This is a complex question (for me) & I need some help to figure out the pros/cons & proper upgrade path. Current specs:
Win7 Home Premium
2600K
16GB RAM
P8P67 Asus Deluxe MB
2 x 240GB SSD (OCZ & Mushkin)
2 x MSI GTX680 FROZR/OC
3 x BenQ 24" 2420TX Monitors
I got the monitors last, so they had no influence on my current config. I'm going to add 1-2 680s and upgrade Mobo, Ram, & Cpu, so I can take advantage to the monitors, but before I spend the money, I want to insure I'm not creating new bottlenecks. Right now the proposed upgrade path is: CPU - 3930K, X79 Rampage IV, and Quad channel RAM. Here's my question. I know I don't want to be PCIe 2.0/3.0 limited, but I also don't want to be VRAM limited either. My 680s are not bottlenecked now on pcie2.0, but from all I've read, 3-4 cards at this resolution (5760 x 3240) will be.
Granted, I haven't tried every map; but right now if I run BF3 in auto-ultra setting the highest I've seen the VRAM usage go to is 2013MB, but no higher.
Question:Is VRAM usage affected by bus speed (i.e 2.0 vs. 3.0?) If I upgrade to x79 PCIE 3.0 (hacked), will my VRAM usage go up due to the higher bus speed?
Also, if I add more 680s, will VRAM go up on the individual cards just because I added more cards? I know the VRAM is not cumulative, but I don't understand the relationship between the two. Is VRAM usage strictly a function of game textures (and other things too)? In other words will I constantly be hitting the VRAM limit if I upgrade with 2GB cards? What about future games with more textures?
I didn't anticipate buying the monitors before I bought 2GB 680s. If so, I would have waited on 4GB cards just to be sure. But I don't want to buy more 2GB 680s if I really need 4GB to avoid VRAM limitations. You see my dilema. Selling current 680s to buy 4GB versions will be a major pain.
Anyway, sorry for the book, but it's a loaded question with no easy way to ask it. I've researched the answer, but none that I've found addresses the complete situation and provides a definitive answer.
Thanks for any help you can give me.
Win7 Home Premium
2600K
16GB RAM
P8P67 Asus Deluxe MB
2 x 240GB SSD (OCZ & Mushkin)
2 x MSI GTX680 FROZR/OC
3 x BenQ 24" 2420TX Monitors
I got the monitors last, so they had no influence on my current config. I'm going to add 1-2 680s and upgrade Mobo, Ram, & Cpu, so I can take advantage to the monitors, but before I spend the money, I want to insure I'm not creating new bottlenecks. Right now the proposed upgrade path is: CPU - 3930K, X79 Rampage IV, and Quad channel RAM. Here's my question. I know I don't want to be PCIe 2.0/3.0 limited, but I also don't want to be VRAM limited either. My 680s are not bottlenecked now on pcie2.0, but from all I've read, 3-4 cards at this resolution (5760 x 3240) will be.
Granted, I haven't tried every map; but right now if I run BF3 in auto-ultra setting the highest I've seen the VRAM usage go to is 2013MB, but no higher.
Question:Is VRAM usage affected by bus speed (i.e 2.0 vs. 3.0?) If I upgrade to x79 PCIE 3.0 (hacked), will my VRAM usage go up due to the higher bus speed?
Also, if I add more 680s, will VRAM go up on the individual cards just because I added more cards? I know the VRAM is not cumulative, but I don't understand the relationship between the two. Is VRAM usage strictly a function of game textures (and other things too)? In other words will I constantly be hitting the VRAM limit if I upgrade with 2GB cards? What about future games with more textures?
I didn't anticipate buying the monitors before I bought 2GB 680s. If so, I would have waited on 4GB cards just to be sure. But I don't want to buy more 2GB 680s if I really need 4GB to avoid VRAM limitations. You see my dilema. Selling current 680s to buy 4GB versions will be a major pain.
Anyway, sorry for the book, but it's a loaded question with no easy way to ask it. I've researched the answer, but none that I've found addresses the complete situation and provides a definitive answer.
Thanks for any help you can give me.