8800GTX Upgrade?

[Katzie]

Hiyooo!!!

Would it be good to upgrade my current GPU, which is a EVGA 8800GTX to something more powerful? I am wondering how much more performance I will get out of upgrading to a 580GTX would be with my system now until I can upgrade my whole system later when Ivy Bridge comes out. Should I wait until the new line of NVidia cards come out or get one now with my system. Most likely my CPU will be the bottleneck... but I am thinking it will be a GREAT upgrade from my puny 8800GTX. I used to have 2 GTX in SLI... so thats why I got the 680i. Would a cheaper card do better as well? I am seeing even the 430GT as more RAM but less stream processors than the 8800GTX...

System:
EVGA 680i
e6750 2.6GHz no OC
4GB OCZ 1333 RAM
8800GTX
Win 7 Ult
1920 x 1200 (NEC 24")

I like to play games at max settings!!

What do you guys think?

 

[geofelt]

To help clarify your options, run these two tests:

1) Run your games, but lower your resolution and eye candy.
If your FPS increases, it indicates that your cpu is strong enough to drive a better graphics configuration.

2) Limit your cpu, either by reducing the OC, or, in windows power management, limit the maximum cpu% to something like 70%.
If your FPS drops significantly, it is an indicator that your cpu is the limiting factor, and a cpu upgrade is in order.

It is possible that both tests are positive, indicating that you have a well balanced system, and both cpu and gpu need to be upgraded to get better gaming FPS.

 

[nforce4max]

Hiyooo!!!

Would it be good to upgrade my current GPU, which is a EVGA 8800GTX to something more powerful? I am wondering how much more performance I will get out of upgrading to a 580GTX would be with my system now until I can upgrade my whole system later when Ivy Bridge comes out. Should I wait until the new line of NVidia cards come out or get one now with my system. Most likely my CPU will be the bottleneck... but I am thinking it will be a GREAT upgrade from my puny 8800GTX. I used to have 2 GTX in SLI... so thats why I got the 680i. Would a cheaper card do better as well? I am seeing even the 430GT as more RAM but less stream processors than the 8800GTX...

System:
EVGA 680i
e6750 2.6GHz no OC
4GB OCZ 1333 RAM
8800GTX
Win 7 Ult
1920 x 1200 (NEC 24")

I like to play games at max settings!!

What do you guys think?

a gt430 is a very puny card against your 5 year old 8800gtx. It takes a gts 450 minimum just to not see any significant loss of performance in some games. A Much more solid upgrade such as a gtx 560 ti or 6870/6950 would be double or more performance than a single 8800gtx.

 

[Katzie]

Thanks for the tests!! I know for sure that test number one shows I get more FPS out of running at lower resolutions... and also minimum settings. The fact that my display driver crashes A LOT and my card runs HOT (even when my room is cold) when I run max settings at 1920 x 1200 (native resolution on my NEC) makes me think its the GPU... Normally I tend to do this alot when I run multiple instances of games... I play windowed a lot and I put everything at low settings to increase FPS.

For the second test, I will have to be home for that. When I get home around 9 I'll do test #2 and post my results on here. I am not messing with any OC on the 680i board (I don't trust myself with messing up volts and stuff since I tend to get impatient) so I'll do it through Windows Power Management.

 

[geofelt]

The 8800GTX series was made with 90nm technology as I recall. It runs hot because of that, but it was built to tolerate it. Possibly the thermal material on your gpu cooler has deteriorated.
Newer generations went to 65nm, 55nm, and currently 40nm. End of year we should see 28nm or such.

If you are pushing your card, it is probably time to replace it. If you are having crashes, it is probably not the drivers, since Nvidia uses the same driver for all top end cards.

If you make a change, make it a biggish jump, or you may be disappointed. Perhaps something like a GTX560ti or GTX570.

 

[nforce4max]

Just actually clean the card and replace the stock compound. The stock compound that is used on most cards from every brand fails with in the first few months of use and continue to gradually degrade over time. I own a 8800gtx my self and their are not difficult to maintain when you know what to do.

 

[Katzie]

nforce4max - you are talking about replacing the thermal paste on the GPU correct?

Yeah I am pushing it way over its limits. I can run Max Settings on Rift, but its like 15 FPS, but it looks beautiful when I don't move... I'd like it to be smooth and look the same way. I am really thinking about getting a 580GTX and then when I build my new system next year I'll get another 580GTX and SLI them... maybe even tri-SLI them...

As far as test #2 goes... how would I go about in windows power management to limit my CPU??

 

[Overclocked Toaster]

if you get a gtx 580 your cpu will definitely hold you back in alot of games. you could OC your cpu as a stop-gap measure until you make a total system upgrade next year. of course you should realize that by then your gpu will be outdated by the new 600 series.

If I were you I would do a total system upgrade right now or whenever bulldozer comes out. If you are dissatisfied with your current system, why wait a whole year?

 

[geofelt]

control panel/power options/change plan settings/change advanced power settings/processor power management/maximum processor state from 100% to less, like 65%.

If you will be using a single 1920 x 1200 monitor, A GTX580 is about as good as it gets.
If you will use a 2560 x 1600 monitor or triple monitor gaming, then perhaps sli might be good.
I would not plan on triple sli.

 

[Katzie]

Right now I only have the money for a good GPU, that I will be planning on using in my next build when I do have the money to spend on a complete system like I did with this one 4 years ago.

I kind of researched a little and I think the Power Saver Plan in the Power Management Setting in Win 7 throttle the CPU a little... but thats just from delving into a few forums. Not too sure on that... but I put the computer into that mode, and I get the same FPS (around 60) on TF2 thats maxed out with 16QCSA at 1920x1200. Same thing with HoN, WoW, and I run Portal 2 at medium settings and FPS is all the same with power saver and max performance settings

 

[Katzie]

I did that, I only see a system cooling policy and the option for that is only active or passive...

Also, are there reasons for why you say not to plan on triple SLI?

 

[geofelt]

Are we talking windows 7 home premium?

Triple sli with top end cards gives you marginal incremental improvements for your dollar. I don't think it is worth it, particularly for any single monitor setup.

 

[Katzie]

Windows 7 Ult 64 bit

I also have 2 20inch NECs as well that I plan on using in the future

 

[geofelt]

Strange, I have 64 bit home premium, and when you follow the sequence of panels, you get to where you can specify minimum and maximum cpu utilization%.

Are your monitors 1080P(1920 x 1080)?

A single GTX580 should be ok with driving them.

I have two 30" 2560 x 1600 monitors, and my GTX580 drives one of them at 60FPS playing civ 5 on one of them.
It may have more of a problem with first person shooters.
I don't see any games that use two monitors. It is usually one or three. I'm sure there must be some.

 

[Katzie]

Hmmm thats weird... not too sure I might have to look into that.

My main monitor supports 1080P
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824002334

the 2 smaller ones dont... which I thought they did for some reason all these years lol
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824002355

So about the Tri-SLI, I think I'll hold off on that seeing as it wont work the way I would have intended it to work heh! SLI 580s should be enough to last me until that big push again when I make my new system. I plan on using these NECs for a long time, they really are awesome displays and have never failed me yet.

Also, I am a BIG multitasker, so I'd love to be running a game or 2 and also look at the web browser... which is why a 3 monitor setup (not stretched) would be pretty cool to me... but the 8800GTX cant do that

 

[geofelt]

If the 8800GTX is still functional, connect your two side monitors to that, and game on the GTX580.

If not, just get an inexpensive aux video card to attach them. For relatively static stuff like web pages, or even movies, any card will do.
That will leave the full resources available to the main gaming monitor. Something like a nvidia 6600 should do it. It will use the same driver as the other nvidia monitor.

 

[Katzie]

That, I did not know you could do!! But if I have both cards in there, won't the 580 run at the same speed as the 8800? Or is that just if they are in SLI?

My 8800GTX is still going strong... I will clean out the card and apply new thermal paste (maybe even upgrade the heatsink and fan?) and when I get the new 580GTX I'll install that. I read before that the drivers for the 8800GTX are the same drivers (since both are top end cards) so have both GPU's in there should cause no issues with the drivers correct? With that said, is there anything special I need to do once I install the 580GTX to make it run with my old card other then assigning which monitors get the output from the cards?

Thanks for the help!!!

 

[geofelt]

Running at the same speed applies only if they are connected via sli. Otherwise, they are independent.

You will need to use a second pcie-X16 slot for the second card, and I assume you have that, along with a sufficient psu. The 8800GTX will generate heat which must be dealt with. The 8800GTX is really more than you need for the side monitors, but it is probably not worth selling it in favor of a lesser card.

In the past, I have used a second card for the non gaming monitor. It works fine. In the bios, you will get to pick which display is to be used for boot .

I would keep the stock 8800GTX cooler. It is a direct exhaust type which gets the heat out of your PC directly. Other more efficient coolers dump the heat back into the case where case cooling has to deal with it.

 

[nforce4max]

Running at the same speed applies only if they are connected via sli. Otherwise, they are independent.

You will need to use a second pcie-X16 slot for the second card, and I assume you have that, along with a sufficient psu. The 8800GTX will generate heat which must be dealt with. The 8800GTX is really more than you need for the side monitors, but it is probably not worth selling it in favor of a lesser card.

In the past, I have used a second card for the non gaming monitor. It works fine. In the bios, you will get to pick which display is to be used for boot .

I would keep the stock 8800GTX cooler. It is a direct exhaust type which gets the heat out of your PC directly. Other more efficient coolers dump the heat back into the case where case cooling has to deal with it.

SLI does not synchronize clocks and hasn't since 2008 unlike ATI that does. How it is that people do not know this simple fact is beyond me. With Nvidia you can mix cards that have different clocks with very little or no negative impact on performance. I have owned 3 sli rigs over the past few years so I have gotten to know sli rather well. Plus one or more of the cards in sli can be overclocked to their individual limits without impacting scaling. For games that do not make use of more than one gpu overclocking the main cards comes to be a great advantage compared to crossfire.

 

[Katzie]

Yep! The 680i has 2 nicely spaced PCI-E slots (had 2 8800GTX SLI before) so thats not a problem. My PSU is also the Antec 1000W that replaced my p190 dual PSU setup that died (go figure). My case has GREAT airflow but if it pushes it out the case... then the stock fan is good!

This year I am trying to catch up on the new tech since I havent dealt with hardware for a few years. When I first built my rig SLI and all the configurations were way different than what it is now... which is why I am confused by what both of you said about SLI. nforce4max, you say I COULD SLI the 580 and the 8800 together and I will get the benefits of SLI but the 580 will run at its own speed too? I am not too sure if I buy that... seems technical to me and ahrd to implement if it does. Also, just to confirm, SLI nowadays can run multiple displays unlike back in the day where it could only run on 1 display correct?

 

[nforce4max]

Yep! The 680i has 2 nicely spaced PCI-E slots (had 2 8800GTX SLI before) so thats not a problem. My PSU is also the Antec 1000W that replaced my p190 dual PSU setup that died (go figure). My case has GREAT airflow but if it pushes it out the case... then the stock fan is good!

This year I am trying to catch up on the new tech since I havent dealt with hardware for a few years. When I first built my rig SLI and all the configurations were way different than what it is now... which is why I am confused by what both of you said about SLI. nforce4max, you say I COULD SLI the 580 and the 8800 together and I will get the benefits of SLI but the 580 will run at its own speed too? I am not too sure if I buy that... seems technical to me and ahrd to implement if it does. Also, just to confirm, SLI nowadays can run multiple displays unlike back in the day where it could only run on 1 display correct?

You can mix clocks and even memory sizes but they Must be the same gpu or derived core of the same generation. SLI does not allow to mix gpus unlike Crossfire that does such as a 5830 in crossfire with a 5850 ect but still must be based on the same core. You could do something like a hybrid setup but you must have a hydra equipped board and that came out long after 775 and 1356 had already started to age. So it is either two 8800gtx in sli or a gtx 580 with the 8800gtx as physx but no sli. You don't want to sli two gtx 580 with your setup not because of your psu but every thing else not being able to handle such powerful cards.

 

[Katzie]

Awesome got it! Sounds good guys thanks for the advice and tips! I am going to go get the 3GB version of the 580GTX next paycheck