SLI 670 Windforce review.

illuz · 27 Feb 2013 at 14:35

I couldn't find a single SLI review for the Windforce 670s on Google so I thought I'd throw one up there.

Many people, including myself, recommend against using aftermarket coolers for SLI because they'll dump heat in the case and run extremely hot. I was going to get blower type cooler until I stumbled across a very good deal on a Windforce so I bought it out of impulse.

Well I recommend that if you have good airflow in your case, you can keep them pretty cool!

I don't have any fancy charts or anything, but after a sniper match on BF3 these were my temps:

My fps was pretty much constant 100-120fps constant on max setting, canals 16 tdm (It's all I play, small servers). I think they'd be able to push 70-90 on 64 man servers.

Crysis 3 does heat up my system quite a bit, everything very apart from Shadows on high, 1xSMAA I hit ~90-100 fps in places, drops to 60 in some. Extremely smooth and playable for such a beautiful game. 67'C top card, 59'C bottom card. But that doesn't bother me.

Another reason I think these are pretty cool is the spacing between the cards, I've seen SLI set ups where the cards are practically touching each other and it's no wonder they cook themselves. The P8Z77-V Pro has pretty good spacing between the cards, allowing my fans to cool them (excuse the messy cabling, it's my first build):

Rusty0611 · 27 Feb 2013 at 14:42

Nice one.

One point: you cards may have been cool in BF3 due to the resolution you were playing at. Would imagine you were under 100% utilisation which of course will reduce heat.

As long as they're both under 70c then it's all good

.

illuz · 27 Feb 2013 at 14:54

It fluctuates, BF3 has always been around those temps even with a single Windforce. Usage is in the 90's for BF3.

Crysis 3 usage also fluctuates, sometimes dipping into high 70s. Just had a run on that max temps were 68'C top card, 58'C bottom.

setter · 27 Feb 2013 at 15:10

Nice un, tbh i was pretty wary with the spacing on the Z77 V Pro. It looks a lot tighter at first than it actually is. This was an issue on a P6 X58 DE i had, the P6T Deluxe v2 in my other x58 board was better spaced. Looking at your pic illuz, it's actually a decent gap. Still think that when i add a second ill be better off with my lian li a70f case instead of the shinobi xl. On the a70f i can mount the psu up top to allow more room for the cards to breathe.

Gregster · 27 Feb 2013 at 15:12

Nice one Illuz. Do some bench tests bud and show us the results

StonedPenguin · 27 Feb 2013 at 15:15

Niceone, I'm considering getting another 670 WF. Did it make much difference in BF3 for you?

illuz · 27 Feb 2013 at 15:16

Yeah, I really wouldn't recommend doing this without a case with decent airflow and fans. I do have a 140mm fan blasting the side of the cards

.

I'll get some done now Gregster mate. I think I'll need to get the 3770k to get better performance out of them in SLI for Crysis 3, usage fluctuates from 85-90%. Anyone else playing this online? I love it!

Korsun · 27 Feb 2013 at 15:23

looking at water cooling 2 of these in my next project.......soon, very soon

setter · 27 Feb 2013 at 15:26

Watercooling two of them would certainly help with temps, (and look great). However, with a single card, watercooling theese is a bit of a waste as they run so cool and quiet to start with, even when clocked very high.

palaw · 27 Feb 2013 at 15:34

setter said:
Nice un, tbh i was pretty wary with the spacing on the Z77 V Pro. It looks a lot tighter at first than it actually is. This was an issue on a P6 X58 DE i had, the P6T Deluxe v2 in my other x58 board was better spaced. Looking at your pic illuz, it's actually a decent gap. Still think that when i add a second ill be better off with my lian li a70f case instead of the shinobi xl. On the a70f i can mount the psu up top to allow more room for the cards to breathe.

I have an old A71 and forgot about this, if I wanted to go SLI would you recommend it? Wouldn't it involve removing the fan at the top though? As I'd then be down to 1 exhaust fan I think that would probably mean needing a top panel with fan slots to exhaust the heat. I guess if I did that the case would have pretty good airflow and could get away without needing a side panel fan? Hmmmm.

illuz · 27 Feb 2013 at 16:08

Clocks are in the top left. Don't read the top right for the valley benchmark, it's never right.

Quite disappointed with the valley benchmark

Max temps were 62'C top, 54'C bottom.

setter · 27 Feb 2013 at 16:15

@palaw. Yep, youd have to remove the top fan and the hdd cage to get the psu in the top. Then you could get the top panel cut for extra fans. Or lian li may even supply one pre cut. Another thing the A71 has in it's favour is the dual fans mounted on the hdd cage, (missing on the A70/1F). Below is a few pics of my old sli setup in both my cases.

Lian Li A70F.

Bitfenix shinobi xl.

The xl features 9 pci slots compared to 7 on the A70F, but the bottom card would still be pretty close to the psu in either case. Fine with reference blower cards, not sure about non reference models.

palaw · 27 Feb 2013 at 16:23

setter said:
@palaw. Yep, youd have to remove the top fan and the hdd cage to get the psu in the top. Then you could get the top panel cut for extra fans. Or lian li may even supply one pre cut. Another thing the A71 has in it's favour is the dual fans mounted on the hdd cage, (missing on the A70/1F). Below is a few pics of my old sli setup in both my cases.

Lian Li A70F.

Bitfenix shinobi xl.

The xl features 9 pci slots compared to 7 on the A70F, but the bottom card would still be pretty close to the psu in either case. Fine with reference blower cards, not sure about non reference models.

Yeah I like the dual fans on the hdd cage

. Lian li stopped making the precut top panels and its pretty hard to get ahold of now, 1 in stock here but its silver :O so nvm

. I think i'll go with a reference blower card anyway and then see how temps are, at least now I know I have the option of moving the PSU

.

Anyway, thanks for the pics/advice, sorry to 'hi-jack' the thread, please continue with any more benchmarks/comments on SLI windforce illuz, I've always been intrigued by SLI windforce 670's but as you said, no one seems to review them

, maybe for a reason :S?

Clairvoyant · 27 Feb 2013 at 16:28

I will have to bench and sort my SLIs, to compare.

What case is that it looks all most the same as my R4.

andybird123 · 27 Feb 2013 at 16:34

illuz said:
Clocks are in the top left. Don't read the top right for the valley benchmark, it's never right.

Quite disappointed with the valley benchmark

Max temps were 62'C top, 54'C bottom.

I found that Valley scores tanked when running any kind of overlay - turn off the overlay and re-run it and see what you get (that score looks similar to what I got with FRAPS running, my non-fraps score is in the Valley thread - about 3500)

Twirlywoos · 27 Feb 2013 at 16:46

illuz - those scores for Valley don't seem right, what cpu you got and is it overclocked at all?

If Humbug has updated the Valley benchmark thread I should be 5th for the Extreme HD leaderboards. 670 SLI also. 3570k @ 4.6

illuz · 27 Feb 2013 at 16:52

majnu said:
illuz - those scores for Valley don't seem right, what cpu you got and is it overclocked at all?

If Humbug has updated the Valley benchmark thread I should be 5th for the Extreme HD leaderboards. 670 SLI also. 3570k @ 4.6

I know, I thought that too. My rig is in my sig, 3570k @ 4.5Ghz...any idea what's up? :/

arc@css · 27 Feb 2013 at 16:55

Setter, I thought my HAFX case afforded plenty of space until I saw your A70F. LOADS of room there.

Twirlywoos · 27 Feb 2013 at 17:35

illuz said:
I know, I thought that too. My rig is in my sig, 3570k @ 4.5Ghz...any idea what's up? :/

Could the thermal limit be hitting in whilst benching? Could also be driver related. Also why does your GPU Model show Intel HD4000? Maybe it is causing some kind of problem. Virtu MVP doesn't work with SLI so you can disable integrated GPU from your bios if you haven't already.

Apart from that I have no idea.

GoogalyMoogaly · 27 Feb 2013 at 17:39

I ran 2 of these cards in a HAF 932 with 230mm fan blowing onto them (in a R IV E mobo, so plenty of space) and my cards would both hit at least 70ºC very easily.