Best GPU Setup for 4k @ 60fps?

[ToeJullar]

I currently have an MSI GTX 980 running all my games at 1080p 144hz.  It's all fine and dandy, but i'm going to be working through the holiday season and want to eventually land on 4k 60hz or 1440p g sync.

 

I have already experienced 144hz and it's awesome, so 1440p 144hz would be a nice bump up.  I want more than just a bump in visuals, so I'm wanting to get my build 4k ready.  And not just 4k is "playable" or "good enough".  I would like to have 4k at a reliable 60 frames.  I don't mind toning the settings down to medium/high or running without AA.

Anyways, question at hand is what should I get for my GPU setup?

Right now I'm thinking of most likely buying a 2nd GTX 980 and running SLI.  I just want to know before hand though, is it worth it to get a 980 ti?  I'd rather limit my gpu's to 2 max for my watercooling setup.

 

I may even just swap my 980 for a 980 ti, then down the road get a 980 ti SLI config set up.  

 

Just give me your opinions down below.  What is the most reasonable way to get good 4k performance?

TL;DR

 

Best 4k gpu setup, reliable and good fps.

 

[OAcesync]

980 SLI would be decent for 4K low or medium settings but I would just stay at 1440p for now until we get a single GPU that can comfortably run 4K

[don_svetlio]

980 Ti SLI is the MINIMUM

[Oshino Shinobu]

Even 2x 980Tis struggle with some games at 4K and high settings. We're just not quite ready for 4K yet. I have a 4K monitor and run it at 1440P most of the time because it's nicer to have good frames and settings than just a lot of pixels. I'd go for 1440P 144Hz GSync, it's what I plan on replacing my current 4K GSync monitor with. 

[ToeJullar]

980 SLI would be decent for 4K low or medium settings but I would just stay at 1440p for now until we get a single GPU that can comfortably run 4K

Fair response.  Yeah, 4k is still at its entry stages.  Kinda like when HD tv's first came out and were those huge monster tube tv's.

 

I suppose I may do ultra wide 1440p with 980 sli.

[ToeJullar]

Alright thanks for the responses guys.  I think I may just get a solid 1440p monitor and perhaps a 4k TV to watch media on.  

[Fate]

980ti SLI to (nearly) max out every game. SLI 980's would be fine if you were okay with turning down the settings a bit or play older games. 

[i_build_nanosuits]

or 1440p g sync.

^^ this, 144hz IPS 1440p FTW...your 980 can drive this, if you want even more performance i would go SLI...but i'm gaming at this resolution with my overclocked 780 so you should do just fine.

[GSTARR]

I currently have an MSI GTX 980 running all my games at 1080p 144hz.  It's all fine and dandy, but i'm going to be working through the holiday season and want to eventually land on 4k 60hz or 1440p g sync.

 

I have already experienced 144hz and it's awesome, so 1440p 144hz would be a nice bump up.  I want more than just a bump in visuals, so I'm wanting to get my build 4k ready.  And not just 4k is "playable" or "good enough".  I would like to have 4k at a reliable 60 frames.  I don't mind toning the settings down to medium/high or running without AA.

Anyways, question at hand is what should I get for my GPU setup?

Right now I'm thinking of most likely buying a 2nd GTX 980 and running SLI.  I just want to know before hand though, is it worth it to get a 980 ti?  I'd rather limit my gpu's to 2 max for my watercooling setup.

 

I may even just swap my 980 for a 980 ti, then down the road get a 980 ti SLI config set up.  

 

Just give me your opinions down below.  What is the most reasonable way to get good 4k performance?

TL;DR

 

Best 4k gpu setup, reliable and good fps.

 

Two 980ti's at 4k == High settings at 60fps FOR NOW

two titan X's is about ultra at 55-60fps FOR NOW

[TheAmazingCookieFromSquare]

Even 2x 980Tis struggle with some games at 4K and high settings. We're just not quite ready for 4K yet. I have a 4K monitor and run it at 1440P most of the time because it's nicer to have good frames and settings than just a lot of pixels. I'd go for 1440P 144Hz GSync, it's what I plan on replacing my current 4K GSync monitor with. 

you can go 45fps medeuim-high settings off a single 980ti

[Oshino Shinobu]

you can go 45fps medeuim-high settings off a single 980ti

Depends on the game. You can run CS:GO at max settings well over 100FPS with a single card, but that doesn't really mean anything. 

 

I can run most AAA games at around High-medium settings with 2x Titan Blacks with 40-60FPS, but there are still some which are too much at 4K

[PlayStation 2]

390x crossfire

call me crazy but that'll beat a sli 980 ti's ass in vram-limited scenarios

[Curufinwe_wins]

Yea a single 980ti is the closest thing to a 1440p ultra 60 fps sweet spot, sli 980ti is almost capable of maxing most of the demanding games, but honestly there are some major issues with many current/recent games at 4k (for example DA:I is basically impossible to hit 60FPS at 4k ultra).

 

But then again if you do some really fine AA tuning, it's fairly easy to get back into the 60FPS spot for 4k. Unfortunately that also means that within a year or so you'd be back down to 1440p again.

[Raccatography]

I don't understand 4k televisions right now. There's barely any media that's on 4k and if there was, a movie would be worth at least 50gb. Hahahaha.

 

Why not go for a 1080p television that's huge (like 65in huge)

[Curufinwe_wins]

390x crossfire

call me crazy but that'll beat a sli 980 ti's ass in vram-limited scenarios

No it wont. EVER. And there are NO gaming situations where 6GB vram slows a 980ti down that far. 

 

Not to mention that even small amounts of GDDR5 overclocking (like into the 7500 range or above) basically renders compression bottlenecks insignificant even for the 970. (as can be seen by Jayztwocents reviews with overclocked 970 sli preforming on par with single card overclocked 980ti at EVERY resolution)

[Fate]

390x crossfire

call me crazy but that'll beat a sli 980 ti's ass in vram-limited scenarios

What games are limited by 6GB vram at 4k? (it doesn't count if you turn all the ridiculous settings up and both cards get 15fps anyways.)

[PlayStation 2]

No it wont. EVER. And there are NO gaming situations where 6GB vram slows a 980ti down that far. 

 

Not to mention that even small amounts of GDDR5 overclocking (like into the 7500 range or above) basically renders compression bottlenecks insignificant even for the 970. (as can be seen by Jayztwocents reviews with overclocked 970 sli preforming on par with single card overclocked 980ti at EVERY resolution)

I did say "call me crazy"

[Curufinwe_wins]

I did say "call me crazy"

There is a difference between crazy and wrong. But at least you prefaced it in some way.

[don_svetlio]

No it wont. EVER. And there are NO gaming situations where 6GB vram slows a 980ti down that far. 

 

Not to mention that even small amounts of GDDR5 overclocking (like into the 7500 range or above) basically renders compression bottlenecks insignificant even for the 970. (as can be seen by Jayztwocents reviews with overclocked 970 sli preforming on par with single card overclocked 980ti at EVERY resolution)

Fury X CF is superior at 4K tho

[Curufinwe_wins]

Fury X CF is superior at 4K tho

Stock to stock yes (barely, and massively variable per game). OC to OC no (although that is more the fault of the Fury X than the success of the 980ti) Plus, I don't want to be a debby downer here, but AMD is rather notoriously slow at adding proper CF support to games sometimes, which makes doing CF much less appealing than SLI imho (because after all if you are the type of person who spends this much on graphics cards, you are also probably the type of person that buys games right when they come out.)

 

The original premise that two 4GB cards can (conditionally) beat two 6GB cards (where the 6GB card is notably stronger on its own) further exemplifies the idea that fast memory can overcome the issues of compression even at high resolutions.

[don_svetlio]

Stock to stock yes (barely, and massively variable per game). OC to OC no (although that is more the fault of the Fury X than the success of the 980ti) Plus, I don't want to be a debby downer here, but AMD is rather notoriously slow at adding proper CF support to games sometimes, which makes doing CF much less appealing than SLI imho (because after all if you are the type of person who spends this much on graphics cards, you are also probably the type of person that buys games right when they come out.)

 

The original premise that two 4GB cards can (conditionally) beat two 6GB cards (where the 6GB card is notably stronger on its own) further exemplifies the idea that fast memory can overcome the issues of compression even at high resolutions.

@Prysin

[Prysin]

get another 980... OR sell your current 980 and get 2x Fury. As AMD scales a bit better with resolution AND Crossfire.