SLI bench results

Gregster · 11 Sep 2012 at 13:00

So I have been doing some serious testing with my new setup. The results were surprising to me and the one that did suprprise the most was Alan Wake. This produced the lowest frames of all the tests but on saying that, it felt smooth the whole time. 3D sure does push our GPU's and especially noticable in 3D surround. Overall I am pleased with the results and BF3 felt juddery in 3D but smooth in 2D.

If anybody has done some testing, please feel free to add. I hope this helps some people who have considered 3 screen gaming.

VRAM usages (please note these were taken from AB and I will show the max used) shown for 3D only.

Alan Wake 1374MB
Max Payne 3 1656MB
BF3 2023MB
Dirt 3 1460MB
Sniper Elite V2 1423MB

Just to add that each game was a 20 min bench with fraps which produced the minimums/maximums/averages.

I did want to play Diablo 3 in 3 screen 3D but sadly that option is not available. Blizzard suck

psychodil · 11 Sep 2012 at 13:16

Top effort Gregster, much appreciated. Interesting to see the performance hit of 3D.

Your alan wake results are dissapointing though, im sure you should be getting more than that :confused:

Gregster · 11 Sep 2012 at 13:22

Alan Wake was very strange...As I said, it was never juddery or jerky and yet both fraps and AB reported frames at the bottom end of 30. BF3 felt horrid if I am honest but felt good in 2D.

I wrote down the general VRAM usages also, as BF3 was very close to toppling the 2GB. I will add these to the original post.

Rusty0611 · 11 Sep 2012 at 13:23

Yeah mine either maxes it or is close.

With Windows Aero disabled Gregster you free up 100-150MB of VRAM

.

Good results - nice one

Gregster · 11 Sep 2012 at 13:28

Rusty0611 said:
Yeah mine either maxes it or is close.

With Windows Aero disabled Gregster you free up 100-150MB of VRAM .

Good results - nice one

I had aero disabled as well...Very close but didn't go over through the 20 min play time and it isn't playable IMO at full ultra. Settings need to be turned down to get a decent frame rate and thus free up a fair amount of VRAM.

Rusty0611 · 11 Sep 2012 at 13:41

gregster said:
I had aero disabled as well...Very close but didn't go over through the 20 min play time and it isn't playable IMO at full ultra. Settings need to be turned down to get a decent frame rate and thus free up a fair amount of VRAM.

Interesting. I have only ever peaked over 2000 once or twice. It normally sits around 1980.

I have however noticed something strange with BF3. Sometimes when I'm fiddling with MSAA the VRAM usage doesn't update based on the new setting.

Example: MSAA off - VRAM usage around 1900 (eek). Set something else on/off and it corrects itself.

Freddie1980 · 11 Sep 2012 at 13:48

Rusty0611 said:
Interesting. I have only ever peaked over 2000 once or twice. It normally sits around 1980.

I have however noticed something strange with BF3. Sometimes when I'm fiddling with MSAA the VRAM usage doesn't update based on the new setting.

Example: MSAA off - VRAM usage around 1900 (eek). Set something else on/off and it corrects itself.

The BF3 engine is probably just buffering a lot of unused textures to the memory hence why it's reporting such a high amount so what the game is actually using to render game is most likely a lot lower. Still pretty impressive given the resolution this being benched at and puts pay to arguments who want to justify their purchases of the 4gb 670/680's.

Good work Gregster - did you notice any micro stuttering in any of the games?

Gregster · 11 Sep 2012 at 13:59

Freddie1980 said:
The BF3 engine is probably just buffering a lot of unused textures to the memory hence why it's reporting such a high amount so what the game is actually using to render game is most likely a lot lower. Still pretty impressive given the resolution this being benched at and puts pay to arguments who want to justify their purchases of the 4gb 670/680's.

Good work Gregster - did you notice any micro stuttering in any of the games?

Thanks Freddie and no micro stuttering at all. When I first got this setup, I was looking for it as I have heard a few mention it with older gen SLI/CF setups.

Edit: forgot to add the values and OC on the GPU's. Sorted now

Kaapstad · 11 Sep 2012 at 16:33

Its the first time I have seen 2D compared to 3D on a graph.

What would be very interesting is your vram usage on BF3 in 2D and 3D.

Rusty0611 · 11 Sep 2012 at 17:44

Kaapstad said:
What would be very interesting is your vram usage on BF3 in 2D and 3D.

3D doesn't use any more VRAM. Any differences I've seen are just margin of error differences.

Gregster · 11 Sep 2012 at 18:14

I would like to see other users bench results also. Not biased ones that we see pop up from paid sites.

uksoldierboy · 11 Sep 2012 at 18:43

Hi gregster, Just a quick question in regards to your sniper elite v2 scores, what res were you running that at and what mission? i only ask because my setup getting far more than your average so i'm curious as to why?
Awesome results all round you should be very happy.
david
Edit, my bad didn't look well enough

psychodil · 11 Sep 2012 at 19:07

gregster said:
I would like to see other users bench results also. Not biased ones that we see pop up from paid sites.

+1, well put

Kaapstad · 11 Sep 2012 at 19:39

gregster said:
I would like to see other users bench results also. Not biased ones that we see pop up from paid sites.

+1

Its very rare I have bought a video card and found it to be anything like some of the review sites say it is.

3D doesn't use any more VRAM. Any differences I've seen are just margin of error differences.

Thats interesting to know as it helps explain how the card works when doing 3D.

imginy · 11 Sep 2012 at 19:54

How are finding the 3d on 3 monitors?

I wish I could afford similar setup

Gregster · 11 Sep 2012 at 20:21

Kaapstad said:
+1

Its very rare I have bought a video card and found it to be anything like some of the review sites say it is.

Thats interesting to know as it helps explain how the card works when doing 3D.

I will see if I can find a VRAM bench tool and compare 3D/2D. Like Rusty states, I also believe 3D does not use more VRAM, just needs more grunt.

imginy said:
How are finding the 3d on 3 monitors?

I wish I could afford similar setup

Awesome bud. Alan Wake is sweet and so much to take in. BF3 looks better than a single monitor and I know I have said it before and I will say it again "TRINE 2" single or multi monitor...3D is the best game I have ever seen.

Kaapstad · 11 Sep 2012 at 21:36

I will see if I can find a VRAM bench tool and compare 3D/2D. Like Rusty states, I also believe 3D does not use more VRAM, just needs more grunt.

What Rusty states is fine and makes sense. If the frame rate for 3D is half what it is for 2D and the card does not use extra vram it means the card is still drawing one frame at a time.

imginy · 11 Sep 2012 at 21:49

gregster said:
Awesome bud. Alan Wake is sweet and so much to take in. BF3 looks better than a single monitor and I know I have said it before and I will say it again "TRINE 2" single or multi monitor...3D is the best game I have ever seen.

It would meen me selling my motobike to get that setup :confused:

I been looking at getting a monitor same as yours then building it up gradualy from there.

{SAS}TB · 11 Sep 2012 at 21:51

Very nice mate

Would have defo joined in, but no 3D

iMacMart · 11 Sep 2012 at 22:15

Sorry guys

Whats the best stress tested and benchmark tools to use for a 5870 XFX card?

Thanks

Mart