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Your thoughts please... 680 SLI and Surround or wait for GK110

About to pull the trigger on 2 XL2420T's a Gigabyte Z77X-D3H and a Gigabyte GTX 680 3x Windforce. Someone stop me!

Can I mix a blower type cooler and an exhaust type cooler OK? I mean I know they'll work obviously but want to avoid any problems about stagnant hot air roasting the other card. If it's going to be a problem I can get an EVGA reference card for slightly cheaper but I want to maximise my chances of getting a decent clocker (at least 1200) as my current 680 pushes nearer to 1300. Have a HAF-X so case cooling is decent.

I know it's a lottery though!
 
Rusty0611 said:
About to pull the trigger on 2 XL2420T's a Gigabyte Z77X-D3H and a Gigabyte GTX 680 3x Windforce. Someone stop me!

Can I mix a blower type cooler and an exhaust type cooler OK? I mean I know they'll work obviously but want to avoid any problems about stagnant hot air roasting the other card. If it's going to be a problem I can get an EVGA reference card for slightly cheaper but I want to maximise my chances of getting a decent clocker (at least 1200) as my current 680 pushes nearer to 1300. Have a HAF-X so case cooling is decent.

I know it's a lottery though!
Click to expand...

Whoa! What about the VRAM issue? I'm almost sure Nvidia cards have to be the EXACT same model for it to work.

EDIT: AFAIK An EVGA card and the Gigabyte won't be compatible.
 
chipachap said:
Whoa! What about the VRAM issue? I'm almost sure Nvidia cards have to be the EXACT same model for it to work.

EDIT: AFAIK An EVGA card and the Gigabyte won't be compatible.
Click to expand...

They will work:

http://www.geforce.com/hardware/technology/sli/faq

As long as I don't run out of VRAM it's OK. I think I can live with MSAA x2 or if all else fails FXAA. I can't really tell THAT much difference between FXAA and MSAAx4. The differences are easy to spot on a still picture but moving around far less so.

Anyone have any experience of using the HAF-X air duct for multi-GPU cooling? Worth it? Fan for it would only be around a fiver.

oweneades said:
Here you go:
Click to expand...

Sorry forgot to say thanks! Thanks!
 
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chipachap said:
Whoa! What about the VRAM issue? I'm almost sure Nvidia cards have to be the EXACT same model for it to work.

EDIT: AFAIK An EVGA card and the Gigabyte won't be compatible.
Click to expand...

What VRAM issue? Stop spouting nonsense :p

You're also wrong on the compatability front - you can mix brands without issue.
 
Rusty0611 said:
Can I mix a blower type cooler and an exhaust type cooler OK? I mean I know they'll work obviously but want to avoid any problems about stagnant hot air roasting the other card.
Click to expand...

Yes put the blower under the WF, reasoning being threefold:

There is better airflow between the cards.

The added benefit of shifting some of the non-exhausting WF air out the back of your case.

The bottom card being the blower, runs cooler=less fan rpm's, in the bottom slot so it will also be the quietest combination as well.

:eek:...

...then I remember the 6 series WF coolers are 2slot instead of 3!:o, but it's still the way I would set them up through my own experiences using SLi/CrossFire with stock/custom cooling combinations. ***sneaky ninja edit;)***



I would still try the 3x screens with your existing gpu before splashing out on another 680 though, you can always add another.
 
I went and missed todays 690 deal with my hesitation anyway... argh

just ordered the extra 2 monitors + 3d vision kit though to arrive tomorrow... i'll see how it runs with this card :)
 
Thanks Tommy.

A little confused though - I'd have my reference card at the top nearest the CPU and the WF at the bottom nearest my PSU?

I don't see single card working at all otherwise I would try it. I'd have to lower settings too much to get what I would deem acceptable frame rates.

Edit: Saved my basket here and at a competitor and the competitor is over £100 cheaper! I'm all for paying for good CS if you need it but that's too much :(.
 
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No have the reference card at the bottom, so it can get cool air and stay quieter. If it was at the top it would be getting all the windforce's hot air and would have to spin up more, perhaps even throttle.
 
Rusty0611 said:
Thanks Tommy.

A little confused though - I'd have my reference card at the top nearest the CPU and the WF at the bottom nearest my PSU?

I don't see single card working at all otherwise I would try it. I'd have to lower settings too much to get what I would deem acceptable frame rates.

Edit: Saved my basket here and at a competitor and the competitor is over £100 cheaper! I'm all for paying for good CS if you need it but that's too much :(.
Click to expand...

same here... when ocuk had the benqs on offer, they were competative... but i cant justify £100 for the CS :(

its a shame ocuk wont price match from time to time... or at least lower the difference... if it was only £20-40, id pay the extra to ocuk
 
Rusty0611 said:
Thanks Tommy.

A little confused though - I'd have my reference card at the top nearest the CPU and the WF at the bottom nearest my PSU?
Click to expand...
Np Rusty, it's the other way round- WF top slot(CPU), reference at the bottom slot(PSU), at the very least it will be a quieter setup as the reference will be louder in the top slot as the stock cooler(~10c higher in SLi) has to work harder than it does in you rig as it stands.


Rusty0611 said:
I don't see single card working at all otherwise I would try it. I'd have to lower settings too much to get what I would deem acceptable frame rates.
Click to expand...

You'll never know unless you try, a lot of folks managed at that resolution last gen with 69/5 series dual card setups, that's why I would try first, you could be surprised and find that the games you play, play good enough to see you good until the 780 or whatever lands.

You could possibly save yourself the best part of £500.

:)


Rusty0611 said:
Edit: Saved my basket here and at a competitor and the competitor is over £100 cheaper! I'm all for paying for good CS if you need it but that's too much :(.
Click to expand...

crinkleshoes said:
same here... when ocuk had the benqs on offer, they were competative... but i cant justify £100 for the CS :(

its a shame ocuk wont price match from time to time... or at least lower the difference... if it was only £20-40, id pay the extra to ocuk
Click to expand...

Not good OcUK, what's happening guys?:(
 
tommybhoy said:
Np Rusty, it's the other way round- WF top slot(CPU), reference at the bottom slot(PSU), at the very least it will be a quieter setup as the reference will be louder in the top slot as the stock cooler(~10c higher in SLi) has to work harder than it does in you rig as it stands.




You'll never know unless you try, a lot of folks managed at that resolution last gen with 69/5 series dual card setups, that's why I would try first, you could be surprised and find that the games you play, play good enough to see you good until the 780 or whatever lands.

You could possibly save yourself the best part of £500.

:)






Not good OcUK, what's happening guys?:(
Click to expand...

It's not on everything, not at all... A lot of things are still cheaper here.

The monitors we're after for our setups, however... Are 15% cheaper elsewhere and have been for months... A rare occurance, but frustrating in this scenario.

I'm surprised by the large difference, it's that rare.
 
Yeah. That combined with £5 cheaper for delivery (need Saturday) and a few bob here and there adds up to £105 cheaper with competitor. Not good. OcUK are only competitive at best (factoring in the best CS/after sale support) on most things and often the cheapest by miles on sale items.

Don't know why the monitor is still going for £300 on here though.
 
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Pulled the trigger.

I will try with one graphics card and DSR the other one if it's OK with one (doubt it but willing to be wrong!)

Fun in store tomorrow as will need to do a rebuild due to motherboard upgrade. :(

Shouldn't take too long though!
 
Let me know how you get on with the 1 card please Rusty as I also am tempted to get another 2 27" screens when I have funds available.
 
Rusty0611 said:
Adapters and monitor connections aren't my strong point!

Does DP give 120hz?
Click to expand...

You don't need a DP, just use the 3 DVI-D cables that come with your monitors,

2 in the top card 1 in the bottom.
middle monitor connected in the first DVI-D connector on the top card so your middle monitor is used if you have 3D on one monitor only.

as tommybhoy said WF at the top as that will work the hardest as when you sync they OC to the slowest card which ever round you put them,8-10 degree difference

As you have a Haf X cooling shouldn't be a issue

Vram not a issue really in Sli

No going back to single monitor for you,enjoy :)
 
whyscotty said:
You don't need a DP, just use the 3 DVI-D cables that come with your monitors,

2 in the top card 1 in the bottom.
middle monitor connected in the first DVI-D connector on the top card so your middle monitor is used if you have 3D on one monitor only.
Click to expand...

The cables will need to all go into card one though don't they? For what is around a fiver I'm not too fussed. Card one has 2x DL DVI, DP and HDMI.

So I would need an adapter for DL DVI to DP.
 
If you ever buy a DP cable - do not buy a cheap DP cable!

They're prone to electromagnetic interference & it's extremely annoying... you need a shielded cable.
 
 
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