For the same price: 295x2 or 970 SLI?

[Gdourado]

Hello, how are you?

With the current price drops, the AMD 295x2 is costing less than half of the price of introduction.

These price cuts, make the 295x2 cost about the same as a pair of GTX 970s.

 

With the issues the 970 has about the memory allocation pass 3.5 gb, is the 295x2 a better bet?

 

If you were getting a GPU for gaming, what setup would you choose?

 

Cheers!

[Analog]

From strictly performance standpoint, the 295x2 is a faster configuration and will deliver more FPS. However, there is also the issue of heat and power consumption that you have to factor in. do you have a place to mount the 120mm radiator that comes with the 295x2 as well? These are all things to consider. But yea, in general the 295x2 is a faster overall card. 

[Enderman]

Unless youre trying to play 4k or triple 1440p at ultra you wont have an issue with 3.5GB

[Redsun20]

If you have the ability to power and cool the r9295x2, it is superior. But if you don't have the ability to properly power and cool it, the 295x2 will not be worth it.

[Gdourado]

For power, the PSU is an EVGA 1000G2.

For the radiator, it would fit on the rear exhaust position of the case.

The front has 2 air penetrators 140 as intake.

 

Cheers!

[werto165]

doesn't cross fire still have terrible frame times still? Good FPS =/= good gaming experience. You could have a frame that lasts 200ms surrounded by frames that take 20ms, and that's not a good gaming experience. SLI has less a problem but still has it. Games such as Civ beyond earth have split frame rendering that somewhat resolve the issue. It will improve down the line with dx-12 and vulcan. 

[CostcoSamples]

Get a single Titan x instead.  Better to avoid CF/SLI where possible.  or wait until the cheaper Titan x (possibly the 980 Ti) gets announced shortly.

[Analog]

doesn't cross fire still have terrible frame times still? Good FPS =/= good gaming experience. 

 

Nah, that issue has been patch months ago. There is still a bit of frame stutter, but it is not too bad. It's comparable to SLI. 

[werto165]

Nah, that issue has been patch months ago. There is still a bit of frame stutter, but it is not too bad. It's comparable to SLI. 

I was watching the tech report recently and someone asked whether they would go for titan X or r9 295x2 and he said titan X because of the frame time issue still exists, sure it's much better than before, but long frame times really irritate me, I guess it's depends on the game, some games are better than others. I recently played the talos principle that had wicked frame time issues, stutter after stutter(could have been due to the steam broadcasting tho). 

[Analog]

I was watching the tech report recently and someone asked whether they would go for titan X or r9 295x2 and he said titan X because of the frame time issue still exists, sure it's much better than before, but long frame times really irritate me, I guess it's depends on the game, some games are better than others. I recently played the talos principle that had wicked frame time issues, stutter after stutter(could have been due to the steam broadcasting tho). 

 

Idk, a friend has 7970 crossfire and he has been so happy after the patch that fixed the issue. I guess it really depends on the game though. 

[acidydragon]

As someone who uses SLI daily, the only place you ever see any performance issues, are at launch of games that are rushed out the door.

Games like Watch_Dogs for example, didn't support SLI, and even had MORE issues if it was enabled when it launched, but after about a month, all was smooth sailing for the SLI issues.

 

Don't let people scare you, SLI works fine... I've had zero issues.

[maizenblue]

I would probably get the 295x2. Better performance at higher resolutions, more VRAM, runs cooler and vents heat out of your case.

 

One thing that would be in the 970s favor though is power consumption. You would need a higher watt PSU for the 295x2 and it will draw more power, so in terms of cost you have to take that into consideration. Aside from that, the 295x2 would be the better performer hands down.

[Aphala]

R9 295X2 > 970

 

295X2 is the best for 1440 > Onwards

[Gdourado]

Board is SLI compatible. Z97 board.

PSU is 1000W as I said earlier.

 

295x2 by sapphire is 30 euros less than two Gigabyte G1 970s.

295x2 is 100 euros more than a single Gigabyte G1 980.

295x2 is 340 euros less than a GTX titan X.

 

Cheers!

[Aphala]

Board is SLI compatible. Z97 board.

PSU is 1000W as I said earlier.

 

295x2 by sapphire is 30 euros less than two Gigabyte G1 970s.

295x2 is 100 euros more than a single Gigabyte G1 980.

295x2 is 340 euros less than a GTX titan X.

 

Cheers!

Then all is well! *Insert heroic music*

[maizenblue]

The 295X2 beats 2 980s in sli in some benchmarks, it would easily beat 2 970s.

[Nav1tech]

I was set on going with the 970s in SLI but I got a great deal on a 295x2. Im very happy with the decision and don't have any regrets.

 

I do recommend doing  a push/pull setup on the radiator if your overclocking or have poor case ventilation.  I love how quiet it is compared to the old 290x reference card i had.

[RinnyDinDin]

I was set on going with the 970s in SLI but I got a great deal on a 295x2. Im very happy with the decision and don't have any regrets.

 

I do recommend doing  a push/pull setup on the radiator if your overclocking or have poor case ventilation.  I love how quiet it is compared to the old 290x reference card i had.

Do you play battlefield 4 at all? If so how do you find the difference in performance? 

[Badger906]

Get a single Titan x instead.  Better to avoid CF/SLI where possible.  or wait until the cheaper Titan x (possibly the 980 Ti) gets announced shortly.

a single titan x is double the price of a 295x2!! could have quad fire for that money!

[Dacoolioman]

From strictly performance standpoint, the 295x2 is a faster configuration and will deliver more FPS. However, there is also the issue of heat and power consumption that you have to factor in. do you have a place to mount the 120mm radiator that comes with the 295x2 as well? These are all things to consider. But yea, in general the 295x2 is a faster overall card.

a 295x2 is just two 290s which are virtually identical to 970s in terms of performance benchmarks I've seen have them trading blows and it's untrue that the 295x2 is significantly faster

[sgloux3470]

doesn't cross fire still have terrible frame times still? Good FPS =/= good gaming experience. You could have a frame that lasts 200ms surrounded by frames that take 20ms, and that's not a good gaming experience. SLI has less a problem but still has it. Games such as Civ beyond earth have split frame rendering that somewhat resolve the issue. It will improve down the line with dx-12 and vulcan.

doesn't cross fire still have terrible frame times still? Good FPS =/= good gaming experience. You could have a frame that lasts 200ms surrounded by frames that take 20ms, and that's not a good gaming experience. SLI has less a problem but still has it. Games such as Civ beyond earth have split frame rendering that somewhat resolve the issue. It will improve down the line with dx-12 and vulcan.

Crossfire frametimes were fixed years ago.

[Aphala]

a 295x2 is just two 290s which are virtually identical to 970s in terms of performance benchmarks I've seen have them trading blows and it's untrue that the 295x2 is significantly faster

290X's Not just 290s.

[Analog]

a 295x2 is just two 290s which are virtually identical to 970s in terms of performance benchmarks I've seen have them trading blows and it's untrue that the 295x2 is significantly faster

 

The 295x2 is made of two E9 290X cores. Idk what benchmarks you have seen, but 2x R9 290X is faster than 2x GTX 970.

 

Here is a benchmark of the R9 295x2 against the actually faster than GTX 970 SLI - GTX 780TI SLI. R9 295x2 Still performs beter.

 

[CostcoSamples]

a single titan x is double the price of a 295x2!! could have quad fire for that money!

The 295x2 is only $500?  where?

[Badger906]

The 295x2 is only $500?  where?

its £499 in england, titan x is £900-1000