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Graphics Temporary and cheap alternative. Or X99 build?

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by Kronos, 1 May 2016.

  1. Kronos

    Kronos Multimodder

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    In relation to my thread here.http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=303077

    If as forecast prices for the 900 series drop I am looking to offload my 980 before this happens to get a better price but being a gamer FPS's and action being my genre of choice and having a Dell 34" monitor, I am looking for a cheap and temporary substitute that I can pick up in the MP here or Overclockers.

    What would you suggest folks?

    EDIT: Or perhaps an X99 build then which will mean no GPU upgrade until next year?
     
    Last edited: 2 May 2016
  2. noizdaemon666

    noizdaemon666 I'm Od, Therefore I Pwn

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    I'd keep the 980 until Pascal. Yeah you'll get more for it now, but then you're going to end up with possibly an even older card which you'll then have to shift again once Pascal hits. Plus short of getting another 980 or above, you're going to lose performance by getting something from the marketplace.
     
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  3. Kronos

    Kronos Multimodder

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    I appreciate what you are saying but I can get a reasonable price for the 980 now, if I got another card I would probably keep it as a spare of upgrade one of my other PC's, But have the benefit of getting a decent price for the 980.
     
  4. David

    David μoʍ ɼouმ qᴉq λon ƨbԍuq ϝʁλᴉuმ ϝo ʁԍɑq ϝμᴉƨ

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    There isn't a cheap alternative that will handle gaming on that monitor that won't lose value down the line when you're looking to upgrade.

    You're just trading depreciation on one card for the cost and depreciation on card you don't yet own.

    I'd stick with the 980.
     
  5. SuperHans123

    SuperHans123 Multimodder

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    Why don't you upgrade your CPU, RAM and MOBO instead?
     
  6. Kronos

    Kronos Multimodder

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    To what, I have had this question as a thread some time ago and was advised to wait until next year for Broadwell E. I will see if I can find the thread.

    Edit: http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=295481&page=2
     
  7. Harlequin

    Harlequin Modder

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    gpu is the limiting factor at higher resolutions rather than the rest - I also have a 980 and decided to wait it out as anything under wont work well @4k for me
     
  8. Guest-56605

    Guest-56605 Guest

    Without meaning to be patronising - Patience is a virtue

    In all fairness Glen your gonna take a hit on the 980 sale be it now or after the Pascal launch, selling now for a lesser card would just be throwing money away fella.

    You've not got that much longer to wait (just like the rest of us).
     
  9. SuperHans123

    SuperHans123 Multimodder

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    What about going SLI when the prices for 980s do drop?
    That amount of GPU horsepower would eat most scenarios.
     
  10. Kronos

    Kronos Multimodder

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    Certainly an option that I had not thought about, thanks.

    Either way I think that the best route is waiting. I was,initially, looking to fund a fair chunk of the 980Ti purchase by the sale of the 980, but by waiting I can use the opportunity to fund the purchase of another GPU by saving cash over the next few weeks.
     
  11. SuperHans123

    SuperHans123 Multimodder

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    I just said 980 SLI and did a Homer Simpson drool!
    As a fellow FPS preferrer, what FPS are you looking forward to this year?
    I have Doom, Homefront and Deus Ex on my short shortlist.
     
  12. Kronos

    Kronos Multimodder

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    I don't look forward to any games now as I am invariably disappointed. I was talking with a mate about the complexity of what I suppose could be called the back ground stuff of games. All this crafting, abilities, perks, upgrades for everything from weapons to clothing yet there is never much in instructions on any of this. Surely a manual could come with the download giving a little guidance rather having to rely on Google and forums to get this info.
    I tend not to do much crafting in games, I tend to use the weapon that has higher numbers than my current and the same with armour and I get through the game for the most part reasonably well. Give me a automatic shotgun,sniper rifle and machine gun and I will be fine. But ask me to craft potions and spells and this is not for me.
    I will buy Doom and Deus Ex but I am in no rush as I said don't get excited these days.
     
  13. SuperHans123

    SuperHans123 Multimodder

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    With you on the crafting etc.. Too much like work!
     
  14. Kronos

    Kronos Multimodder

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    Most of the time it adds sweet F A to the gameplay that is providing I can figure out how to do it in the first place. It was the same with Fallout 4, did not craft a thing, did eat a thing or drink anything and had no trouble with the game whatsoever.
     
  15. Vault-Tec

    Vault-Tec Green Plastic Watering Can

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    I certainly wouldn't even entertain the idea. SLI and Crossfire are all but dead. Please, I urge any one reading this not to make the mistake of going multi GPU.
     
  16. Kronos

    Kronos Multimodder

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    A helpful post(not).

    Evidence to support your assertion always welcome here.
     
  17. noizdaemon666

    noizdaemon666 I'm Od, Therefore I Pwn

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    V-T's comment is based on his own experiences I believe, where his FuryX CrossFire was rarely utilised in any new game giving him a sub-optimal experience at 4K.

    He may also have objective evidence like a review or something. Personally I enjoyed my time with both SLI and CrossFire. Admittedly it is a very game dependant technology, some games will simply never play ball with it.
     
  18. Vault-Tec

    Vault-Tec Green Plastic Watering Can

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    you need evidence? I'm running Fury X in Crossfire and I wasted £390 on a second GPU that in pretty much every recent game does absolutely nothing.

    It just doesn't work any more, Glenn. Let me take a few games from very recently.

    Fallout 4 - no SLI or Crossfire support at launch. It took nearly three months to get it working, then Bethesda broke it again. Then it was working again, now I am getting negative scaling (IE slower on two cards).

    Just Cause 3 - Don't work, won't work. Devs said that basically it wasn't going to work and that was that.

    Rise of the Tomb Raider - took over a month. It does sort of work now though.

    Phantom Pain - Don't work won't work. Again, another confession from the devs to say that it simply doesn't support more than one GPU.

    Need for Speed - see the above. It's been out around two to three months now and still does not work.

    XCOM 2 - Flickering textures etc.

    The Division - despite being touted as a game that would support all of the hardware you could throw at it it actually doesn't. Apparently it only supports SLI, but SLI users have been having a really bad time of it.

    DX12 was supposed to be the answer to all of this. Then it quickly dawned on people that it still needs to be added and a game can be released quite easily without the support. And it shows, too. Once installed to Rise of the Tomb Raider SLI and Crossfire no longer work.

    So what does all of this mean? well, my opinion is that game devs simply CBA any more to support more than one card. 4k still isn't really a thing* and the next option down is 1440p, where cards like the 980ti and Fury X can run pretty much anything with their hands tied behind their backs. 4k is a much more niche resolution than 1440p was so you would literally be spending time and money coding in support for 1% of 1% of 1%. As I say, 1440p - 980ti Fury X hands tied behind back.

    * having owned 4k myself I can say that basically when one GPU comes along that can run it properly we will be in business. However, one GPU is not enough and by the time you lower the details you may as well be playing 1440p maxed.

    When some one who owns two GPUs comes along and says "Please don't run more than one GPU" it usually has some pretty strong meaning to it.

    SLI is just as bad now. There has been the odd Gamedoesn'twork title that has worked slightly better in SLI, but the support simply isn't there any more and it seems the devs are all sort of following on from each other.

    If a game has been coded to support SLI then usually whether Nvidia like it or not it will also support Crossfire with some work from AMD. Basically if a game supports AFR (alternate frame rendering) then it's usually always possible to get it working on both SLI and Crossfire.

    The problem is nothing is supporting it so there's nothing AMD or Nvidia can do. And IMO? it's only set to get worse.

    Actually here's how bad it is.

    Nvidia haven't released a dual GPU single card since Titan Z and when they did it was more of a joke than a gaming card.

    AMD have just released the Radeon Duo Pro, and have actually come out and said it's not for gaming in any shape or form it's for VR devs. They've totally not marketed it as a gaming card at all because they know they would get them all back.



    http://www.dsogaming.com/news/just-cause-3-engine-is-incompatible-with-all-multi-gpu-solutions/
     
    Last edited: 2 May 2016
  19. Guest-56605

    Guest-56605 Guest

    A single GPU is the best option Glen - One tailored to the resolution of your monitor.

    As both noizdaemon666 and Vault-Tec have stated developers aren't overly bothered with the additional development costs and support for what is defined as a niche part of the market.
     
  20. Kronos

    Kronos Multimodder

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    I must admit I did not have any issues with my 670 SLI set up cannot think of a time or game when it did not work but I might be wrong on that point. But I certainly did not have any major issues.
    Back to the drawing board methinks.
     

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