Could you guys throw some ideas here?

[idroid]

Hello everyone, i want to build my own water cooled PC.

This is what i want to get:

CPU: Intel Core i7-3770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($324.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: Asus Maximus V Formula EATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($279.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3-2133 Memory ($121.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($109.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: OCZ Vertex 4 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($189.00 @ Newegg)
Video Card: HIS Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card (CrossFire) ($394.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: HIS Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card (CrossFire) ($394.99 @ Newegg)
Sound Card: Asus Xonar Phoebus 24-bit 96 KHz Sound Card ($187.99 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Asus BC-12B1ST/BLK/B/AS Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer ($49.98 @ NCIX US)
Monitor: HP ZR30w 30.0" Monitor ($1099.00 @ B&H)
Power Supply: CORSAIR AX1200i 1200W ($349.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Caselabs MAGNUM STH10 (649.95 @ Caselabs Store)
Mouse: Mad Catz R.A.T.7 Gaming Mouse ($75.85 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Corsair Vengeance K90 Wired Gaming Keyboard ($89.98 @ NCIX US)
CPU Water block: XSPC RayStorm Acetal CPU Liquid Cooling Block (119.99$ @ FrozzenCPU)
GPU Water block: XSPC Razor HD 7970 Full Coverage VGA Block ($104.99 @ FrozenCPU)
GPU Water block: XSPC Razor HD 7970 Full Coverage VGA Block ($104.99 @ FrozenCPU)
Radiator 1: Phobya G-Changer 560mm Radiator ($134.99 @ FrozenCPU)
Radiator 2: Alphacool NexXxoS UT60 Full Copper 480mm ($119.81 @ Aquatuning)
Pump: XSPC Twin D5 Dual Bay Reservoir Pump Combo ($239.00 @ PCcasegear)
Radiator Mount 1: Phobya Radiator Stand black Quad 4x120mm ($23.46 @ Aquatuning)
Radiator Mount 2: 140.4 Radiator Side Mount ST/SMH10 ($29.95 @ Caselabs Store)
Fittings: 12x Bitspower G1/4 Deep Blood Red Rotary 1/2 Fitting ($14.00 each @ PCcasegear)
VGA Fittings: 2x Bitspower G1/4 Silver Shining D-Plug Set ($9.00)
Tubing: 10FtPrimoChill PrimoFlex Pro LRT Tubing UV Red 1/2ID 3/4OD ($9.00/ft @ PCcasegear)
Thermal Compund Arctic MX-4 Super High Performance Non-Conductive Thermal Compound ($29.95 @ FrozenCPU)
120mm Fans: 4x Aerocool Shark Red Edition 120mm x 25mm High Air Pressure Fan ($15.99 each @ FrozenCPU)
140mm Fans: 4x Lian Li 140mm Red LED Fan CF-1412R ($22.00 each @ PCcasegear)
Coolant: 3x Koolance Fluorescent Red Liquid Coolant 700 ml ($19.00 each @ PCcasegear)
Lighting: Phobya LED-Flexlight HighDensity 500cm red ($77.81 @ Aquatuning)
Total: $4934.66
My questions:

*For how long do you think that 2x 7970's will be enough for 2560x1600 gaming (with EVERYTHING maxed out)
*Do you think that the WC system is worth it?
*What other case can hold my system + the radiators necessary to keep my system at almost room temperature?
*What other (2560x1600) monitor would you recommend me?
*How well do you think my system will overclock?
*Do you think that this WC system will allow me to overclock IB to ~4.8?
*How far can i overclock a 7970?
*What's the usual VRAM usage @2560x1600 for games like BF3, Crysis2, etc will EVERYTHING maxed out including AA,AF and possible texture mods?
*Will 3GB of VRAM be enough for now and 18-24 months?
*Should i get a 4GB version of the GTX670/680?
*can a NON REFERENCE 7970 GHz edition be watercooled?
*Will the 7970 GHz edition be more stable at higher clock than the normal 7970?
*The monitor i linked does not have LED backlight, will this reduce the image quality?
*Is IPS really that good?

 

[Why_Me]

http://www.amazon.com/Seasonic-PLATINUM-1000-1000-Power-Supply/dp/B00608FKN8/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1345616370&sr=1-1 $219.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping
SeaSonic Platinum-1000 1000W ATX12V / EPS12V 80 PLUS PLATINUM Certified Full Modular Power Supply

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ASRock Z77 Extreme9 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

PCI Express 3.0 x16: 5 (PCIE2: x16 mode or PCIE1/PCIE3/PCIE5/PCIE7: x16/0/16/0 or x8/8/8/8 mode)

or...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131822 $339.99 FREE SHIPPING
ASUS P8Z77 WS LGA 1155 Intel Z77 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

PCI Express 3.0 x16: 4 (x16/x16/0/0 or x16/x8/x8/0 or x8/x8/x8/x8)


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127695 $599.99 - $579.99 after $20.00 rebate
MSI N680GTX Twin Frozr 4GD5/OC GeForce GTX 680 4GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226245 $59.99 FREE SHIPPING
Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2133 (PC3 17000) Desktop Memory Model 997015

 

[Swolern]

Now thats a sweet rig you got there OP!

Water cooling is more of a hobby than just straight performance. Yes you will have increased performance at cooler temps, but it cost a lot to get just a few 100mhz higher OC than a high-end air cooler could do. And you better have a lot of free time because the set-up and upkeep demands your time. IB gets very hot past a certain threshold (depending on chip), usually 4.7-4.9. When it gets past that threshold it takes a tremendous amount of cooling to get it under control. This is all different per chip and silicone quality you get. I got my previous 3770k to 4.88 stable with my H100.

Do you need a very high overclock with 7970 CF or SLI. Not too much. A good CPU like the 3770 will not start to bottleneck until 3/4-way SLI. But many people have the high OC for bragging writes and for the thrill of seeing how high you can push your limits without burning the card. I need a water loop for my 4-way sli rig, as I have a CPU bottleneck, I just havent had the time.


3GB VRAM for 2yrs???

This is a high end system you have planning here. You dont seem like the type of person that would keep these cards for 2 yrs. They will be outdated next year when new cards come out that will outperform these and have extra features/options. Other components that can last you a long time are motherboard, case, & PSU so if you want to future proof your system(as much as possible) it is wise to buy high-end in those areas. Other components can be sold and upgraded for not too much more when newer components come out.

But 3gb would probably not be enough to max out games in 2 years, unless game developers figure out another way do display high anti-aliasing without using a ton of VRAM. Which in fact they are already doing that with Nvidia cards and the new TXAA, where you have 8xMSAA quality at a 2xMSAA performance hit.


IPS?

Yes IPS monitors are amazing. They have the most life-like color reproduction currently available. But screen motion is also a big factor when gaming. Depending on what type of gaming you do the most a different monitor might be better, you have to decide. To me IPS 60hz monitors are more for slower paced/ adventure games. Fast paced FPS games i would rather choose a 120hz monitor capable of displaying 120fps for that extra smooth gameplay and sooo much clearer when turning, and actually gives you an advantage in competitive online multiplayer like BF3. And if you have never seen a solid framerate of 120fps in a FPS game you will not understand what I'm saying, but it is something that has to be seen to believe. I just wish, hopefully soon, they will make the best of both worlds IPS 120hz monitors.



7970s vs 680/670s:

Both will perform about the same. 680s will beat the 7970 at stock but when OC they are pretty close. What pushed me over the edge to Nvidia was the extra features: PhysX, Adaptive Vsync, TXAA, and 3d is a ton better with Nvidia. But if those dont matter to you the 7970s are great also.

 

[idroid]

Now thats a sweet rig you got there OP!

Water cooling is more of a hobby than just straight performance. Yes you will have increased performance at cooler temps, but it cost a lot to get just a few 100mhz higher OC than a high-end air cooler could do. And you better have a lot of free time because the set-up and upkeep demands your time. IB gets very hot past a certain threshold (depending on chip), usually 4.7-4.9. When it gets past that threshold it takes a tremendous amount of cooling to get it under control. This is all different per chip and silicone quality you get. I got my previous 3770k to 4.88 stable with my H100.

Do you need a very high overclock with 7970 CF or SLI. Not too much. A good CPU like the 3770 will not start to bottleneck until 3/4-way SLI. But many people have the high OC for bragging writes and for the thrill of seeing how high you can push your limits without burning the card. I need a water loop for my 4-way sli rig, as I have a CPU bottleneck, I just havent had the time.

*I was thinking about getting air cooling but water cooling simply looks better and i guess its a bit more quiet.
*Sadly, i don't have a lot of free time, i run a really large business and my wife is pregnant...i am very busy...anyways, why does WC require time? i think i can build it in a few hours max.

3GB VRAM for 2yrs???

This is a high end system you have planning here. You dont seem like the type of person that would keep these cards for 2 yrs. They will be outdated next year when new cards come out that will outperform these and have extra features/options. Other components that can last you a long time are motherboard, case, & PSU so if you want to future proof your system(as much as possible) it is wise to buy high-end in those areas. Other components can be sold and upgraded for not too much more when newer components come out.

But 3gb would probably not be enough to max out games in 2 years, unless game developers figure out another way do display high anti-aliasing without using a ton of VRAM. Which in fact they are already doing that with Nvidia cards and the new TXAA, where you have 8xMSAA quality at a 2xMSAA performance hit.

*I think i will upgrade a lot sooner than i was expecting, i like to have only the best of best but as much as i would like to get a Quad SLI system like yours i simply will waste it because i do not (ever) intend to run my games @5760x1080 because of the black bars in the middle, if that wasn't a problem for me i would get Quad GTX680s without even thinking about it

IPS?

Yes IPS monitors are amazing. They have the most life-like color reproduction currently available. But screen motion is also a big factor when gaming. Depending on what type of gaming you do the most a different monitor might be better, you have to decide. To me IPS 60hz monitors are more for slower paced/ adventure games. Fast paced FPS games i would rather choose a 120hz monitor capable of displaying 120fps for that extra smooth gameplay and sooo much clearer when turning, and actually gives you an advantage in competitive online multiplayer like BF3. And if you have never seen a solid framerate of 120fps in a FPS game you will not understand what I'm saying, but it is something that has to be seen to believe. I just wish, hopefully soon, they will make the best of both worlds IPS 120hz monitors.

*i was worried about someone bringing that up... what 120Hz 2560x1600 monitor do you recommend me? i barely play 2 or 3 hours a week (maybe 4) so i don't know if i will really need a 120Hz monitor to game comfortably, picture quality is a lot more important (my eyes are VERY picky ) anyways... its not like a need a 120 frame rate to let my natural killer instincts out in a game

7970s vs 680/670s:

Both will perform about the same. 680s will beat the 7970 at stock but when OC they are pretty close. What pushed me over the edge to Nvidia was the extra features: PhysX, Adaptive Vsync, TXAA, and 3d is a ton better with Nvidia. But if those dont matter to you the 7970s are great also.

*Do you think that if i get an extra 7970 i can use SSAA instead of MSAA @2560x1600?
*is there a really big difference between MSAA and SSAA?
*Should i go for Nvidia because of the TXAA?

 

[Motopsychojdn]

Drop a thread in Overclocking section,
we have a W/c sub-section and can help you on the wetside of things better there,
but thats a very nice loop you've drawn up,
I would only tell you, not suggest, tell you to lose the coolant and use distilled water instead,
and people think W/c requires a lot of time, it doesn't really, you get used to checking your loop whilst you're at the Pc regularly and if designed right, you won't have to strip it to flush out, only for a full blockwash and rebuild,
it is more a hobby nowadays, but its a great one
read the W/c sticky and you'll find out why you should lose the premixed coolant, I'll see you over there man
**Edit, oh, and double up on the fans and add a couple of fancontrollers, you get better cooling with fans on both sides, and use the controller to turn em off/down/up as required
Moto

 

[Swolern]

I was thinking about getting air cooling but water cooling simply looks better and i guess its a bit more quiet.
*Sadly, i don't have a lot of free time, i run a really large business and my wife is pregnant...i am very busy...anyways, why does WC require time? i think i can build it in a few hours max.

First water loop? If you have done it before then maybe a couple hours. But if not there is a ton of potential problems that you can run into and have to figure out. A lengthy leak test is a must! A water loop is not a setup and forget about system, there is a lot of maintenance involved to keep it running properly. http://www.maximumpc.com/article/how_to_maintain_your_watercooling_setup

*I think i will upgrade a lot sooner than i was expecting, i like to have only the best of best but as much as i would like to get a Quad SLI system like yours i simply will waste it because i do not (ever) intend to run my games @5760x1080 because of the black bars in the middle, if that wasn't a problem for me i would get Quad GTX680s without even thinking about it

LOL. Thats the same exact thing i said 8 months ago. I promised never to buy a mutli screen setup until there are a no bezel system. Then I tried out a buddy's 5760x1080 setup and was in shock & awe. First your primary vision is set on the middle screen and your peripheral vision are on the side monitors. So you dont even see the bezels unless you make an efforts and focus your eyes on them. Its really amazing to be surrounded by the virtual world and gives you a big advantage also in FPS games to see your flanks.

*i was worried about someone bringing that up... what 120Hz 2560x1600 monitor do you recommend me? i barely play 2 or 3 hours a week (maybe 4) so i don't know if i will really need a 120Hz monitor to game comfortably, picture quality is a lot more important (my eyes are VERY picky ) anyways... its not like a need a 120 frame rate to let my natural killer instincts out in a game

Like i said seeing is believing. I said the same thing until i saw it for myself and gamed with it.
Unfortunately they dont make 2560x1600 120hz yet. The highest 120hz is 1920x1080. I wish they did! I have seen some Korean 2560x1440 monitors that were able to be hack to 100hz.

 

[Swolern]

If you really dont wanted black bars you could get a setup like that has tiny bezels. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXXSqce04fE&feature=my_liked_videos&list=LLdmMOZSiTZB6_GPQH29SMjw

Or a setup like this where the bezels are removed completely. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ovm7XBtaQAM&feature=plcp

Trust me. If you get a high-end setup with eye gouging graphics and a panoramic view of monitors that completely engulfs your senses and field of view, you will be longing more than 3-4 hrs a week.

Also multi-monitors have other uses than gaming. Work related uses makes multitasking so much better and more efficient. I dont think I could go back to a single monitor.

 

[idroid]

First water loop? If you have done it before then maybe a couple hours. But if not there is a ton of potential problems that you can run into and have to figure out. A lengthy leak test is a must! A water loop is not a setup and forgetabout system, there is a lot of maintenance involved to keep it running properly.http://www.maximumpc.com/article/how_to_maintain_your_watercooling_setup

I think i can handle water cooling just fine its not my first build and i watched a LOOOOT of videos about water cooling and all the test, i know i can do it!

LOL. Thats the same exact thing i said 8 months ago. I promised never to buy a mutli screen setup until there are a no bezel system. Then I tried out a buddy's 5760x1080 setup and was in shock & awe. First your primary vision is set on the middle screen and your peripheral vision are on the side monitors. So you dont even see the bezels unless you make an efforts and focus your eyes on them. Its really amazing to be surrounded by the virtual world and gives you a big advantage also in FPS games to see your flanks.

I am still skipping 5760x1080 but i will definitely give it a try, the problem is that in my home office (witch is insanely huge) has been reduced to a couple of squarefeets because of ALL the stuff i have there so i can't really fit a triple 27" setup on my desk BUT.... in a couple of months (after i do some research about triple monitors and VRAM usage) i will buy some big a** furniture for my attic and probably buy another PC (better suited for 3 monitors) and setup my gaming-only place there

Like i said seeing is believing. I said the same thing until i saw it for myself and gamed with it.
Unfortunately they dont make 2560x1600 120hz yet. The highest 120hz is 1920x1080. I wish they did! I have seen some Korean 2560x1440 monitors that were able to be hack to 100hz.

That's disappointing, anyways... if i buy a 3 monitor setup it must be 3D

 

[idroid]

Drop a thread in Overclocking section,
we have a W/c sub-section and can help you on the wetside of things better there,
but thats a very nice loop you've drawn up,
I would only tell you, not suggest, tell you to lose the coolant and use distilled water instead,
and people think W/c requires a lot of time, it doesn't really, you get used to checking your loop whilst you're at the Pc regularly and if designed right, you won't have to strip it to flush out, only for a full blockwash and rebuild,
it is more a hobby nowadays, but its a great one
read the W/c sticky and you'll find out why you should lose the premixed coolant, I'll see you over there man
**Edit, oh, and double up on the fans and add a couple of fancontrollers, you get better cooling with fans on both sides, and use the controller to turn em off/down/up as required
Moto

Yeah... i heard that colored coolant is bad before i posted my build but i thought i was gonna get away with it ...anyways... i can't find the the explanation

 

[Motopsychojdn]

Dyes in coolants tend to break down over a period, some quickly, some over time, its inescapable, if you are prepared for 3-6month regular flushes and the expense (not a concern I'd think for you) then Mayhems dyes are one of the higher quality offerings,
the other issue with it is that anything you add to the distilled water takes away from the performance capabilities of the coolant, anti algae drops like Pt nuke don't affect things massively, but if you throw in some anti-corrion gloop, maybe some anti-freeze if you feel like going ghetto and the water can't transfer heat as efficiently as it could pre-addition, Theres a section on additives/dyes in the sticky
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/277130-11-read-first-watercooling-sticky
Theres a bit right at the start showing the different cooling capabilities of water versus air, Anti-freeze (Ethylen glycol) etc,
and no, in the interests of the W/c team here trying to help people, you wouldn't 'get away' with it, at least not without huge lectures from the regulars hehe

Moto

 

[idroid]

Dyes in coolants tend to break down over a period, some quickly, some over time, its inescapable, if you are prepared for 3-6month regular flushes and the expense (not a concern I'd think for you) then Mayhems dyes are one of the higher quality offerings,
the other issue with it is that anything you add to the distilled water takes away from the performance capabilities of the coolant, anti algae drops like Pt nuke don't affect things massively, but if you throw in some anti-corrion gloop, maybe some anti-freeze if you feel like going ghetto and the water can't transfer heat as efficiently as it could pre-addition, Theres a section on additives/dyes in the sticky
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/277130-11-read-first-watercooling-sticky
Theres a bit right at the start showing the different cooling capabilities of water versus air, Anti-freeze (Ethylen glycol) etc,
and no, in the interests of the W/c team here trying to help people, you wouldn't 'get away' with it, at least not without huge lectures from the regulars hehe

Moto

Thanks a lot buddy! i guess the red tubing/lighting/red fans will do the job :lol:

btw... i went to frozencpu and found this: http://www.frozencpu.com/products/14369/ex-liq-194/Primochill_Base_High_Purity_Deionized_Water_-_1_Gallon_PC-BASE128.html?tl=g30c103s753 do you think it's worth it?

 

[Swolern]

I think i can handle water cooling just fine its not my first build and i watched a LOOOOT of videos about water cooling and all the test, i know i can do it!

Oh I dont doubt you can do it. You look like a guy that does his research. It would definitely be tons of fun. I need/want a loop also, I just need to find the time. My wife is already riding me with the time i spend with my PC, LOL.

That's disappointing, anyways... if i buy a 3 monitor setup it must be 3D

Now your talking! The great things about 3d monitors is you have the choice for 3d @ 60hz or 2d @ 120hz. Every game is not made well for 3d, but when they are 3d surround is the most bad*** visuals Ive seen. When you are surrounded by a virtual 3d environment it takes you breath away when done well, its the closest thing to the holy grail "Holodeck" that I have ever seen. The new 3d vision 2 monitors are a must.

 

[idroid]

Oh I dont doubt you can do it. You look like a guy that does his research. It would definitely be tons of fun. I need/want a loop also, I just need to find the time. My wife is already riding me with the time i spend with my PC, LOL.

*i hope so! damn i can't wait to order my stuff but i want to a little bit more research just to be sure that everything will fit and look nice.

*LOL!! my wife is pregnant right now so she is using that as an excuse to be the biggest b*** in the world (i love her tough )

Now your talking! The great things about 3d monitors is you have the choice for 3d @ 60hz or 2d @ 120hz. Every game is not made well for 3d, but when they are 3d surround is the most bad*** visuals Ive seen. When you are surrounded by a virtual 3d environment it takes you breath away when done well, its the closest thing to the holy grail "Holodeck" that I have ever seen. The new 3d vision 2 monitors are a must.

i will definitely get a setup like that.... although i am gonna have to wait for haswell-e and the next generation of GPUs to come out because i am definitely not happy with the performance of current gen hardware in 3D mode.. mean while, my dual 7970s will have to the job for 2560x1600 gaming....

another thing i was wondering... does PhysX matters?? i mean, is there a real difference between a PhysX and a NON PhysX game?

 

[Swolern]

Congrats with the pregnancy. My wife was worse. She would wake up in the middle of the night and make me go get all kinds of weird food at the damn grocery store. She would start crying if I didn't go. Hormonal basket case! But ya gota love em.

PhysX is amazing! It adds so many effects based on physics that are not normally in games. The only thing is PhysX is not supported in every game, but there are a few big name titles that have the support.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trq6B4anzjM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpLtTBdq9cs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt8DEEEMTHw

 

[Motopsychojdn]

Nah, nip down to your local walmart/pharmacy/auto store and grab plain distilled water, not sure of US prices but 5L here in the UK is around £4
most 'pure, non-conductive triplefiltered' crap from manufacturers is overpriced and I'm happy to annoy them here, will be just as conductive as any other liquid after about five minute of runtime in a loop,
don't buy the hype, buy normal distilled at a sensible cost
Moto

 

[idroid]

Nah, nip down to your local walmart/pharmacy/auto store and grab plain distilled water, not sure of US prices but 5L here in the UK is around £4
most 'pure, non-conductive triplefiltered' crap from manufacturers is overpriced and I'm happy to annoy them here, will be just as conductive as any other liquid after about five minute of runtime in a loop,
don't buy the hype, buy normal distilled at a sensible cost
Moto

Will do!

 

[idroid]

Congrats with the pregnancy. My wife was worse. She would wake up in the middle of the night and make me go get all kinds of weird food at the damn grocery store. She would start crying if I didn't go. Hormonal basket case! But ya gota love em.

PhysX is amazing! It adds so many effects based on physics that are not normally in games. The only thing is PhysX is not supported in every game, but there are a few big name titles that have the support.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trq6B4anzjM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpLtTBdq9cs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt8DEEEMTHw

LOL!!

Wow... physx add some cool effects... should i get dual GTX680/670 + a idk...GTX 560ti for PhysX??

Edit: does every game's graphics improve that much??? how about BF3?

 

[Swolern]

670s or 680s are great, only about 5-8% difference between the two. The 670s are definitely the best band for the buck at $100 cheaper each card. But 680 is the top of the class at just a tad better.

No PhysX support for BF3. That would be awesome. Real physics blood splatter! Currently there are only about 15-20 games that support PhysX and the list is growing with the new Borderlands 2 game set to release.

I would just get your 2 GPUs at first and see how your performance is and you can add a 560 for PhysX later if you see the need.

 

[idroid]

670s or 680s are great, only about 5-8% difference between the two. The 670s are definitely the best band for the buck at $100 cheaper each card. But 680 is the top of the class at just a tad better.

No PhysX support for BF3. That would be awesome. Real physics blood splatter! Currently there are only about 15-20 games that support PhysX and the list is growing with the new Borderlands 2 game set to release.

I would just get your 2 GPUs at first and see how your performance is and you can add a 560 for PhysX later if you see the need.

Uhmmm... that was unexpected, i tought that a lot of games supported physX...well, dual 7970 it is!! until haswell and next gen GPUs come out!