[Bottle Neck] 2x NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GX2 1GB

[tkon]

Hi, I recently ordered a set up from IBP and was wondering if I had messed up the configuration. I have done a little more research(a little late I know =/) about the 512 memory per gpu on this card and how it doesn't hold up as well as a x3 768 set up w/ other cards. I also only ordered a amd dual core 6000+ b/c of a lot of games not using quadcore yet. Was this an incorrect move? Here is my full set up that I ordered, I appreciate any insight or tips.

Case ( Coolermaster HAF 932 Full-Tower Gaming Case w/420W Power Supply Black )
Power Supply ( 850 Watt -- Coolermaster Real Power Pro 850w Power Supply Quad SLI Ready )
Processor ( AMD Athlon™ X2 6000+ Dual-Core CPU w/ HyperTransport Technology )
Motherboard ( [SLI] Asus Crosshair II Formula NVIDIA nForce 780a SLI Chipset w/7.1 Sound, Gb LAN, S-ATA Raid, IEEE 1394, USB 2.0, 3-Way SLI PCI-E/HDMI MB 3-Way SLI )
Memory ( 4 GB [1 GB X4] DDR2-800 PC6400 Memory Module Corsair XMS2 Xtreme w/Heat Spreader )
Video Card ( 2x NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GX2 1GB w/DVI + TV Out Video - running SLI mode )
Hard Drive ( Gaming HARD DRIVE [Serial ATA-300, 10,000 RPM] WD Velociraptor WD3000GLFS 300GB 16M Cache Hard Drive )

Thanks again~

 

[jerreece]

If you're running Dual 9800GX2 video cards, your AMD 6000+ will probably reduce your ultimate performance. Those GPU's are more powerful than your CPU is.

EDIT: BTW, Quad Core is still a good idea, but it's better suited for future software, which will more and more so become multi-threaded. With your 780a motherboard however, you'll at least have room to upgrade to one of the new Phenom II chips when they are released I believe. So you're not completely left behind.

 

[tkon]

So my memory / mb is fine? Also this is my first time getting a 10k rpm HD, is there a huge difference in speed from 7200? Also if I were to OC my proc, at what point would it not bottle neck my vid cards(if at all)

 

[tkon]

Is there a site I can refer to on when certain parts will bottle neck each other?

 

[the last resort]

for the 6000+, its going to be tough to get it to a point where the 9800GX2s arent bottlenecked.
As for now, the 10K hard drive is only slightly faster than the top 7200 drives such as the WD Black series.

 

[B-Unit]

OCing will help, but the 6000 is pretty close to its ceiling right out of the box. You will not be able to get enough Ghz out of it to not bottleneck your cards. As suggested, your best bet is to enjoy for now and upgrade to a PhenomII in a few months when BIOS updates for your motherboard become available.

 

[gamerk316]

I wouldn't go with 2x 9800GX2's. They don't scale well enough to warrent the purchase.

 

[tkon]

So I got my order changed a little bit. Went from the

Processor
[strike]AMD Athlon™ X2 6000+ Dual-Core CPU w/ HyperTransport Technology [/strike]
AMD Phenom X4 9850 Quad-Core

Video Cards
[strike]2x NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GX2 1GB w/DVI + TV Out Video - running SLI mode[/strike]
2x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 Core 216 896MB

Is now my current set up, do you think there will still be any bottle necking going on? I have read that single gpu sli cards will end up doing better b/c of the higher memory each. I was reading some disturbing results with the 512 limit on the gx2's.

 

[V3NOM]

well with the new drivers and a high performance quad, i think you would find the 9800GX2's scale quite well..

 

[tkon]

From what I read it wasn't the software that was holding them back, bu the 512 limit on each. Any body have any thoughts on the set up I switched to?

 

[roofus]

you did well in your parts amendment tkon.

 

[tkon]

Thanks, just needed to make sure this was the right move. I really wish I didn't impulse buy like that. I would have gone intel if I had a few hundred more dollars.

 

[V3NOM]

maybe if that 512mb ram was overclocked...