distance in the game. If I turn everything else down or off, I only get about 2-4 FPS more.
 
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Reeadon

Reeadon

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Jan 23, 2013
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My CPU is at 45-48 celcius when idle and in Dying Light its at 65-70. When I disable SLI the stuttering reduces, though I have to lower the settings.
I actually tested Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor with SLI enabled and at 1440p. It used about 3.6GB too and caused a lot of stuttering and was unplayable.

I read something about SLI profiles but I didn't really get any understanding of it. Do you know what it is? Since I'm experiencing stuttering, I am really tempted to return my 970, sell the other and buy a 980 and wait for new GPU's.... But the 980 is just so expensive compared to other GPU's.
 
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