GTX 690 vs Titan?

[ShindoSensei]

So i know this is a question thrown time and time again. I'm building a new gaming rig, and these two cards are like cousins. The Titan has 2 gigs of more VRAM, but clocked a little slower than the 690. If i buy a Titan now, and then a year or two (whenever I need the added speed) I can SLI the titan. But at the end of the day, would you recommend the 690 or Titan, and if there isn't a definite answer what should constitute my choice for either one. Thanks!

 

[stickmansam]

I would buy a 690 and then upgrade come 8xx and get an 880 or two much better perf overall IMO, 880's will likely match or beat the titan's perf and also new support features

 

[SlipryHippy]

If you were going to sli I would pick the Titan hands down. As a side note, the 690 only has 2GB of usable v-ram. The 4GB is just a marketing gimmick. So the Titan wins on that front. As a single card i would get some more input from other members. Personally i would just get two 7970s in crossfire. You cant beat that!

 

[ShindoSensei]

^now this isn't excatly on topic, 110%, but is it true that Intel processors work better with Nvidia cards, and AMD to ATI? This is the biggest n00b question someone could ask I guess, but hey the more you know.

 

[17seconds]

The Intel/Nvidia setup is definitely superior to anything based around an AMD CPU, but the video cards work the same regardless of the processor platform.

Hardware Canucks did a good analysis of why one would go for the Titan over the GTX 690, despite the higher average FPS:

If the GTX TITAN’s price is exclusively associated with raw frame rates, it seems like NVIDIA may have completely misjudged its positioning somewhere along the line. $1000 for a product that simply strides in the vast open space between the GTX 680 and GTX 690 yet is priced identically to the latter seems absolutely preposterous at first glance. But it isn’t. NVIDIA’s strategy here is spot-on and there are two reason for that: frame times and consistency.

When it comes to a consistent gameplay experience, the TITAN is head, shoulders and knees above its compatriots. The low standard deviation shown between frame times is a fraction of what other solutions offer, which in turn leads to significantly smoother onscreen performance. For example, the GTX 690 exhibits many of the issues normally associated with dual GPU cards like minor stuttering and outright frame hesitation, a situation the TITAN deftly avoids by virtue of being a single core solution. Gamers won’t have to wait for the latest SLI profile for optimal new game support either. So while the GTX 690 may outclass the TITAN in terms of raw framerate production, the GK110 clearly holds the edge this key area.

Even though it is a single GPU solution, AMD’s HD 7970 GHz just isn’t in the same league as the GeForce TITAN. Its comparative frame times border on abysmal and no amount of overclocking will improve that fact. Had AMD addressed the stuttering in key games like Far Cry 3 and Hitman Absolution (both of which are Gaming Evolved titles I may add) we could be having a very different conversation right now, especially considering the GHz Edition’s strong framerates.
http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/59785-nvidia-geforce-gtx-titan-6gb-performance-review-19.html

 

[doogansquest]

So what the hell is the Titan supposed to be if everyone expects Nvidia to continue to the 7xx naming scheme? Maybe they are getting out of the number-naming thing, or the Titan is just a giant waste of transitional space.

 

[SL97]

Titan hands down, overclock it and the gap between it and the GTX 690 will close to some extent, whats best is that you always got the option of SLi which means the titan is pretty futureproof for a good 3 or 4 years.

 

[gridironcj]

So what the hell is the Titan supposed to be if everyone expects Nvidia to continue to the 7xx naming scheme? Maybe they are getting out of the number-naming thing, or the Titan is just a giant waste of transitional space.

The Titan is the highest end Kepler card, simple as that. It's a luxury card, you could say. The 700 series might even have its own Titan, due to its success. If there is a Kepler refresh, expect the 780 to be in between the 680 and the Titan.