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670 sli, 120hz lcd and 3570k cpu.

Caporegime
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Currently running the spec in sig, monitor is an old 60Hz benq fp241w, currently using a single gtx 670 wf clocked at +130 core, +770 memory. It copes very well in what im playing, mainly bf3 and bfbc2. Im thinking off eventually adding a second wf 670 and upgrading to a 120Hz monitor. Im wondering if the cpu will make much of a bottleneck with this setup. Cpu is currently only at 4.2ghz, but i intend to clock it higher.
 
Soldato
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cpu should be fine for sli. get it cranked up another 500mhz or so.

if i were you id wait till early next year or so to go SLI. pick one up then at a good price 2nd hand.

im sure one 670 is plenty at the mo isnt it?
 
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I wouldn't have thought so, Gregster hit a slight bottleneck with a 2500K (was at 4.4 or 4.6, can't remember) and a pair of 680's in BF3, GPU usage sitting around 90% on each card.

The 3570K should hold up much better if you can get it towards 4.5ghz.
 
Caporegime
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From my experience, I had a bottleneck but nothing major on my 2500K @ 4.6. 120Hz is the way forward and hard to explain but feels so much smoother over a 60Hz monitor.
 
Soldato
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Currently running the spec in sig, monitor is an old 60Hz benq fp241w, currently using a single gtx 670 wf clocked at +130 core, +770 memory. It copes very well in what im playing, mainly bf3 and bfbc2. Im thinking off eventually adding a second wf 670 and upgrading to a 120Hz monitor. Im wondering if the cpu will make much of a bottleneck with this setup. Cpu is currently only at 4.2ghz, but i intend to clock it higher.

It will bottleneck slightly. An i7 3770K will help but only to the tune of a few FPS on average although minimum FPS should increase a fair amount.

However on a single screen the game won't fully utilise the GPU's at all time no matter what the CPU is.

You'd be better off getting the extra graphics card if you want to one with the monitor and then seeing how you sit. Whether or not the increase from i5 to i7 is worth it is really quite subjective.
 
Caporegime
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I will be clocking the cpu higher for definite, a new monitor is my first priority as the fp241w is getting on a bit. Previous to the 3570k in sig i was running an i7 920 at 4.2ghz, with sli'd gtx 470's. Got rid of those and got the 670, then moved to the ib. Bottlenecking wasnt a problem with the old cpu, maybe down to ht. but the cards lacked v-ram for bf3 on ultra with msaa, 99% usage per card on the 470's.

I was thinking that the move to 120Hz would benefit from sli at a stage when i can add a second 670, a bigger monitor or dual screens isnt an option, due to limited desk space in a small room. Currently the desk is covered by a 32" 1080p lcd telly and the aforementioned monitor.
 
Associate
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going from an i7 even to an ivy i5 seems pointless! unless you were after sata 3 etc

It will bottleneck slightly. An i7 3770K will help but only to the tune of a few FPS on average although minimum FPS should increase a fair amount.

However on a single screen the game won't fully utilise the GPU's at all time no matter what the CPU is.

You'd be better off getting the extra graphics card if you want to one with the monitor and then seeing how you sit. Whether or not the increase from i5 to i7 is worth it is really quite subjective.

maybe true at 1080p but not at 1440. also to get the most out of a 120hz display you want 120fps. which would also push a single card
 
Caporegime
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James, i had two i7 9** series rigs, i sold the 920 4.2 one, still have a 930 at 4.3ghz, tbh the 920 was overkill for games, and power hungry, (worse when you have two of them oc'd). I looked at the 3770k with ht, but tbh it's not a feature id utilise a lot. But if i do need it, ill use the old x58 rig.
 
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Caporegime
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I thought that bottlenecking could be an issue on the older gen i7's, particularly with newer cards such as the nv 6 series.

I held onto the other 900 rig as it's a decent clocker, it runs cool and suits my encoding needs, plus it was built very cheaply from secondhand parts. It's rarely used for games as it only has an 8800gt, but my nephew plays a bit of bf3 on it with me when he comes to stay.
 
Soldato
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going from an i7 even to an ivy i5 seems pointless! unless you were after sata 3 etc



maybe true at 1080p but not at 1440. also to get the most out of a 120hz display you want 120fps. which would also push a single card

He didn't ask for monitor advice. Arguing which is better out of 1440p and 1080p 120 Hz is pointless. It's subjective.
 
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He didn't ask for monitor advice. Arguing which is better out of 1440p and 1080p 120 Hz is pointless. It's subjective.

based on you saying:
However on a single screen the game won't fully utilise the GPU's at all time no matter what the CPU is.

he said he wanted to go 120hz though, which could easily need 2 cards to make the most of. so id say its relevant. i just added 1440p for reference that you may need more than one card with a single display..

@ greg

yeah i know, but too much hassle for me ;)
 
Caporegime
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My reckoning was based on the fact that with my previous i7 920 setup, with 470sli oc'd, bottlenecking wasnt an issue. Due to the cards not being able to produce high enough frame rates at ultra with msaa, (45 minimum with no aa, 1920x1200). That was ok'ish on a 60hz screen. With the 670 i can max bf3 with 4x msaa, but at 60hz so v-sync is on. With v-sync off it averages 70fps, but a lot of screen tearing. Hence id like to upgrade the monitor, then add a second 670 later when prices drop, or find a similair clocking one secondhand.
 
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then 120hz should be fine. but i would say 1440p is a better option, having used both.

it is subjective as rusty said. but have a look at both before you buy, if you can. sli will benefit both options. :)
 
Caporegime
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Thanks Setter. I had to steal a corner of the kitchen, as I have no where bigger (that I was allowed) to put it :( Handy for the kettle at least :)
Kettle and fridge for beer, two gaming essentials.:D

then 120hz should be fine. but i would say 1440p is a better option, having used both.

it is subjective as rusty said. but have a look at both before you buy, if you can. sli will benefit both options. :)
A mate as a 120Hz benq with a 670, (evga ftw model). He's gonna let me test my card in his rig to see how sli performs, the stock wf clock is 980mhz, though mine boosts way over that, (think its 1189 iirc), evga is 1084mhz which again is speculative. It should be interesting.
 
Caporegime
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My reckoning was based on the fact that with my previous i7 920 setup, with 470sli oc'd, bottlenecking wasnt an issue. Due to the cards not being able to produce high enough frame rates at ultra with msaa, (45 minimum with no aa, 1920x1200). That was ok'ish on a 60hz screen. With the 670 i can max bf3 with 4x msaa, but at 60hz so v-sync is on. With v-sync off it averages 70fps, but a lot of screen tearing. Hence id like to upgrade the monitor, then add a second 670 later when prices drop, or find a similair clocking one secondhand.

Not getting involved in which monitor is better, I will get involved in the bottlenecking. At 1080P and at 5760*1080, I was bottlenecked in BF3 with each of my 680's only reaching 85% max gpu usage. After going to a X79 and 3930K, I no longer get bottlenecking.

On another note, I found FSX to be unplayable with max settings and a few mods with the I5 and SLI 680's and now it is super smooth.
 
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