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One 680 4GB or Two 670 2GB in SLI?

Post Date: 2013-03-30
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armoredsaint View Drop Down
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Posts: 170 		  Quote armoredsaint Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Topic: One 680 4GB or Two 670 2GB in SLI?
    Posted: 30 Mar 2013 at 2:06pm
1x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 4GB (PhysX) (Classified Overclocked EVGA)

or

2x SLI Dual (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 2GB (Includes PhysX) or 4GB version

Trying to decide what is better.

Thoughts, opinions?
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bprat22 View Drop Down
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Posts: 20391 		  Quote bprat22 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 30 Mar 2013 at 2:17pm
Sli gtx 670 will smoke a single 680, regardless of vram.     A single 670 is within 5-10% gaming as a 680 so sli 670 is almost double.   The added 4gb vram is used in very few games but Skyrim with alot of texture mods will use it.    The added vram also helps with heavy video rendering, 3d modeling or gaming on a 3 monitor setup.   

Best bet is sli gtx 670 with 4gb vram because the added 4gb is relatively inexpensive over the 2gb vram.    But, 2gb vram is really all you need unless you do nvidia surround, or video editing, etc.

Hope this helps.   
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Posts: 170 		  Quote armoredsaint Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 30 Mar 2013 at 2:27pm
wow awesome! thanks for the detailed reply.

maybe i am reading into it too deeply, but for the 2x 670 that's 4GB listed, is that total or is it 8 GB total?

Edited by armoredsaint - 30 Mar 2013 at 2:32pm
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bprat22 View Drop Down
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Posts: 20391 		  Quote bprat22 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 30 Mar 2013 at 2:41pm
Vram doesn't stack, meaning whatever a single cards vram is total vram.    Reason is, sli works by mirroring the same info to share the task.   So a sli gtx 670 4gb is 4 gb total.   
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Posts: 416 		  Quote Solidus1833 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 30 Mar 2013 at 3:48pm
i asked this before, and bprat22 and DST4ME gave me some great advice.

when it comes for games to NEED atleast 3gb of vram to run, then you should be getting the 4gb vram cards. The only game that comes close to NEEDING anything like that is skyrim with all the mods. To me thats not worth the extra 600 bucks. grab your self 2x 680 2gb in sli, or if you MUST have the 4gb of vram do what bpratt says, grab the 670 in sli, you wont notice the difference in any other game besides skyrim.
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Posts: 170 		  Quote armoredsaint Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 30 Mar 2013 at 8:35pm
when there's 2 cards in SLI - does it matter which monitor plugs into what card?

also it doesn't say who the maker is like EVGA etc?

Edited by armoredsaint - 30 Mar 2013 at 8:45pm
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Solidus1833 View Drop Down
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Posts: 416 		  Quote Solidus1833 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 30 Mar 2013 at 8:39pm
ive thought that and tried it, i saw no difference other than temps,. Of course heat rises so if you are running a program that only utilizes 1 card and you use lower card as your MAIN then it will heat up your upper card while it is idle or not even on. This is nothing to be alarmed by i dont think. But i would rather have my top card to most of the work as heat rises and doesnt effect the lower card too much. I guess that is just personal pref for me.
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Posts: 170 		  Quote armoredsaint Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Mar 2013 at 7:09am
Would it be wasteful for 2 cards in SLI if I am only using one monitor for now?

I have a 24" Dell Ultrasharp at 1920 x 1200?
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Posts: 20391 		  Quote bprat22 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Mar 2013 at 7:20am
Depends on the games you play and what in-game settings will make you happy.  Most games, with your monitor, you can max out and play smooth with a single gtx670.  Others, like Crysis line-up, Metro2033 and some MMOs when heavily populated will also play real nice just by turning settings to High.  Nothing wrong with High settings. 
  I would say, go with single gtx 670 but have a sli capable mobo like Sabertooth or Deluxe in case you want to add another card.  But, you probably won't. 
 
The video cards at DS, if they don't specify the manufacturer can be Asus, Galaxy, MSI, Zotac, etc , whatever DS can get.  Reference cards are all built to the same specs.
 
 
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Posts: 170 		  Quote armoredsaint Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Mar 2013 at 7:54am
currently i have a radeon 6950 and it seems good for BF3 on my current monitor, will I see a really difference with the 670 x2 or 680 x1?
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Posts: 20391 		  Quote bprat22 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Mar 2013 at 8:04am
Here's a link comparing your 6950 to a single 670. 
   http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/510?vs=598
Big difference.  Drooling       If your happy with the 6950, you'll be in heaven with the 670.  Hahaha 
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Posts: 170 		  Quote armoredsaint Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Mar 2013 at 11:33am
Originally posted by bprat22



Here's a link comparing your 6950 to a single 670. 
   http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/510?vs=598
Big difference.  Drooling       If your happy with the 6950, you'll be in heaven with the 670.  Hahaha 


i like!!!


eta: i thought i got banned, because said it was locked or something - LOL
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Posts: 13000 		  Quote Tidgxor Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Mar 2013 at 11:50am
Big%20Smile The only reason you'd be banned is if you bought another 6950.

I kid, kid. Hahaha
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Posts: 170 		  Quote armoredsaint Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Mar 2013 at 12:06pm
Originally posted by Tidgxor

Big%20Smile The only reason you'd be banned is if you bought another 6950.I kid, kid. Hahaha



LOL or another Apple
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Alex View Drop Down
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Posts: 16314 		  Quote Alex Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Mar 2013 at 12:11pm
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armoredsaint View Drop Down
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Posts: 170 		  Quote armoredsaint Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Mar 2013 at 12:13pm
Originally posted by armoredsaint

Originally posted by Tidgxor

Big%20Smile The only reason you'd be banned is if you bought another 6950.I kid, kid. Hahaha



LOL or another Apple


iirc the 6950 is about 2 years old and my first ever amd radeon, the past has been all nvidia.   

i am wondering why DS labeled the 1x 680 4GB as ultimate and 2x 670 4GB as best?

Edited by armoredsaint - 31 Mar 2013 at 12:38pm
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Solidus1833 View Drop Down
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Posts: 416 		  Quote Solidus1833 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 31 Mar 2013 at 1:50pm
think of it this way. That 1 680 classified card is in the ENTHUSIAST category. If you got the money and want the BEST thats it. but the 670 4gb card alone will run anything today at max settings with no issue. And with the 700 series coming this year it will probably be smart to grab the 670 cards and save a little money and see what the next gen cards are going to offer.
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