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Dedicated PhysX Card

Associate
Joined
24 Jan 2012
Posts
23
So I just bought a MSI HD 7970 Lightning BOOSTED Edition.
I'm upgrading from 2x Nvidia 285 sli.

I read somewhere I could still use physX for my games if I dedicated it to an nvidia card or cpu (but card would be better.)

So I was wondering if it would be a good idea to use a 285 with my 7970 as a dedicated physx card, or if someone could recommend a cheap card that would use less power/space.

Also I plan on getting a 2nd 7970 sometime down the line for crossfire. Would my 1000 watt (cheap make) power supply be able to handle the 3 cards?
 
Associate
Joined
7 Apr 2012
Posts
2,101
Location
Tampa Bay
Never understood why people would spend a fortune on components and save a little money on the one thing delivering power to them. It's not like PSUs are expensive =/
 
Soldato
Joined
26 Nov 2005
Posts
3,839
Location
Doon the Bay (Newcastle)
So I just bought a MSI HD 7970 Lightning BOOSTED Edition.
I'm upgrading from 2x Nvidia 285 sli.

I read somewhere I could still use physX for my games if I dedicated it to an nvidia card or cpu (but card would be better.)

So I was wondering if it would be a good idea to use a 285 with my 7970 as a dedicated physx card, or if someone could recommend a cheap card that would use less power/space.

Also I plan on getting a 2nd 7970 sometime down the line for crossfire. Would my 1000 watt (cheap make) power supply be able to handle the 3 cards?

Yeah, about that. :eek:
 
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OP
Joined
24 Jan 2012
Posts
23
Ok, so people don't like my psu. (It was all i could afford when I was getting my 2nd gpu) But anyway,
Back to the main point, How good a nvidia gpu do I need to run with the 7970 for hybrid physX and not ruin my fps completly?
 
Soldato
Joined
10 Oct 2012
Posts
4,415
Location
Denmark
Ok, so people don't like my psu. (It was all i could afford when I was getting my 2nd gpu) But anyway,
Back to the main point, How good a nvidia gpu do I need to run with the 7970 for hybrid physX and not ruin my fps completly?

If you want a low power card for PhysX and you have no old around that will fit the job I would get a GT 640. It uses a max of 75 watt under maximum load and if you get the Zotac edition its Single Slot. Its more than enough as a dedicated PhysX card for games like Batman and even to some extent Borderlands 2 (not because the GT 640 doesn't have enough power but because the Hybrid PhysX patch or Hybridize patch is its called now isn't really that good).
 
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OP
Joined
24 Jan 2012
Posts
23
If you want a low power card for PhysX and you have no old around that will fit the job I would get a GT 640. It uses a max of 75 watt under maximum load and if you get the Zotac edition its Single Slot. Its more than enough as a dedicated PhysX card for games like Batman and even to some extent Borderlands 2 (not because the GT 640 doesn't have enough power but because the Hybrid PhysX patch or Hybridize patch is its called now isn't really that good).

I see a 2gb and a 1gb version of a 640, both only £5 off each other in price. Does extra vram help with physx?
 
Soldato
Joined
24 Aug 2009
Posts
2,931
Ok, so people don't like my psu. (It was all i could afford when I was getting my 2nd gpu) But anyway,
Back to the main point, How good a nvidia gpu do I need to run with the 7970 for hybrid physX and not ruin my fps completly?

It's not like we don't 'like' your power supply, it's the fact that you should never run high end components on a cheap power supply.

Would you run a diseal car on vegetable oil?

Before you upgraded the cards,you should have upgraded your power supply! A cheap power supply has a high chance of blowing up, and taking the rest of your components with it.
 
Soldato
Joined
6 Feb 2010
Posts
14,591
iCute 1000 watts modular power supply... Thats all I know. Got it in maplin.

other specs:
i7 920 @ 4ghz
16gb cosiar vengeance ram
2x BFG GTX 285 OCX 1GB
Gigabyte G1. Gurrilla Motherboard
I'm surprised with an overclocked i7 920 and a pair of GTX285 that PSU hasn't already gone pop yet to be honest...
 

bru

bru

Soldato
Joined
21 Oct 2002
Posts
7,360
Location
kent
Whereas I do agree with everyone else that I wouldn't run a PC with a cheap PSU like the Icute 1000, if you have already been running this setup with dual gtx285 then you will be using less power with the new 7970, probably less power even with 2 7970's.

bottom line,you could run your new card on that PSU but I wouldnt.
Do your self a favour and get a decent PSU, something like this one should be fine.

YOUR BASKET
1 x PC Power & Cooling Silencer Mk II 750W '80 Plus Silver' Power Supply £79.99
Total : £79.99 (includes shipping : FREE).

 
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