Ram amounts with high RAM graphics cards.

billblog · 26 Feb 2013 at 20:26

I have a friend who is buying two GTX 680s 4gb, making a total of 8gb VRAM. His computer has 8gb of RAM. Will he need more or are they not really connected.

Uncle Petey · 26 Feb 2013 at 20:31

Even with two 4gb cards, they'll only use 4gb. It doesn't get added together.
Vram isn't connected to Ram

zakblood · 26 Feb 2013 at 20:49

motherboard ram makes no or little difference tbh to video memory, same as like poster above said, only 1 card of ram is used as well, other just sits there doing squat, even the second cards GPU doesn't work at 100%, as look at the test results, 2 cards aren't faster than 2 single cards x 2 so both aren't fully used, that's why i don't use sli or crossfire tbh, until they do i'll just put in one card and be happy with that, and save the extra for another update when the next gen cards come out, single again mind you

Uncle Petey · 26 Feb 2013 at 21:16

Oh, and tell him to save a bit of cash and get a couple of 4gb 670's instead.
The performance difference is fairly negligible and certainly not worth the large difference in price.

Btw, any reason he needs 4gb cards?

billblog · 26 Feb 2013 at 21:20

He has the money and wants to get the best hardware possible, those cards fit the bill really.

SeraphX · 26 Feb 2013 at 21:23

billblog said:
He has the money and knows nothing, basically.

What resolution does he intend to game at? unless it's across 3+ monitors pushing 2560x1600 each, those cards would be wasted.

tell him to save some money and 3 GTX670s instead.

billblog · 26 Feb 2013 at 21:33

He would not use more than a single minitor, So it seems now a toss up between 2x 680 or 3x 670

Uncle Petey · 26 Feb 2013 at 21:39

What res is his monitor why tri sli for a single screen?

Btw, even guys who have run SLI 680 lightning cards don't think it's worth the extra cost unless it's just the fuzzy feeling of buying the most expensive stuff because you can

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18492089

spoffle · 26 Feb 2013 at 21:42

billblog said:
He has the money and wants to get the best hardware possible, those cards fit the bill really.

If he wants the best hardware, then 2 680s won't be that. 2 7970s are faster and cheaper.

Uncle Petey · 26 Feb 2013 at 21:45

Well, there are always a couple of Titans if he's that flush

billblog · 26 Feb 2013 at 21:45

I was looking at the titans, but it gets quite costly to get two of them xD

Uncle Petey · 26 Feb 2013 at 21:57

Indeed

Dunno if you've been keeping up with the thread I linked, but you may want to point your friend at it