Best GPU Set up with a Phenom 955

For reasons I've not seen adequately explored (whether CPU, chipset, or something else), multi-GPU setups on AMD don't perform as well as the same setups on Intel, and iirc frame rates are unaccountably lower than single GPU differences would suggest.
I would get something like a Xigmatek Gaia and OC your CPU. 3.6GHz should be attainable, possibly 3.8GHz or a little higher. The GTX560TI is a fairly powerful card, and unless you are playing at higher than 1080p I don't think SLI will be worth it.

The $40 for a cooler is a good idea. A stock 955 cant keep up with much more than a 560Ti IMO. Push it upto around 3.8GHz with a Hyper 212 Evo for ~$35.

It's always nice when your budget is $300 and people give you suggestions for $600.

I'm in a similar situation to you (955 BE @ 3.8GHz and GTX560), and my next upgrade would be a 2500K + Z68 for the same sort of budget in about 4 months time (or maybe ivy, depends on local availability and pricing), because then I'd have a better platform to jump into a $250 vid card from the next generation (HD88xx or GTX76x) for a good performance boost.

Well i have a FX 6100 but i'm figuring out the kinks to it. so im basically trying to find a GPU solution before i fix the FX issue ( Possibly RMA) I play at 1080 p. and if i use vsync for the most part its at 60 frames but at times its around the 50ish area

560ti is not capable of running most games maxed out @ 60fps on 1080P however SLI 560ti can run most games maxed out @ 60fps OP would greatly benefit from SLI 560ti however you bring a good valid point about chipset compatibility so for OP I would suggest a 7970.

Hey Zero, u think i should just wait for kepler?. Since its only a few months away?

Well im able to run BF3 at 1080p with vsync on and i can maintain a 60 fps. just can't go any higher. And no its not maxed out. just on High not ultra

Like I said 560ti will not max out games at 1080P and even 7970 is a bit under 60fps 55fps @ 1080P maxed setting in BF3 so a 560ti is a far cry.

560ti sli works for almost every game i play @1080P

So does my 560, as long as you are fine with 40 fps.

Yea whats up with Skyrim only running at like 35 to 45 fps with 1 GTX 560 ti. i have even lowered the graphics and its still like that. I also heard there is a 50/50 chance that SLI is gonna work with Skyrim.

You can run Skyrim on 7970 CF and it will still see the same framerate Skyrim is a CPU Bottle necked game and toms had a write up about it Skyrim Performance Bench marked and toms cam to conclusion than 2500 k nets 33fps min @ stock and 42fpsmin OCed and that's the best it will get and GPU does not change anything.

I wish theyd update there engine a little more to not take a Super computer to max it out. But i don't see much of a point in trying to MAX out every game, as long as it looks good. but still that being said looking good has to last so i'd still need good hardware to keep it lasting

I'm not much of a AMD Radeon fan. drivers give me a headache

They fixed the drivers they have been just fine for a long time and now you dont have to do anything Steam takes care of it all as far as drivers goes for AMD/Radeon plus I dont think Steam would be endorsing anything that would make there products not perform properly or at its peak etc.

You seem to know your Stuff Gordon, I like that. We cool haha

It's just a real good indicator if Steam is on the Radeon bandwagon AMD/Radeon are doing something right.

You mean by trying to make they're drivers installation friendly as possible

Best answer selected by Rockdpm.

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