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MKEGameDesign
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Replacing a GTX 570 Superclocked

Tue May 08, 2012 12:09 pm

Hey all, I have an existing Phenom II-X4 with a EVGA Superclocked GTX 570. I am debating about replacing this sometime soon with a GTX 680 but was wondering if I'd be better off buying a second 570 and running SLI. To do SLI, I'd have to get a new motherboard, so the price of either upgrade is comparable. Raw fps seems to favor 570 SLI but I know a lot of people report microstutter or other issues with dual graphics configurations.

Currently only using a 1080p panel, so even the single 570 is pretty darn good, but eventually want to pick up a high-res panel (either 27" or 30").

Thoughts?
Phenom X4 955, ASUS M4A87TD EVO, EVGA SC GTX 570, 8GB RAM, Earthwatts 750 PSU
 
Yeats
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Re: Replacing a GTX 570 Superclocked

Tue May 08, 2012 12:40 pm

If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't buy another motherboard unless it also came with Sandy or Ivy. Depending on what game you are playing, current AMD CPUs can trail Ivy/Sandy Bridge by a significant margin.
 
TheEmrys
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Re: Replacing a GTX 570 Superclocked

Tue May 08, 2012 1:17 pm

That old cpu is holding you back. I'd go Cpu/mobo. IB/SB upgrade and you'll see a nice jump in fps.

I would definately wait to get a gpu till after you get the new monitor. This way you can find which resolution you are at. At this point, more than a 570 at anything at 1920x1200 or below is a waste. There will be a couple of outlier games, but not many.
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MKEGameDesign
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Re: Replacing a GTX 570 Superclocked

Tue May 08, 2012 1:18 pm

Yeats wrote:
If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't buy another motherboard unless it also came with Sandy or Ivy. Depending on what game you are playing, current AMD CPUs can trail Ivy/Sandy Bridge by a significant margin.


Yeah, I have a 2500K from a different build I tore down and parted out. The Phenom-II is an even older build but it's the only thing that's completely put together at this point.
Phenom X4 955, ASUS M4A87TD EVO, EVGA SC GTX 570, 8GB RAM, Earthwatts 750 PSU
 
Airmantharp
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Re: Replacing a GTX 570 Superclocked

Tue May 08, 2012 3:08 pm

To augment the discussion,

Your CPU is slow. :)

The real issue is this: your GTX570 simply does not have enough RAM for most modern games at 2560x1600/1440. I traded mine (exact same card, which I loved!) straight up for an HD6950 2GB, and then bought a second. This setup is both faster and cheaper than a GTX680.

However, that GTX680 is a fine card. I've been debating selling my cards to finance one; and then getting a second later on down the road. 2GB on those cards is more than enough at 2560x1600 due to Nvidia's much improved memory handling on the 600-series.

So, I figure the end result looks like this: Keep the GTX570 for now, and upgrade CPU/motherboard and RAM if necessary. A 2500k properly overclocked will be as fast as anything else out there for gaming. When it comes time to upgrade the monitor, then grab something that can handle the resolution properly!
 
Yeats
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Re: Replacing a GTX 570 Superclocked

Tue May 08, 2012 3:38 pm

^^^

+1, good advice.
 
Airmantharp
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Re: Replacing a GTX 570 Superclocked

Tue May 08, 2012 3:52 pm

Yeats wrote:
^^^

+1, good advice.


Thanks!

I'd also like to add that your GTX570 at 1080p should actually turn in more FPS than my HD6950's at 2560x1600; 1080p is less than half the pixel count!
 
MKEGameDesign
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Re: Replacing a GTX 570 Superclocked

Tue May 08, 2012 4:59 pm

Airmantharp wrote:
Yeats wrote:
^^^

+1, good advice.


Thanks!

I'd also like to add that your GTX570 at 1080p should actually turn in more FPS than my HD6950's at 2560x1600; 1080p is less than half the pixel count!


Yeah, I'm happy with it. Can't totally max out the high-end games but I get pretty darn close.

I suppose while I'm soliciting advice, any 2560x1600 panels people recommend for gaming? Most I've seen have pretty high lag because they're marketing towards graphics pros rather than gamers.
Phenom X4 955, ASUS M4A87TD EVO, EVGA SC GTX 570, 8GB RAM, Earthwatts 750 PSU
 
Airmantharp
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Re: Replacing a GTX 570 Superclocked

Tue May 08, 2012 6:37 pm

HP's ZR30w (what I'm using) is basically the best all-around panel. Dell's U3011 has more input lag, but is also more versatile on the input side. I recommend the HP due to it's class-leading low input lag and 8bit (as opposed to 10bit) electronics.

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