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Is a GTX 690 overkill?

nlr

nlr

nlr

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Joined
30 Jul 2010
Posts
389
Hey,

I'm looking for a single card to go in my prodigy and I'm looking for something relatively future proof. Is a 690 overkill for 1080p 2D gaming? 120hz gaming.

Does it max out all games currently and for roughly how long considering its a beast?

Thanks
 
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Expect this card to last you a long time for sure, especially 1080p 2D. It will rip through anything 1080p maxed out.
 
for the price it better, I think most have got mid to high end cards and just sli/crossfire setup to save money + factor in that dual card will already be replaced after a year...
 
I think a single GPU would be fine for 1080p 2D to be honest. If games become more demanding you can always add a second, which would raise the cost to.. oh, the price of a 690 :P

Cheapest 690 is £839 (£900 when those offers end) on OCUK. For that i'd be more tempted by 2*4gb 670's to be honest, as I'd hazard a bet that by the time the 690's brute power becomes an issue, the VRAM limitations (2gb effective) will be an issue beforehand.
 
My motherboard only supports 1 card (prodigy build) so sli/crossfire isn't a option and I thought 2gb is ample for 1080p gaming?
 
nlr said:
My motherboard only supports 1 card (prodigy build) so sli/crossfire isn't a option and I thought 2gb is ample for 1080p gaming?
Click to expand...

Oh at the moment 2gb is fine for 2d gaming don't get me wrong. I was thinking as you're looking at a dual GPU card you'd have the power for SLI/CF. My mistake should've read about the prodigy build (SFF build).

That changes the game somewhat. It is the best card you can fit in your case no doubt. My point of VRAM limiting the 690 (in the future) before the 690's performance figures get truly stretched still stands though. I think the 690 is powerful enough for many many games to come, if the VRAM is enough. Certainly fine for a long time but I presume buying such a card you want all the eye candy.
 
nlr said:
Hey,

I'm looking for a single card to go in my prodigy and I'm looking for something relatively future proof. Is a 690 overkill for 1080p 2D gaming?

Does it max out all games currently and for roughly how long considering its a beast?

Thanks
Click to expand...


the 690 would be quieter than most 680's from what ive seen and a couple of gaming computers we have here
its expensive and huge, but its nicely made, there's not many 680's i like the look of

you sure it fits in a prodigy? :o
 
In 3 or 4 years time a GTX 690 will still be getting the better of a 4gb 680 @1080p. Thats not the point though. If you were to get a 2gb GTX 670 or a HD 7970 both of which are very fast cards and more than enough for 1080p. Both of these cards can be had at just over a third of the price of a GTX 690. This means you could use the money you pay for 1 GTX 690 to upgrade every 2 years for the next 6 years and still not be out of pocket.

Or you could just say to hell with it and get the GTX 690.
 
A GTX690 will be irrelevant a long time before you get your monies' worth out of it at 1080p. Most current top end cards are overkill on single monitors really. The hardware is moving up, but the hardware requirements of games isn't moving too much. I think AMD and nVidia anticipated this, which is why they're pushing things like 3D and multi monitors.
 
Katsumoto said:
I think a single GPU would be fine for 1080p 2D to be honest. If games become more demanding you can always add a second, which would raise the cost to.. oh, the price of a 690 :P

Cheapest 690 is £839 (£900 when those offers end) on OCUK. For that i'd be more tempted by 2*4gb 670's to be honest, as I'd hazard a bet that by the time the 690's brute power becomes an issue, the VRAM limitations (2gb effective) will be an issue beforehand.
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Incorrect. With 680 SLI (slightly more GPU power than a 690) I still fall over from a lack of GPU power way before I can get close to 2GB of VRAM.

Example: MP BF3 @ 5800*1080 (bezel corrected) with Windows Aero disabled:

Ultra and no MSAA - 1450-1600MB of VRAM. Very good FPS average and minimums.

Ultra and 2x MSAA - 1750-1800MB of VRAM. Acceptable averages (just) but minimums into the high 20's/early 30's.

Ultra and 4x MSAA - 1900-2008*MB of VRAM. Unplayable. Averages way below 60 FPS and game breaking minimums.

*2008MB was the max recorded showing that VRAM limit was not hit and the slow downs were completely symptomatic of low FPS rather than an out of VRAM stutter.

You realistically need 3 of this generations high end GPU's to push the settings which would cause you to run out of VRAM.

scwba06 said:
Get a 4gb 680 and drink the change
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Incorrect. The extra 2GB will more than likely never be utilised rendering it a complete waste of money.
 
Rusty0611 said:
Incorrect. With 680 SLI (slightly more GPU power than a 690) I still fall over from a lack of GPU power way before I can get close to 2GB of VRAM.

Example: MP BF3 @ 5800*1080 (bezel corrected) with Windows Aero disabled:

Ultra and no MSAA - 1450-1600MB of VRAM. Very good FPS average and minimums.

Ultra and 2x MSAA - 1750-1800MB of VRAM. Acceptable averages (just) but minimums into the high 20's/early 30's.

Ultra and 4x MSAA - 1900-2008*MB of VRAM. Unplayable. Averages way below 60 FPS and game breaking minimums.

*2008MB was the max recorded showing that VRAM limit was not hit and the slow downs were completely symptomatic of low FPS rather than an out of VRAM stutter.

You realistically need 3 of this generations high end GPU's to push the settings which would cause you to run out of VRAM.



Incorrect. The extra 2GB will more than likely never be utilised rendering it a complete waste of money.
Click to expand...

What's your processor as you're in MP.
Also, that's an extreme resolution. I'm talking 1080p here because that's what the OP is playing on ;) Still interesting I suppose.
 
Yes as resolution goes up VRAM requirement also go up.

Signature for my specs.

VRAM definitely not a considerstion for 1080p. Games won't be going over 2GB at 1080 for a while. Too much of the PC community are on 2GB or under to just wipe them out.

Also consider that only in the last year have 1GB cards really become limited due to VRAM. 2GB fine at 1080 for a while yet. :)
 
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Rusty0611 said:
Yes as resolution goes up VRAM requirement also go up.

Signature for my specs.

VRAM definitely not a considerstion for 1080p. Games won't be going over 2GB at 1080 for a while. Too much of the PC community are on 2GB or under to just wipe them out.

Also consider that only in the last year have 1GB cards really become limited due to VRAM. 2GB fine at 1080 for a while yet. :)
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+1

I think 2gb vram will be fine for 1600p for a while yet.
 
GTX 680 2GB on a 1920x1200 monitor in BF3 with all settings on maximum never goes above 1.6GB VRAM (with Windows Aero ON) and frame rate rarely drops below 55FPS.

That's how much you don't need a GTX690 for gaming at 1080p.
 
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