GPU for 4k gaming computer

[okeanos315]

So I am building a 4k gaming computer, but I am concerned that one gtx970 won't be enough. What do you recommend? Do you think this is going to be enough?

[Guest]

A single GTX 970 will not be powerful enough.

For 2160p I would recommend a 295x2 as it will provide you with 30-60fps on most AAA titles.

 

Alternatively a pair of 970's will handle 2160p as well if not better.

[officiallyasimulator]

for proper 4K gaming at high settings at decent frame rates. either 2 OCed 980s or 2 OCed 970s.

[ShadowCaptain]

So I am building a 4k gaming computer, but I am concerned that one gtx970 won't be enough. What do you recommend? Do you think this is going to be enough?

 

Not enough at all, You need at least 2 970s or even better 2 or 3 980 / R9 290x to make 4k playable (at like 30-60fps)

 

Why not go for a 1440p monitor instead? a single 970 will do a great job at 1440p

[Fate]

So I am building a 4k gaming computer, but I am concerned that one gtx970 won't be enough. What do you recommend? Do you think this is going to be enough?

It won't be enough for newer AAA titles above medium-high or so without AA.

If you play slightly older games, mobas, racing games, simulators, Arma series, MMO's, CS:GO, etc it'll be fine. 

 

For newer AAA titles two 970's/290's are pretty much required if you want to play them at decently high settings. 

[Uphorics]

A single GTX 970 will not be powerful enough.

For 2160p I would recommend a 295x2 as it will provide you with 30-60fps on most AAA titles.

Are you serious? Why buy a 295x2 when you can buy 2 GTX 970s for almost half the price?

[nhatduy1611]

I'm just going to list the option right now for 4k gaming : 2 970 or 2 980 or 290x or 1 295x2.

[Fate]

Are you serious? Why buy a 295x2 when you can buy 2 GTX 970s for almost half the price?

295x2 is $700 and two 970's are $700.

295x2 wrecks two 970's at 4k.

That's why.

[Uphorics]

295x2 is $700 and two 970's are $700.

295x2 wrecks two 970's at 4k.

That's why.

I beg to differ.

(Haven't checked pricing recently on 295x2 my bad)

[Guest]

You can pick up a 295x2 for $795 these days. The price of them has dropped significantly.

[Fate]

I beg to differ.

(Haven't checked pricing recently on 295x2 my bad)

Wrecked was an overstatement sorry, I thought the 295x2 was more powerful than it is at 4k for some reason.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NVIDIA/GeForce_GTX_970_SLI/3.html

They trade blows with 295x2 edging out every so slightly in a few games and 970 sli edging out in a few games. 295x2 is a little better overall.

[nhatduy1611]

Are you serious? Why buy a 295x2 when you can buy 2 GTX 970s for almost half the price?

Half the price ???? Do you live in the past or something ? Right now a 295x2 only cost 700$  or 650$ after rebate the same as or even cheaper 2 970 sli plus you get a custom water cool card.

[Uphorics]

You can pick up a 295x2 for $795 these days. The price of them has dropped significantly.

Please don't forget though you'll be spending a lot more on power and a good enough power supply just to power the thing. And heat output is a factor as well.

Not trying to start a flame war here.

But now that you think of it, wouldn't it just be better to wait for the 300 series cards?

[dragoon20005]

the 295x2 will be better since it is water cooled and the 512bit memory bus is better for 4K res rendering

[Uphorics]

the 295x2 will be better since it is water cooled and the 512bit memory bus is better for 4K res rendering

A wider bus does little to performance these days. At higher resolutions vram is what matters. Look at the 980. 256 bit bus and outperforms a 290x.

[Guest]

But the memory bus determines the speed of the VRAM?

[dragoon20005]

A wider bus does little to performance these days. At higher resolutions vram is what matters. Look at the 980. 256 bit bus and outperforms a 290x.

nVIdia 256bit memory bus has always been clocked to 7GHz and above

 

in the case of the AMD cards which has a slow but wider memory bus

 

the AMD will address the data similarly as fast as the Geforce.

 

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2288305

 

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/363644-33-vram-memory-width

 

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/44197-memory-bus-size-and-how-it-effects-your-vram-usage/

 

 

using this example

 

4608000 - 6GB with 1000mhz memory clock (4000 effective) 768bit memory bus

4608000 - Titan with 3000mhz memory clock (12000 effective)

4224000 - Titan with 2750mhz memory clock (11000 effective)

3840000 - Titan with 2500mhz memory clock (10000 effective)

3072000 - Titan with 2000mhz memory clock (8000 effective)

2307072 - Titan with 1502mhz memory clock (6008 effective) (stock)

1536000 - Titan with 1000mhz memory clock (4000 effective)

2048000 - 4GB with 1000mhz memory clock (4000mhz effective) clock 512bit memory bus

1152000 - 3GB with 1000mhz memory clock (4000mhz effective) clock 384bit memory bus

[othertomperson]

Not enough at all, You need at least 2 970s or even better 2 or 3 980 / R9 290x to make 4k playable (at like 30-60fps)

Why not go for a 1440p monitor instead? a single 970 will do a great job at 1440p

. 2 970s or two 290Xs will handle AAA games at 4k and 60 fps with ease.

3 won't help at all because sli scaling isn't enough of a consideration to most devs to make it worthwhile

[Uphorics]

But the memory bus determines the speed of the VRAM?

To my understanding VRAM is alreasy fast enough it doesn't matter when you compare a 256 bit to 512 bit bus. Little performance gain.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong

Edit: corrected by dragon20005 (posted at the same time)

[ShadowCaptain]

Again you're spouting com

 

huh?

 

 

Again you're spouting complete rubbish. 2 970s or two 290Xs will handle AAA games at 4k and 60 fps with ease.

 

oh you had not finished typing

 

No, they wont, they will get between 30 and 60fps in most games... especially on very high or ultra

 

http://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/geforce-gtx-970-sli-review,22.html

[othertomperson]

huh?

oh you had not finished typing

No, they wont, they will get between 30 and 60fps in most games... especially on very high or ultra

http://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/geforce-gtx-970-sli-review,22.html

Have you ever seen a 4k display? Using anti-aliasing is ridiculous and unnecessary. Turn it off and suddenly 60fps.

Also this forum is incredibly frustrating to navigate and use via mobile. Shoot me.

[fringie]

SLI 970's or 295x2. I'd probably go with 2x 970's because the 295x2 probably needs a lot of power which is just gonna get dumped into your room as heat and I don't have ac .

 

If you rich get sli 980's. The scaling for 3x 970's isn't too good (proven by linus). 

[ShadowCaptain]

Have you ever seen a 4k display? Using anti-aliasing is ridiculous and unnecessary. Turn it off and suddenly 60fps.

 

Yes I have seen a 4k display, sure you can hit 60fps by lowing settings turning of AA etc, though AA still does have some noticeable effects even at 4k

 

And some games will still struggle to hit 60 on highest settings 60fps consistently

 

Also I said SLI 970s would be the minimum... so not sure what the problem is? here is what I said below "you need at least 2 970s.." to get 30-60fps

that statement is 100% true

 

Not enough at all, You need at least 2 970s or even better 2 or 3 980 / R9 290x to make 4k playable (at like 30-60fps)

 

Why not go for a 1440p monitor instead? a single 970 will do a great job at 1440p

 

[Uphorics]

Let's just finish this.

There's no such thing as a true 4k gaming rig capable of playing AAA titles above 60fps. Come back in a year and it'll be a different story. To the OP, just buy a 1440p monitor (or maybe even ultrawide 1440p) and a single flagship card and save your money and the hassle to go through all of it. Good luck.

[ShadowCaptain]

Let's just finish this.

There's no such thing as a true 4k gaming rig capable of playing AAA titles above 60fps. Come back in a year and it'll be a different story. To the OP, just buy a 1440p monitor (or maybe even ultrawide 1440p) and a single flagship card and save your money and the hassle to go through all of it. Good luck.

 

I agree with this, especially as there have been some 1440p 144hz IPS monitors announced by ACER!

 

1440p 144hz IMO is better than 4k 60hz, and is MUCH easier to drive

 

also no shitty windows scaling issues