Could a GTX480 run 3d games better then 2x 260gtx in Sli?
Hi Guys and Girls,

I am looking for opinions or facts that people have on this subject.

I currently run Gtx 260 in SLI with a Q6600 @3.1, 4 gig of fast ram 1066, Acer 23.4 120hz 245HD monitor on a Vista 32 system.

Although i get exceptable frame rates on most games in 3d i am considering going to dx11. Would a single GTX480 and a GTX260 as a Physics card run faster in 3d??

Any and all opinions appreciated.
Hi Guys and Girls,



I am looking for opinions or facts that people have on this subject.



I currently run Gtx 260 in SLI with a Q6600 @3.1, 4 gig of fast ram 1066, Acer 23.4 120hz 245HD monitor on a Vista 32 system.



Although i get exceptable frame rates on most games in 3d i am considering going to dx11. Would a single GTX480 and a GTX260 as a Physics card run faster in 3d??



Any and all opinions appreciated.

#1
Posted 03/31/2010 02:53 PM   
Yes and no. With the 480 you will obviously get extra shader effects, tessalation, and dx11, however
the bandwidth of said card is about 170gb/s.. your two 260's in SLI theoretically provide more raw
bandwidth than a single 480, however may not be as fast at processing things like shaders and
AA. It's kind of a toss up. Personally I am going to wait for the refresh of the 4 series before
jumping on that bandwagon.

EDIT: Dunno if you're interested in it, but if you stick with your 260's you just need 2x more LCD's
for 3d Vision surround. If you got the 480, you'd have to get two of em if you ever wanted to go
the 3d Vision surround route. Yes, you may have to disable a few effects in games, or put
shadows on medium from time to time.. big deal. 3d Vision surround is going to pwn.
Yes and no. With the 480 you will obviously get extra shader effects, tessalation, and dx11, however

the bandwidth of said card is about 170gb/s.. your two 260's in SLI theoretically provide more raw

bandwidth than a single 480, however may not be as fast at processing things like shaders and

AA. It's kind of a toss up. Personally I am going to wait for the refresh of the 4 series before

jumping on that bandwagon.



EDIT: Dunno if you're interested in it, but if you stick with your 260's you just need 2x more LCD's

for 3d Vision surround. If you got the 480, you'd have to get two of em if you ever wanted to go

the 3d Vision surround route. Yes, you may have to disable a few effects in games, or put

shadows on medium from time to time.. big deal. 3d Vision surround is going to pwn.

#2
Posted 03/31/2010 03:30 PM   
Actually, I think it probably would. A single 480 is just about equal to a single 295, which is actually two 275's. So a single 480 should be at least slightly more powerful than two 260's.
Actually, I think it probably would. A single 480 is just about equal to a single 295, which is actually two 275's. So a single 480 should be at least slightly more powerful than two 260's.

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#3
Posted 03/31/2010 03:42 PM   
[quote name='Chris-NYC' post='1031218' date='Mar 31 2010, 04:42 PM']Actually, I think it probably would. A single 480 is just about equal to a single 295, which is actually two 275's. So a single 480 should be at least slightly more powerful than two 260's.[/quote]

I am also thinking that a Sli set up does not scale 100%. So a single card set up would generally be the better solution. I dont know if it is different in 3d. Does each card draw a frame each in other words in 3d an Sli would scale up 100%??
[quote name='Chris-NYC' post='1031218' date='Mar 31 2010, 04:42 PM']Actually, I think it probably would. A single 480 is just about equal to a single 295, which is actually two 275's. So a single 480 should be at least slightly more powerful than two 260's.



I am also thinking that a Sli set up does not scale 100%. So a single card set up would generally be the better solution. I dont know if it is different in 3d. Does each card draw a frame each in other words in 3d an Sli would scale up 100%??

#4
Posted 03/31/2010 03:49 PM   
The bandwidth of the 295 is 224gb/s that's way higher than the 170gb/s the 480 can pump out.

Two GTX 260's can theoretically pump out about 222gb/s of bandwidth together in SLI.

Yes the 480 may actually end up being faster in certain games, but it depends
entirely on the settings you are going to be using.

Consider there are hardly an DX11 games, and it's probably worth waiting for the refresh of the 480
series cards before buying. Doesn't anyone remember the 280 overheating fiasco ?
The bandwidth of the 295 is 224gb/s that's way higher than the 170gb/s the 480 can pump out.



Two GTX 260's can theoretically pump out about 222gb/s of bandwidth together in SLI.



Yes the 480 may actually end up being faster in certain games, but it depends

entirely on the settings you are going to be using.



Consider there are hardly an DX11 games, and it's probably worth waiting for the refresh of the 480

series cards before buying. Doesn't anyone remember the 280 overheating fiasco ?

#5
Posted 03/31/2010 04:47 PM   
[quote name='dreamingawake' post='1031251' date='Mar 31 2010, 05:47 PM']The bandwidth of the 295 is 224gb/s that's way higher than the 170gb/s the 480 can pump out.

Two GTX 260's can theoretically pump out about 222gb/s of bandwidth together in SLI.

Yes the 480 may actually end up being faster in certain games, but it depends
entirely on the settings you are going to be using.

Consider there are hardly an DX11 games, and it's probably worth waiting for the refresh of the 480
series cards before buying. Doesn't anyone remember the 280 overheating fiasco ?[/quote]

Yes probably good advice. The less people that buy what appears to be an incomplete card, the quicker they release the updated version the better for all. It looks as though i will just have to watch and wait. I have thought of buying a GTX295 in the interim as they will probably drop in prtice.
[quote name='dreamingawake' post='1031251' date='Mar 31 2010, 05:47 PM']The bandwidth of the 295 is 224gb/s that's way higher than the 170gb/s the 480 can pump out.



Two GTX 260's can theoretically pump out about 222gb/s of bandwidth together in SLI.



Yes the 480 may actually end up being faster in certain games, but it depends

entirely on the settings you are going to be using.



Consider there are hardly an DX11 games, and it's probably worth waiting for the refresh of the 480

series cards before buying. Doesn't anyone remember the 280 overheating fiasco ?



Yes probably good advice. The less people that buy what appears to be an incomplete card, the quicker they release the updated version the better for all. It looks as though i will just have to watch and wait. I have thought of buying a GTX295 in the interim as they will probably drop in prtice.

#6
Posted 03/31/2010 04:58 PM   
As tested e.g. [url="http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=23132&page=6"]here[/url] a 480 GTX is mostly faster than 295 GTX.

And a single card with the same average framerates will always feel more fluid than a dual graphics card solution, because of the lack of microstuttering especially in low fps situations.

Furthermore you get rid of all the SLI related problems like flickering and other things.
As tested e.g. here a 480 GTX is mostly faster than 295 GTX.



And a single card with the same average framerates will always feel more fluid than a dual graphics card solution, because of the lack of microstuttering especially in low fps situations.



Furthermore you get rid of all the SLI related problems like flickering and other things.

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#7
Posted 03/31/2010 05:04 PM   
[quote name='BadONE' post='1031270' date='Mar 31 2010, 05:04 PM']As tested e.g. [url="http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=23132&page=6"]here[/url] a 480 GTX is mostly faster than 295 GTX.

And a single card with the same average framerates will always feel more fluid than a dual graphics card solution, because of the lack of microstuttering especially in low fps situations.

Furthermore you get rid of all the SLI related problems like flickering and other things.[/quote]

Thats a great point, i just added another 260 for sli and whilst the speed is a welcome boost i do now suffer from constant flickering in 3d vision whereas i had almost none with one card so i would definitely opt for a single card solution, 295gtx is sli on one card remember but i dont know if its as prone to flickering ????
[quote name='BadONE' post='1031270' date='Mar 31 2010, 05:04 PM']As tested e.g. here a 480 GTX is mostly faster than 295 GTX.



And a single card with the same average framerates will always feel more fluid than a dual graphics card solution, because of the lack of microstuttering especially in low fps situations.



Furthermore you get rid of all the SLI related problems like flickering and other things.



Thats a great point, i just added another 260 for sli and whilst the speed is a welcome boost i do now suffer from constant flickering in 3d vision whereas i had almost none with one card so i would definitely opt for a single card solution, 295gtx is sli on one card remember but i dont know if its as prone to flickering ????

#8
Posted 03/31/2010 05:29 PM   
[quote name='Tommygunn777' post='1031287' date='Mar 31 2010, 06:29 PM']Thats a great point, i just added another 260 for sli and whilst the speed is a welcome boost i do now suffer from constant flickering in 3d vision whereas i had almost none with one card so i would definitely opt for a single card solution, 295gtx is sli on one card remember but i dont know if its as prone to flickering ????[/quote]

I think that was a driver issue with the early cards which had a diifernet design. The newer 295's i believe behave more like a single card although obviouslty still 2 gpu's.

I have no idea why you are suffering flickering in 3d as i suufer none at all, but in med to High settings in some games the frame rates are not quite fast enough.

If it were not for 3d, i would, today buy an ati card like a 5870 as to me it represents more bang for bucks compared to the 480gtx. But seeing as love 3d it looks i will have to wait many months before price and performance are sensible. /verymad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':verymad:' />
[quote name='Tommygunn777' post='1031287' date='Mar 31 2010, 06:29 PM']Thats a great point, i just added another 260 for sli and whilst the speed is a welcome boost i do now suffer from constant flickering in 3d vision whereas i had almost none with one card so i would definitely opt for a single card solution, 295gtx is sli on one card remember but i dont know if its as prone to flickering ????



I think that was a driver issue with the early cards which had a diifernet design. The newer 295's i believe behave more like a single card although obviouslty still 2 gpu's.



I have no idea why you are suffering flickering in 3d as i suufer none at all, but in med to High settings in some games the frame rates are not quite fast enough.



If it were not for 3d, i would, today buy an ati card like a 5870 as to me it represents more bang for bucks compared to the 480gtx. But seeing as love 3d it looks i will have to wait many months before price and performance are sensible. /verymad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':verymad:' />

#9
Posted 04/01/2010 08:23 AM   
[quote name='Robertski' post='1031765' date='Apr 1 2010, 09:23 AM']I think that was a driver issue with the early cards which had a diifernet design. The newer 295's i believe behave more like a single card although obviouslty still 2 gpu's.

I have no idea why you are suffering flickering in 3d as i suufer none at all, but in med to High settings in some games the frame rates are not quite fast enough.

If it were not for 3d, i would, today buy an ati card like a 5870 as to me it represents more bang for bucks compared to the 480gtx. But seeing as love 3d it looks i will have to wait many months before price and performance are sensible. /verymad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':verymad:' />[/quote]

Having read more reviews on this card, considering how long we have had to wait, i am less then impressed. I was under the impression that this card would easily out perform my 2x 260gtx sli set up. It appears it does not, it looks as though the wait continues as i am not prepared to pay £850.00 for 2 cards and another £160 for a 1200watt power supply. :(
[quote name='Robertski' post='1031765' date='Apr 1 2010, 09:23 AM']I think that was a driver issue with the early cards which had a diifernet design. The newer 295's i believe behave more like a single card although obviouslty still 2 gpu's.



I have no idea why you are suffering flickering in 3d as i suufer none at all, but in med to High settings in some games the frame rates are not quite fast enough.



If it were not for 3d, i would, today buy an ati card like a 5870 as to me it represents more bang for bucks compared to the 480gtx. But seeing as love 3d it looks i will have to wait many months before price and performance are sensible. /verymad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':verymad:' />



Having read more reviews on this card, considering how long we have had to wait, i am less then impressed. I was under the impression that this card would easily out perform my 2x 260gtx sli set up. It appears it does not, it looks as though the wait continues as i am not prepared to pay £850.00 for 2 cards and another £160 for a 1200watt power supply. :(

#10
Posted 04/02/2010 09:38 PM   
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