Your Thoughts: R9 290s in CF vs single GTX980TI with 5960x

[guskline]

Just purchased a single EVGA GTX980 TI SC+BP to replace dual R9 290s in CF in rig below. I don't yet have the waterblock and decided to try the new GTX980TI in my 3770k rig (@4.5Ghz) which had a single Sapphire Tri-X R9 290. WOW what a jump in performance. (The 3770k is also hooked up to a 27" 2560 x1440 monitor). Should I replace the dual 290s and put them in the 3770k or keep the gtx980TI in the 3770k and the dual 290s in the 5960x rig.

Your thoughts.

 

[phantom404]

I'm interested in this as well because I was looking at either a 980 TI or Furry X but decided to order a 2nd 290 and crossfire them for now.

 

[moonbogg]

I think it really comes down to your own preference. Either CPU will be able to drive the card just fine. I do think that once the 980ti is water cooled and gets a good OC going that it will match or beat the two 290's, but with a single card. The single card solution will perform better due to the lack of multi gpu issues, not to mention the extra Vram. So from this perspective, I would lean toward putting the 980ti in the 5960x rig. That's what I would personally do. The highest end GPU deserves to serve next the highest end CPU.

 

[Rvenger]

I went from 2x 290s to a single 980ti.

980ti for sure. They perform the same but without the multicard issues.

 

[Mondozei]

As an ex-owner of two 290's (Tri-X) in CF, I can attest that AMD's drivers work really well in CF. They have lower frame variance than most SLI configs. The scaling is quite good, you often get 60% more performance from the other card, sometimes up to 80%.

But they are really warm. I had a private sauna in my living room and I live in comfortably cool Sweden but even here it was really getting warm. Acoustics wise it was of course more noisy, but that is a trade-off with all SLI/CF configs.

I'd still say that the 980 Ti is a better buy. The performance is about the same once the 980 Ti is OC'd and you get less heat and noise.

Yes, you'd pay a bit more for it, but it is worth it imo. If it had been the 980 vs two 290s 6-8 months ago, it'd be a no-brainer in favor of 290s in CF, but not now.

 

[Face2Face]

I would keep the Sapphire Tri-X 290 in your 3770K rig, and sell the 290's w/waterblocks, then keep the 980ti w/waterblock in your main rig (5960X).

 

[MagickMan]

I went from 2x 290s to a single 980ti.

980ti for sure. They perform the same but without the multicard issues.

This. Either a 980Ti or a Fury X over 2x 290s.

 

[n0x1ous]

980ti sli for 5960x rig and 980ti for 3770k rig

 

[happy medium]

I went from 2x 290s to a single 980ti.

980ti for sure. They perform the same but without the multicard issues.

this x10

sell the 290's and buy another 980ti for the other rig.

 

[tential]

this x10

sell the 290's and buy another 980ti for the other rig.

this seriously.

 

[YBS1]

Honestly, you have a 5960X. Sell two of the 290's, use the money toward another 980Ti. Keep one 290 for the 3770k rig.

That's what I'm going to do, rotate downward. Will be keeping one of the Classifieds and moving it to the 3930K, selling one and the 760, throwing 2-4 980Ti's/Fury X's into the 5960.

 

[Silverforce11]

I would go with a single GPU if OC it comes close to a dual-GPU setup. Less issues overall.

 

[SPBHM]

how far do you have to OC the 290s to perform like the 295X2? 1150? 1200Mhz? so I think the 980 TI OC will do well, also no multi GPU issues, consistent performance all the time...

easy choice, unless money is a factor.

 

[Silverforce11]

R290 at 1050mhz = R290X at 1Ghz. So R290 x 2 @ 1.1ghz should match R295x2.

 

[dragantoe]

R290 at 1050mhz = R290X at 1Ghz. So R290 x 2 @ 1.1ghz should match R295x2.

how does that make sense? the 290x has 300 more stream processors than the 290

 

[casiofx]

how does that make sense? the 290x has 300 more stream processors than the 290

Because that 290 is OCed 100Mhz over the 290X? :whiste:

 

[desprado]

I would go with a single GPU if OC it comes close to a dual-GPU setup. Less issues overall.

Even if i had Fury X than i will chose it over GTX 980 SLI because multi gpu issues.

 

[Silverforce11]

Even if i had Fury X than i will chose it over GTX 980 SLI because multi gpu issues.

CF/SLI is trade-off, some games its great, others its fail. Always been like that, but its really meant for people who run high res or 120hz+ that cannot be done with a single strong GPU. If that doesn't apply to you, go single GPU always.

 

[guskline]

Well I attached the EK Titan X water block to the EVGA GTX980 TI SC and wow what a great card.

Though Firestrike is only one bench mark I ran the benchmark for both 290s in CF vs the single GTX980TI SC.

The 290s are Sapphire Tri-X OCs with 1000 core 1300 memory while the GTX980TI SC has a base clock of 1102. ON to the Scores

Firestrike Regular:

290s in CF GTX 980TI SC

Overall 17042 16833
Graphics 21683 18447
Physics 20319 21023
Combined 5986 8610

Firestrike Extreme

290s in CF GTX980TI SC
Overall 8882 8331
Graphics 9681 8529
Physics 20808 21078
Combined 3584 4004

Firestrike Ultra

290s in CF GTX980 TI SC

Overall 4826 4375
Graphics 4816 4221
Physics 21033 20490
Combined 2256 2297

Hope this info helps.

 

[moonbogg]

Well I attached the EK Titan X water block to the EVGA GTX980 TI SC and wow what a great card.

Though Firestrike is only one bench mark I ran the benchmark for both 290s in CF vs the single GTX980TI SC.

The 290s are Sapphire Tri-X OCs with 1000 core 1300 memory while the GTX980TI SC has a base clock of 1102. ON to the Scores

Firestrike Regular:

290s in CF GTX 980TI SC

Overall 17042 16833
Graphics 21683 18447
Physics 20319 21023
Combined 5986 8610

Firestrike Extreme

290s in CF GTX980TI SC
Overall 8882 8331
Graphics 9681 8529
Physics 20808 21078
Combined 3584 4004

Firestrike Ultra

290s in CF GTX980 TI SC

Overall 4826 4375
Graphics 4816 4221
Physics 21033 20490
Combined 2256 2297

Hope this info helps.

What was the boost clock at? Its pretty close as it is. I say it was a good choice getting that card. I managed to get my cards running at 1515mhz tonight just for benching. I'm totally comfortable running them all the time at 1400.

 

[guskline]

Base was 1102 and boost was 1190.

 

[dragantoe]

Because that 290 is OCed 100Mhz over the 290X? :whiste:

I dont think a small overclock would make up for the performance honestly, a 1300 core would make more sense

 

[flopper]

I just buy a single Fury OC it once tools are out and call it a day.

 

[wand3r3r]

I wouldn't bother going from the 290's to a similar performing single card, unless you are actually having problems. $650 for similar performance...

Now dual 290's to dual 980 ti's/fury's/similar I could see. Basically you side-grade on a lot of games and upgrade on some games which can't utilize or have poor crossfire support. It's up to you to value it, a single card is always better but it's a not an insignificant cost.

I understand the geek inside wanting to play with new tech though!

 

[Gikaseixas]

I wouldn't bother going from the 290's to a similar performing single card, unless you are actually having problems. $650 for similar performance...

Now dual 290's to dual 980 ti's/fury's/similar I could see. Basically you side-grade on a lot of games and upgrade on some games which can't utilize or have poor crossfire support. It's up to you to value it, a single card is always better but it's a not an insignificant cost.

I understand the geek inside wanting to play with new tech though!

I agree with this.
OP noticed that you verified a single 980ti a big improvement from a single 290 but If you want to replace 290's then you have to get GTX 980ti's to really see a change.

On the plus side you will be able to install new games and not worry about CF or SLI profiles