GTX 580 SLI - Did I have too high expectations?

So I have 2 GTX580 and a new Corsair AX1200W PSU with my I7 920 @stock, 6GB DDR3 RAM. Everything is correctly installed, both cards show up in device manager, they're connected with the SLI bridge, Nvidia control panel recognises both cards and is set to SLI (with physx set to recommended). Monitor is at 1920x1080 and I checked that it's set to 60hz.

The Just Cause 2 benchmarks are running just fine, getting an avg fps of 58.93 on the Dark tower with everything maxed, 32xAA, etc, etc.

This led me to believe that I could expect similar numbers in Crysis Warhead but there I'm getting between 40-50 (curiously it often caps at exactly 50.0 and never exceeds, reason??) with dx10 Enthusiast settings, no difference between 4xAA or 16xAA. Is it my cpu that is bottlenecked or any setting I'm missing (have been fiddling alot with the settings to make DA2 playable).

32xAA... 16xAA... maybe you should go easier on the AA :P

Unless your monitor is a turd 4x msaa is all you need.

Also, Crysis & Warhead are more demanding games so naturally your framerate will be lower. It's also possible to be CPU bottlenecked with GTX 580's!

Turn down the AA to 4x.

Overclock your CPU.

Enjoy.

32xaa!!! Also, i agree with hartsickdiscipl, oc that i7

If u have a good Cooler OC ur i7. I have mine at 4.8ghz & noticed a nice performance boost.

its definetly the stock i7 is the bottleneck, you need to overclock the i7 to 3.6 or higher and your frames will go up for sure.

Yeah try using the 32bit crysis exe, lower that AA and possibly turn off vsync if you have that turned on

Wait your using two GTX 580 on Crysis and getting only 40 -50 frames

Here's a GTX 560 ti running Crysis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DU-6VxMDSA

I think you wasted your money on two 580's

GTX 580 sli for 1080p? Man, upgrade to 1920x1200. Big difference when I made the jump.Elann2008

or get a 27" 2560x1440, or 30" 2560x1600

[QUOTE="Elann2008"]GTX 580 sli for 1080p? Man, upgrade to 1920x1200. Big difference when I made the jump.Firebird-5

or get a 27" 2560x1440, or 30" 2560x1600

wow that blows, even 580 sli can only do so much. But i heard the 6970 CF does better in crysis and metro than the 580 sli. Either way, its always been like this, and always will be, don't be too dissapointed by it, lower the AA and move on with ur life

If I OC my cpu (C0) what temps should I be looking at? I have the Noctua NH-U12 Cooler and my temps are pretty stable between 105-113F (41-45C) on all my cores according to HWMonitor, what would be acceptable and how far could I go?

another thing you can do is to sell your current cpu and motherboard, and then buy a core i7 2600k/core i5 2500k and an lga 1155 mobo

another thing you can do is to sell your current cpu and motherboard, and then buy a core i7 2600k/core i5 2500k and an lga 1155 mobo

blaznwiipspman1

Seems a bit like a waste, I want to skip the 1155 and go straight to socket 2011 when it's out in Q3...

[QUOTE="blaznwiipspman1"]

another thing you can do is to sell your current cpu and motherboard, and then buy a core i7 2600k/core i5 2500k and an lga 1155 mobo

cfwin

Seems a bit like a waste, I want to skip the 1155 and go straight to socket 2011 when it's out in Q3...

Yeah, true socket 2011 seems like a good idea as well. But I also heard somewhere that lga 1155 will be backwards compatible with ivybridge cpus?? If true then you may as well sell ur stuff now and get a i5 2500k plus mobo, then sell 2500k when ivybridge comes out. If you can afford 580gtx sli im pretty sure you're not short on money :D

another thing you can do is to sell your current cpu and motherboard, and then buy a core i7 2600k/core i5 2500k and an lga 1155 mobo

blaznwiipspman1

That's a ridiculous suggestion for someone using an i7 on LGA 1366.

WTF does 32xaa even look like.Fightingfan

[QUOTE="Fightingfan"]WTF does 32xaa even look like.fm_coyote

Really? I noticed a difference between 4x and 16x with my setup...

Totally depends on the pixel pitch of your monitor. With my monitor 4x is the same visually as anything more then that. I have yet to see a monitor that gives more then a marginal difference with anything more the 4x. Then again that's me. You may be way more picky, who knows.fm_coyote

Well, the only difference I saw was in the buildings in BC2. Bumping it up from 8x CSAA to 16x CSAA helped smooth out the edges more. The trees still look as jagged as ever though :?

[QUOTE="fm_coyote"]Totally depends on the pixel pitch of your monitor. With my monitor 4x is the same visually as anything more then that. I have yet to see a monitor that gives more then a marginal difference with anything more the 4x. Then again that's me. You may be way more picky, who knows.ravenguard90

Well, the only difference I saw was in the buildings in BC2. Bumping it up from 8x CSAA to 16x CSAA helped smooth out the edges more. The trees still look as jagged as ever though :?

[QUOTE="fm_coyote"][QUOTE="Fightingfan"]WTF does 32xaa even look like.ravenguard90

Really? I noticed a difference between 4x and 16x with my setup...

[QUOTE="ravenguard90"]

[QUOTE="fm_coyote"] No different then 4x with even a crappy monitor.Elann2008

Really? I noticed a difference between 4x and 16x with my setup...

[QUOTE="Elann2008"][QUOTE="ravenguard90"]

Really? I noticed a difference between 4x and 16x with my setup...

SPBoss

Why dont you try putting 2X Super Sampling AA?? In crysis it takes care of trees as well, ofcourse it requires absurd amount of GPU power to pull off but you have it and you might even be able to do 4X Super Sampling AA. That is a scenario where stressing your GPU is worth it as you will have crystal clear edges of trees.:D

Why dont you try putting 2X Super Sampling AA?? In crysis it takes care of trees as well, ofcourse it requires absurd amount of GPU power to pull off but you have it and you might even be able to do 4X Super Sampling AA. That is a scenario where stressing your GPU is worth it as you will have crystal clear edges of trees.:D

Gambler_3

[QUOTE="Gambler_3"]

Why dont you try putting 2X Super Sampling AA?? In crysis it takes care of trees as well, ofcourse it requires absurd amount of GPU power to pull off but you have it and you might even be able to do 4X Super Sampling AA. That is a scenario where stressing your GPU is worth it as you will have crystal clear edges of trees.:D

SPBoss

If Crysis is sitting on a somewhat stable 50 fps, I suspect that you're V-synced. For some reason it seems to lock at 50 rather than 60.

I get the exact same fps with two 460s (although, I've play with a custom cfg and high res foliage).

[QUOTE="SPBoss"][QUOTE="Gambler_3"]

Why dont you try putting 2X Super Sampling AA?? In crysis it takes care of trees as well, ofcourse it requires absurd amount of GPU power to pull off but you have it and you might even be able to do 4X Super Sampling AA. That is a scenario where stressing your GPU is worth it as you will have crystal clear edges of trees.:D

Gambler_3

[QUOTE="Gambler_3"]

[QUOTE="SPBoss"] Yh the trees annoy me in crysis they are too 'sharp' if that makes any sense, the edges in particularSPBoss

Go to manage 3D settings.

Then select program settings.

Select crysis from the list of installed games.

Go to "antialiasing - transparency" option and select "super sampling".

I am surprised a GTX 580 SLI owner doesnt use the control panel to it's potential.:P

Btw do keep in mind even with your setup you wont be able to push more than 4xAA with supersampling not that you need anymore anyways because even 2xAA with super sampling changes the look considerably, with 4xAA you are in heaven.:D

Do report me back how you found it.:)

[QUOTE="SPBoss"][QUOTE="Gambler_3"]Have you tried putting on super sampling? It gets rid of that problem....

Gambler_3

Go to manage 3D settings.

Then select program settings.

Select crysis from the list of installed games.

Go to "antialiasing - transparency" option and select "super sampling".

I am surprised a GTX 580 SLI owner doesnt use the control panel to it's potential.:P

Btw do keep in mind even with your setup you wont be able to push more than 4xAA with supersampling not that you need anymore anyways because even 2xAA with super sampling changes the look considerably, with 4xAA you are in heaven.:D

Do report me back how you found it.:)

I have two 580's aswell, evga ones, which manufacturer is yours? Nvidia Control Panel.. default is multi-monitor mode, set it to single display. Huge increase there. if your mobo has 3 pci-e slots make sure your using the right ones, some tend to have two x16 and one x8 I have same psu aswell, over clock your cpu maybe it is bottleneckingSPBoss

Where in the Nvidia control panel is that option for setting the single display?

[QUOTE="SPBoss"]I have two 580's aswell, evga ones, which manufacturer is yours? Nvidia Control Panel.. default is multi-monitor mode, set it to single display. Huge increase there. if your mobo has 3 pci-e slots make sure your using the right ones, some tend to have two x16 and one x8 I have same psu aswell, over clock your cpu maybe it is bottleneckingStunneronureyez

Where in the Nvidia control panel is that option for setting the single display?

I didnt actually find any benefit from setting it to single display but ofcourse it should be done if you have a single display just to be sure.

[QUOTE="Stunneronureyez"]

[QUOTE="SPBoss"]I have two 580's aswell, evga ones, which manufacturer is yours? Nvidia Control Panel.. default is multi-monitor mode, set it to single display. Huge increase there. if your mobo has 3 pci-e slots make sure your using the right ones, some tend to have two x16 and one x8 I have same psu aswell, over clock your cpu maybe it is bottleneckingGambler_3

Where in the Nvidia control panel is that option for setting the single display?

I didnt actually find any benefit from setting it to single display but ofcourse it should be done if you have a single display just to be sure.

Same here. No difference.

I came across this and it was very helpful for me. I started OC'ing my CPU as well and I've gained 10-15 fps in certain games. This is worth a read:

http://www.overclock.net/nvidia/953313-stock-phenom-ii-965-gtx-580-a-4.html