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Possible Bottleneck?

Gigachip
By Gigachip
in Graphics Cards
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Hiyas, I'm just kind of lost of this problem I encountered. I'm running 3 way crossfire with some HD 7970s.

Anyway, here are some scores I got on a benchmark (3dmark)

using only 1 card:

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/216885

2:

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/216892

but with all 3 running crossfire I get this

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/216917

any ideas?

edit: I guess I should throw this one in as well using 3dmark11

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5898724

Thanks!

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Need more info on the rest of you setup - board, memory, etc. What is your Catalyst driver version? I doubt this is a bottle neck and more of the scalability of Crossfire. There are lots of games where dual and sometime triple just don't work as well as a single card, because of drivers. 3DMark maybe? Could also be your drivers. Been reading the 13.x series is a complete train wreck. Hence why single "monster" GPU setups, like a Titan can be prefered over Xfire 7970's, a 690, etc.

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Your Saberteeth does have 3 x16 *length* slots. But that does not mean you use them all.

Originally Posted by ASUS Sabertooth Z77 Manual

"The PCIe 2.0 x16 slot shares bandwidth with PCIe 2.0 x1_1 slot, PCIe 2.0 x1_2 slot, and PCIe 2.0 x1_3 slot. The PCIe 2.0 x16 slot default setting is in x1 mode."

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Need more info on the rest of you setup - board, memory, etc. What is your Catalyst driver version? I doubt this is a bottle neck and more of the scalability of Crossfire. There are lots of games where dual and sometime triple just don't work as well as a single card, because of drivers. 3DMark maybe? Could also be your drivers. Been reading the 13.x series is a complete train wreck. Hence why single "monster" GPU setups, like a Titan can be prefered over Xfire 7970's, a 690, etc.
3DMark always scales perfectly in SLI & Crossfire, so it must be something else.

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  • Author
Your Saberteeth does have 3 x16 *length* slots. But that does not mean you use them all.

Originally Posted by ASUS Sabertooth Z77 Manual

"The PCIe 2.0 x16 slot shares bandwidth with PCIe 2.0 x1_1 slot, PCIe 2.0 x1_2 slot, and PCIe 2.0 x1_3 slot. The PCIe 2.0 x16 slot default setting is in x1 mode."

I can understand that I don't have to use them all. Just kind of wanted to.

Would it cost that much of a drop in performance if I did use all 3 slots instead of just using 2?

I'm asking because if a new Mobo is recommended I'll just save up and get that.

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Oh yeah, it should ruin performance. That last slot is not meant for a video card at all.

It's only wired for 2.0 x4.

What I'll recommend is 'binning' your cards (find the best two overclockers) and sell the runt. Fast. No need to just hang up your Saberteeth.

ok, guess I'll just do that then.

I had to ask my original question because my 3dmark11 score actually scored decent(among others I guess) using 3 cards. Then getting the steam achievement about my CPU not being up to the task.

So really there "was" a bottleneck, just not what the achievement stated.

Thanks for helping out on that end.

Makes sense too, tried GW2 last night in eyefinity with 3 way enabled and 2 way. 2way got me great fps but 3way was poor lol.

Guess I misunderstood what the "3way sli/xfire" statement meant for the mobo.

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There is always this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131858 Maximus V Extreme. But I really doubt you want to go through swapping mobos just to use one extra card. Plus that board has so many features you would need a lot of experience to even start to use that board to it's potential.

You're welcome and GL!

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Need more info on the rest of you setup - board, memory, etc. What is your Catalyst driver version? I doubt this is a bottle neck and more of the scalability of Crossfire. There are lots of games where dual and sometime triple just don't work as well as a single card, because of drivers. 3DMark maybe? Could also be your drivers. Been reading the 13.x series is a complete train wreck. Hence why single "monster" GPU setups, like a Titan can be prefered over Xfire 7970's, a 690, etc.
after all the beta drivers and optimisations, it does.

"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect. But actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint, it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff."

 

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I saw the combined score dipped in. maybe your virusscanner jumpt in when you where running that test?

try again to eliminate that problem and be sure to install the latest drivers (including betas, they are rock stable) and profiles ;)

or yes. it could be your bandwith after i read that. it can pull down performance drasticly, since the load is evenly spread.

"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect. But actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint, it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff."

 

Dont understimate my skillsz, you might look foolish.

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