SLI Upgrade need second opinion

[Mrjrex101]

Hello Everyone,
My problem is I am undertaking an upgrade to my current setup and i need a second perspective on the parts and compatibility to make sure i didn't miss anything. It's a rather expensive idea but I need some expert advice because this upgrade will be done over a several month period so i don't want to spend money now then find out several months later parts are incompatible.

My current specs
Intel I7-2600 (not k)
ASRock Z68 PRO3 GEN3
16G G Skill Rip jaws
775w thermal take PCU
PNY gtx 780 OC

Case: Thermaltake Level 10 GT (no water cooling)

What I want to do:
New MOBO: ASRock Z77 extreme 4
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157293

New PCU: Antec platinum 1000w (i wanted lots of headroom)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371060

Then a second PNY gtx 780 OC
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133525

Then Maybe an after market CPU cooler if necessary?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099

I want to do this as a SLI setup. It may be overkill, so i guess any other suggestions are welcomed but i would like to try SLI. From the research i did this setup should be fine, but I'm no expert when it comes to SLI. Then my final problem if this would work out is would cooling be a problem? From what i've read blower style reference cards are preferred, but it also appears my case may be fine cooling of this setup.

Also thanks in advanced for any replies

 

[clutchc]

I can't see any issues. I've never used that case, but it appears to be adequate for dual GTX 780s. But be aware that when you change MBs, Microsoft will detect that your Windows license has changed. If you have an OEM copy, you will need to activate again and possibly have trouble since an OEM license is tied to the MB.
Was there some particular problem you were afraid you might experience?

 

[Mrjrex101]

I can't see any issues. I've never used that case, but it appears to be adequate for dual GTX 780s. But be aware that when you change MBs, Microsoft will detect that your Windows license has changed. If you have an OEM copy, you will need to activate again and possibly have trouble since an OEM license is tied to the MB.
Was there some particular problem you were afraid you might experience?

First off thanks for the quick reply and the warning about the OEM.
the only particular problem i was worried about aside from compatibility was cooling.
I guess experience would be the quickest way to solve this problem but would you or anyone recommend any after market cooling?
or more simple stuff such as adding "better" fans than the stock ones or adding more of them
and finally should i look for an after market CPU cooler? right now my temps idle around 40-50c but with the increase amount of heat output from the cards I'm worried about over heating

 

[clutchc]

Well, the 2nd card will only leave its idle state when an SLI-aware game is recognized. So most of the time, the card will run at idle and produce little heat. The SLI rig in my sig. below has never had a heat issue. Nor have any other SLI rigs I've built. But if you are concerned, check into a top fan arrangement. Most heat will rise due to thermal dynamics and escape from the top of the case if it has an open top. A solid top can be a problem, tho. Heat will build up there. A side fan to blow on the cards is also an added benefit.

So... looking at your Thermaltake Level 10 GT case, it appears you have the perfect design for dual cards of that class. Big side fan for cooling that can be directed in exactly the correct path, large top fan for exhausting rising heat, along with the normal front and rear fans. Heat should not be an issue.

If you don't O/C your processor, there really is no compelling reason to switch to an after market cooler. But with 40C - 50C idle temp, I'd consider cleaning off/replacing the thermal paste on the stock cooler. That is too warm for idle. What does it get to when running something like Prime95?

 

[Mrjrex101]

Well, the 2nd card will only leave its idle state when an SLI-aware game is recognized. So most of the time, the card will run at idle and produce little heat. The SLI rig in my sig. below has never had a heat issue. Nor have any other SLI rigs I've built. But if you are concerned, check into a top fan arrangement. Most heat will rise due to thermal dynamics and escape from the top of the case if it has an open top. A solid top can be a problem, tho. Heat will build up there. A side fan to blow on the cards is also an added benefit.

So... looking at your Thermaltake Level 10 GT case, it appears you have the perfect design for dual cards of that class. Big side fan for cooling that can be directed in exactly the correct path, large top fan for exhausting rising heat, along with the normal front and rear fans. Heat should not be an issue.

If you don't O/C your processor, there really is no compelling reason to switch to an after market cooler. But with 40C - 50C idle temp, I'd consider cleaning off/replacing the thermal paste on the stock cooler. That is too warm for idle. What does it get to when running something like Prime95?

Thanks again for the fast reply
I'm currently on a different computer, but i recently ( 1 week ago) cleaned off the thermal paste and replaced it with some Arctic MX-4 paste. I do run three monitors for a combined resolution of 4800X900, so the large resolution is the main reason for the upgrade. I use core temps to measure my CPU temps and the idle temps are there with core temps up along with steam and chrome or World of Tanks. Then finally does the SLI actually help when running games or programs at larger resolutions or only as you said "when an SLI-aware game is recognized"?
and later I will check my CPU temps with core temps and another hardware temp program along with prime 95 to get more accurate data

 

[clutchc]

Almost all high-end games today support SLI and Crossfire. If you come across an older or low-end game that doesn't support SLI, the 2nd card will simply not be used. If you are gaming across 3 x 1600x900 monitors, SLI will be a big improvement. Most games that I have tested with my setup gave a 70% to 80% improvement over a single card depending on how well they scaled.

After you install the 2nd card, be sure to re-install the driver and reboot. You will then more than likely have to go to the NCP and enable SLI manually.

 

[clutchc]

Btw... how does that GTX 780 OC perform at that resolution? I am thinking of selling my 2 x GTX 660 OC cards and buying the first of possibly 2 x GTX 780 Ti cards. My gaming is all at 1920x1080.

 

[Mrjrex101]

Btw... how does that GTX 780 OC perform at that resolution? I am thinking of selling my 2 x GTX 660 OC cards and buying the first of possibly 2 x GTX 780 Ti cards. My gaming is all at 1920x1080.

Well first thanks for your help this has given me some grate insight onto what i need to do when i get around to buying the second card. Now the current PNY 780 i have is great, bulky, but great. it performs well and doesn't heat up too much and my case stays realativley cool. Now game wise i started off with a amd 6950 twin forzr 3 III by msi and it was great but the step up in cards to this nvidia was great for me. I still had three screens then so it was still a big improvident. Honestly though i was at first disappointed because I was unaware of how hard it was on the card to run bigger resolutions, so i expected to be able to run BF4 or Crysis (some of the higher end games) across three screens max graphics and well it did a great job. The 6950 was max graphics for one screen with antroscopic or anti-alisaing on low. the 780 however has yet to run into a problem with any game i have BF4 (30-20 fps average but was playable) , WOT, Deus Ex, Mass Effect, Metro: Last Light, Call of Duty, Skyrim heavily modded textures. everything runs well even Crysis 3 while low FPS (low 30s to low 20s) on max graphics. the one game it did have problems with was Arma 3 could only run playable on one screen was low 20s all the time across three.
Overall massive improvement from my perspective and for you 1920X1080 should run beautifully.

 

[clutchc]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm tossing around a couple ideas. One is as I mentioned above. The other is a re-build in a BitFenix Prodigy Arctic White case and a new ITX MB. With the top drive cage removed, The Prodigy is suppose to fit a gfx card up to 12.6". That would, of course, limit me to one card.