SLI vs. Single Card Performance (680 v 980)

[Dim]

Hey guys, I know this topic has been absolutely done to death, but I've found a lot of SLI posts that are focused on the 2GB version of the 680, so I made a new one.

 

I currently have a GTX 680 4GB FTW+ (was the top card when I bought it a couple years ago), and I now have the opportunity to get a second one of the same card for under $250.

Currently my card performs nicely, but it does get outshone fairly easily by the current generation of top tier cards.

 

So, I'm hopefully going to grab this second 680 4GB and crunch some numbers, do some benchmarks, etc. which I will be posting here for direct comparison to the GTX 970 and 980 (I can't get my hands on a 980, so I'll probably be taking those numbers from reviewing websites etc.)

 

When I first bought my system, I chucked an 850W power supply in with the intention of later running SLI. It has since taken me 6-12 months of searching local websites constantly for someone to finally post an advertisement for a 4GB GTX 680 (of any description), so I am very excited to see how this performs!

[ebobde]

you dont need the 4Gb in the second one 

[Dim]

you dont need the 4Gb in the second one 

 

You do if you want to utilize the total 4GB.

If you run dual 680s, one is a 4GB and one is a 2GB, you will only be utilizing 2GB of total memory since the memory used is mirrored on the cards.

 

Since I play at 2560x1440, I do need more than 2GB.

[ebobde]

oh fair enough

[Johannes_Lazor]

I think the 680 and 960 has the same chip, Just different revisions, So the 980 should be Significantly faster than a single 680, But in SLI they should be pretty similar when it comes to raw performance.


Add/Subtract 10% from this since it is a synthetic benchmark.
http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/compare.php?cmp[]=41&cmp[]=2953



For 1080p you would probably be ok with SLI 680's, But anything higher and you want the Vram.

[PineappleHolidays]

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1348?vs=1351

 

So sli would be ~the same or a bit worse than a GTX 980

[Dim]

I think the 680 and 960 has the same chip, Just different revisions, So the 980 should be Significantly faster.

Add/Subtract 10% from this since it is a synthetic benchmark.

http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/compare.php?cmp[]=41&cmp[]=2953

 

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the 680, 770 and 960 all have the same chipset, so I think it will be as well (it should). The main comparison I'm making is the 970 to 2x680s moreso than the 980 (purely because I don't have one) -- I think they should perform similarly in most games, some will obviously perform much worse with SLI and some might perform better, but I'll be testing that logic anyway.

Gonna go with Skyrim (100+ mods), GTA V, FarCry 4, and probably a couple others like Tomb Raider (SLI should win out with that one).

 

I'm more interested in the direct real-world performance figures than the theoretical ones, but you are right that in theory it won't perform that amazingly. Still a better option for me to grab another card than a new 970 or 290 since these used cards can be hard to sell

[PineappleHolidays]

I think the 680 and 960 has the same chip, Just different revisions, So the 980 should be Significantly faster than a single 680, But in SLI they should be pretty similar when it comes to raw performance.

Add/Subtract 10% from this since it is a synthetic benchmark.

http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/compare.php?cmp[]=41&cmp[]=2953

For 1080p you would probably be ok with SLI 680's, But anything higher and you want the Vram.

GTX 680>GTX 960

Different cores, different everything really

[PineappleHolidays]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the 680, 770 and 960 all have the same chipset, so I think it will be as well (it should). The main comparison I'm making is the 970 to 2x680s moreso than the 980 (purely because I don't have one) -- I think they should perform similarly in most games, some will obviously perform much worse with SLI and some might perform better, but I'll be testing that logic anyway.

Gonna go with Skyrim (100+ mods), GTA V, FarCry 4, and probably a couple others like Tomb Raider (SLI should win out with that one).

 

I'm more interested in the direct real-world performance figures than the theoretical ones, but you are right that in theory it won't perform that amazingly. Still a better option for me to grab another card than a new 970 or 290 since these used cards can be hard to sell

I would not use synthetic benches to compare cards/sli cards

[beach_boy98]

Barnacules played COD:AW with dual 680's at 4k

[Dim]

GTX 680>GTX 960

Different cores, different everything really

I stand corrected -- I know the 770 is the refresh model with faster memory, but wasn't too sure on the 960.

 

I would not use synthetic benches to compare cards/sli cards

I agree -- they're great in theory, but I want to know real world performance so I'm doing my own hands-on comparison

[Dim]

Second GTX 680 4GB FTW+ arrived in mail today; testing fps tonight and tomorrow for the 970.

[Dim]

Tested Skyrim. It did not run better at all with SLI -- micro stuttering was noticeable and frame rate was within margin of error. No improvement through SLI (running with ~105 mods).

 

Tested GTA V. Huge improvement with SLI, in the neighbourhood of 55% improvement. Minimal stuttering. Overall, scaled extremely well with the second card. Everything was set to Very High with MSAA off and Anisotropic Filtering at x16. Advanced Graphics were not chosen.

 

Edit: SLI minimum should read 32.0 - the graph length does reflect that, though. 970 comparisons to come!

 

[Aphala]

You could sell your old card and get a 980ti 

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fYcd7eu4VFtcgYh0JWG3Fzq8pKfoKIaGomlPvP_rwzk/edit?usp=sharing

 

You could snag a reference design one for fairly cheap I assume you are US or UK so I'm not sure how the pricing is on the US / CAN side of things but reference or MSI custom card seems to be fairly well priced.

[Dim]

You could sell your old card and get a 980ti 

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fYcd7eu4VFtcgYh0JWG3Fzq8pKfoKIaGomlPvP_rwzk/edit?usp=sharing

 

You could snag a reference design one for fairly cheap I assume you are US or UK so I'm not sure how the pricing is on the US / CAN side of things but reference or MSI custom card seems to be fairly well priced.

In Australia you're looking at nearly $1000 for a 980 Ti - it's not worth.

I got the second 680 for $250 AUD which is ~$195 USD; where I live that's insanely cheap