Updating rig for best performance in 2560x1600 gaming

bsbuser

Honorable
Jul 2, 2012
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10,510
Hello folks!


I am looking forward to upgrade my current gaming rig after I decided to buy a Dell U3014 display, or similar WQHD (2560x1600) monitor.

I currently own the following rig:

- PSU: Corsair TX850 850 Watt ATX Power Supply

- Mobo: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 LGA 1155 Z77 ATX Intel Motherboard

- CPU: i5 2500k (did not overclock it yet)

- Cooling: Hyper 212 EVO Universal CPU Cooler

- RAM: Vengeance 8GB DDR3-1600 (PC3-12800) CL9 Dual Channel Desktop RAM Kit (2 x 4GB) - the low profile ones

- GPU: EVGA GTX 680 FTW 4GB

- Storage: 1 SSD 128GB Crucial M4, 2 HDDs Seagate

- Display: Samsung 22" 1680x1050 60Hz 2ms


My main objective is to be able to play current top demanding games like Crysis 3 and Battlefield 3
as smooth as possible, with a "room" reserved to play upcoming (1 year ahead) titles like
Battlefield 4 at a minimum 60 fps with all the eye-candies turned on. I know, I know. It seems stupid to try to build a "future proof" setup.
I don't want that. The most far I am looking is one year ahead.

That being said, and after lots of readings, I got the following understandings with gaming on WQHD:
- There is no currently available 120Hz WQHD monitor. At least not one at the price level of current WQHD displays. So the bare minimum is 60fps.
- In order to achieve 60fps minimum at that resolution (2560x1600) I would require at least:
- a GTX TITAN 6Gb; or
- a GTX 690 4Gb; or
- 2 x GTX 680 4Gb (SLI); or
- 2 x HD 7970 Ghz (I see everywhere people reporting problems when CrossFiring AMD/Radeons, so I dismiss this option)
- However as I need more fps reserved for upcoming titles, I think I should look for 100fps+ setups, which would require a minimum of:
- 2 x GTX TITAN 6Gb; or
- 2 x GTX 690 4Gb; or
- 3 x GTX 680 4Gb FTW

From this multiple gfx setup perspective, I see two main problems: overheating and power consumption. And for those three setups, which have about the same price, I only see one option
with lesser heat and wattage. And it is the 2 x GTX Titan 6Gb.

Ok. Assuming I will be able to grab 2 GTX Titans, I was afraid I was forgetting something else. Then I stumbled at this benchmark site (http://www.techpowerup.com/mobile/reviews/NVIDIA/GeForce_GTX_Titan_SLI/1.html), where they told something about 3-Way SLI on GTX Titans
requiring a "Sandry Bridge-E" and a X79 motherboard in order to the cards fully use the X16 PCI-Express connections.

So, I don't plan running tripple SLI, but 2-Way only. With that in mind, should I look for other upgrades to my rig in order to avoid bottlenecking?

Are my mobo, processor and memory enough to unleash the full power from the Titans?

As I am spending so much with this setup (gfx + display), I would avoid buying other components if they would only add few FPS to the overall.


What would be your sugesstions for the setup in order for not bottlenecking?


Thanks in advance,

Erich.
 

bsbuser

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Jul 2, 2012
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But you think that a singgle titan or two gtx 680 will handle Crysis 3 and Battlefield 3 at 2560x1600 ultra-settings @ 60 fps+?

I've read that a single titan or 2 gtx 680 sli'ed barely manage to reach 60 fps.

Don't you agree with that?

And IF I buy two Titans, will my system bottleneck them somewhere?

Thnx..
 

marshallbradley

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Sep 24, 2012
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If you're considering 2+ Titans, you're probably going to want something better than a 2500K (esp. since it's not overclocked!).

Games like Crysis 3 and BF 3 multi-player really thrive on highly multi-threaded CPUs. Just have a look at the CPU comparison on Crysis 3. As you can see there is a huge difference between the 3550 (likely to have very similar performance to a 2500K) and the hexa-core i7-3960X. As you can see there is already bottlenecking with the 3550 and a single GTX 680, so imagine what it would be like with multiple Titans! I'd go for at least a i7-3930K in your situation.

This is if money is a complete non-issue though. Otherwise a single Titan would suit you very well I think.

M
 

bsbuser

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Jul 2, 2012
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The problem is, if I go the i7-3930K route and its $500+ cost, being it a LGA 2011 socket I will need to buy a new motherboard too. And that would add another $250+...

Instead of that, if I only manage to overclock my i5 2500k from 3.3Ghz (stock) to 4.2 ~ 4.3 Ghz, would it get similar or close performance to the i7-3930K (as marshallbradley advice)?

 

Marcopolo123

Honorable
I7-3930k is a stupid choice ,performance difference is minimal . I5-2500k overclocked is OK
Gtx titan is also a stupid choise, gtx 780 is the way to go.

The ONLY thing i would do is to buy a second gtx 680.
its enough !!!
And playing 40-50fps is totaly acceptable !!! Duh you won't bother!
Turn down some settings, you barely notice the difference anyway.

 

bsbuser

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Jul 2, 2012
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Marcopolo,

I got your point, but don't you think two gtx 680 plus the 2500k being overclocked might still be a weak setup for the upcoming titles like BF4 and next year's, expecting to play them at high settings and 2560x1600 at a reasonable ~60fps?



 

Marcopolo123

Honorable


Your expectations are too high, even though the i5-2500k is abit old the performance difference between i5-3570k is very little.
Battlefield 4 is a joke, it won't need much more then bf3.
Upcoming games on high settings arent a problem
2xgtx 680 is plenty and only about 15-20% slower then 2gtx780.
So 1300$ for 2gtx780 or 450$ and sacrifice 15-20% ???