Will GTX 1080 run 1440p/144hz comfortably?

Kalith · 5 Jan 2017 at 21:30

Hello!

Since there's no sign of the 1080 ti or Vega card in sight at the moment, I've decided to push on and update my graphics card. I'm currently running an AMD 7950 which is holding up fairly well to be honest, however I'm looking at getting a 144hz monitor so I need a bit of a boost in power. I'm currently playing mostly BF1 and Overwatch.

I had a quick google but most threads I found were a good 6-7 months old and majority of the responses were people guessing. Monitor wise I was thinking of getting either:

BenQ XL2730 (27", 1440p, 144hz)
BenQ XL2430 (24", 1080p, 144hz)

My worry with getting the XL2730 is that the card won't be able to get a high enough fps on 1440p to get the benefit of the higher refresh rate. I normally set games to max settings and then bump down the Shadows + AA to get a decent fps, but I've no idea what to expect in this situation.

Would I be chancing my luck and better off going with the 24" 1080p instead to ensure I get the most out of the 144hz or do you think the card can handle it?

shankly1985 · 5 Jan 2017 at 21:48

If I can manage @1440p 144hz with a 290 you'll have no trouble with a 1080.

wrenaudrey · 5 Jan 2017 at 21:58

At 1080p, to push 60fps you would be comfortable with a 1060. Jump to a 1070 and you'll have no problem doing 1080p 144fps and 1440p 60fps.

At 1440p, a 1080 will be able to push out 144fps

Get the 1440p, a 1080 for 1080p is too OP, sorry ive forgottent he right term

shankly1985 · 5 Jan 2017 at 22:11

wrenaudrey said:
At 1080p, to push 60fps you would be comfortable with a 1060. Jump to a 1070 and you'll have no problem doing 1080p 144fps and 1440p 60fps.

At 1440p, a 1080 will be able to push out 144fps

Get the 1440p, a 1080 for 1080p is too OP, sorry ive forgottent he right term

Saying a 1080 @1440p will push out 144fps is completely wrong.
It will manage above 60fps and in some less demanding games will push 144fps but it won't in every title.

The great thing about 144hz though is you don't need 144fps to fully benefit from the higher refresh rate.

Edit
Even at 1080P it's not OP at all they is no such thing.

heatonpkmassive · 5 Jan 2017 at 22:50

shankly1985 said:
Saying a 1080 @1440p will push out 144fps is completely wrong.
It will manage above 60fps and in some less demanding games will push 144fps but it won't in every title.

The great thing about 144hz though is you don't need 144fps to fully benefit from the higher refresh rate.

Edit
Even at 1080P it's not OP at all they is no such thing.

+1

Panos · 5 Jan 2017 at 23:28

Kalith said:
Hello!

Since there's no sign of the 1080 ti or Vega card in sight at the moment, I've decided to push on and update my graphics card. I'm currently running an AMD 7950 which is holding up fairly well to be honest, however I'm looking at getting a 144hz monitor so I need a bit of a boost in power. I'm currently playing mostly BF1 and Overwatch.

I had a quick google but most threads I found were a good 6-7 months old and majority of the responses were people guessing. Monitor wise I was thinking of getting either:

BenQ XL2730 (27", 1440p, 144hz)
BenQ XL2430 (24", 1080p, 144hz)

My worry with getting the XL2730 is that the card won't be able to get a high enough fps on 1440p to get the benefit of the higher refresh rate. I normally set games to max settings and then bump down the Shadows + AA to get a decent fps, but I've no idea what to expect in this situation.

Would I be chancing my luck and better off going with the 24" 1080p instead to ensure I get the most out of the 144hz or do you think the card can handle it?

To answer your main question. Depends the game and settings.

On Stellaris yes 144 is guaranteed (and throttles down), while on TW Warhammer it will struggle to get past 80, and in big battles 45-50.

So it varies from game to game.

Keep in mind as long as you can generate more than 100fps you are fine, you barely can see much difference. However buying a £600+ and not been able to run everything maxed out at the set fps, is bit annoying.

And because of TW Warhammer I sold the 1080 and went back to my Nano.
Having Freesync monitor (2730Z) rather play with less fps, within the Freesync range, than more fps without. Yes some games have to tone bit shadows but small sacrifice imho.

If you plan to buy a Gsync monitor, then grab the 1080 and you are set.
Otherwise, way cheaper solution, get second hand FuryX and a good Freesync monitor. And later you upgrade to Vega.

shankly1985 said:
Saying a 1080 @1440p will push out 144fps is completely wrong.
It will manage above 60fps and in some less demanding games will push 144fps but it won't in every title.

The great thing about 144hz though is you don't need 144fps to fully benefit from the higher refresh rate.

Edit
Even at 1080P it's not OP at all they is no such thing.

TRUE. Even a 1080 @2190 core like mine, and struggle in many games to get more than 100 fps with max settings. Let alone 144.
Stellaris, CIV 6, Mordheim, MM Heroes 7 and the like only. Not even WOT, which could hover between 118-121.

Westie · 6 Jan 2017 at 00:03

Gsync + 100hz destroys 144hz..

HabUK · 6 Jan 2017 at 00:13

Westie said:
Gsync + 100hz destroys 144hz..

Given that I've got a 1070, what monitor would you recommend at 1440?

llamadal · 6 Jan 2017 at 00:28

Westie said:
Gsync + 100hz destroys 144hz..

This.

The 1080 is an excellent card, not the best value for money (high end never is) but will run most games max settings 60 to 100 FPS at 1440p. It will vary from game to game, how well it's optimised...Etc..

Combine it with gync and you will be set for quite some time.

The swift can be had at a reasonable price these days.

baldmonk · 6 Jan 2017 at 00:35

I use a dell 144hz gsync monitor with a 1070 and run most of my games like doom at 144fps I have no problems with titanfall 2 either but on some games where I get lower frames its still awesome

ancientmariner · 6 Jan 2017 at 00:50

Running a 1080 and a PG348Q here. The 1080 smashes everything without breaking a sweat.

terley · 6 Jan 2017 at 00:51

I hit pretty much 100+ fps on any game at 1440p on my EVGA GTX 1080 FTW, turn down 1-2 settings on some games and 144fps is garunteed at that res.

Safetytrousers · 6 Jan 2017 at 00:54

terley said:
turn down 1-2 settings on some games and 144fps is garunteed at that res.

No it's not. You can turn down 1-2 settings in GTAV and not get 144Hz in anything other than the menus.

terley · 6 Jan 2017 at 00:56

Safetytrousers said:
No it's not. You can turn down 1-2 settings in GTAV and not get 144Hz in anything other than the menus.

A lot of GTAV settings are pretty nonsensical, most benchmarkers don't even use them.. Not a good example.

Safetytrousers · 6 Jan 2017 at 00:57

terley said:
A lot of GTAV settings are pretty nonsensical, most benchmarkers don't even use them.. Not a good example.

Nonsensical or not, that doesn't stop your statement being wrong.
MSAA makes a visible difference, extended distance scaling makes a visible difference, ultra grass makes a visible difference, try having all those at max without deleteriously reducing 1-2 other settings and maintain 144fps.

I wouldn't call it reducing settings though, in many games it's more about how far you can turn settings up before your fps is impacted to an unsatisfactory level.

I can't think of any game I've played that has frequently reached 144fps during play.
(I have a 1080 FTW and 144fps 1440p monitor)

Disco_P · 6 Jan 2017 at 01:08

Some games have stupid max settings though. The dev just whacks the resolution of reflections or massively increases the lighting samples.

I'd also argue with pretty much everything in the post above.

Safetytrousers · 6 Jan 2017 at 01:13

Disco_P said:
Some games have stupid max settings though. The dev just whacks the resolution of reflections or massively increases the lighting samples.
.

So? How does that change the inveracity of the assertion that you can maintain 144fps on pretty much any game at 1440p by turning down 1-2 settings?

Safetytrousers · 6 Jan 2017 at 01:18

Disco_P said:
I'd also argue with pretty much everything in the post above.

I made three main points, one was about what I would call something - the fact that I would call it that things is an unarguable fact even if you think I am wrong to think it.
One of my other points was about my experience of games, and you cannot argue about what my experience has been.
And tell me why I am wrong in what I said about GTAV.

terley · 6 Jan 2017 at 01:22

Safetytrousers said:
So? How does that change the inveracity of the assertion that you can maintain 144fps on pretty much any game at 1440p by turning down 1-2 settings?

Because a developer could add in crazy super sampling or resolution scales..

The witcher 3 allows you to capture gigabyte sized images with NVIDIA ansel.. If they could allow you to run a super resolution in the settings for game play would you class that as max?

The fact is some games DO have settings that are nonsensical and most developers just don't include them because it creates too much of a performance hit..

and i think you took my phrase of "1-2 settings" far too literally.. The GTX 1080 can achieve 144hz in any optimised game at 1440p with a few tweaks.

Safetytrousers · 6 Jan 2017 at 01:30

terley said:
The witcher 3 allows you to capture gigabyte sized images with NVIDIA ansel.. If they could allow you to run a super resolution in the settings for game play would you class that as max?

and i think you took my phrase of "1-2 settings" far too literally..

I played Witcher 3 with its normal set of settings, and I didn't have them all at max. I was nowhere near 144fps most of the time.
I took you at your stated word/numbers.