New
#411
Well I hate to prove you wrong but the proof is right here and it clearly shows what I have available through 2 cards of video ram im using 1600mb but it shows total Vram 6 Gbs so yes I am correct it does combine when 2 cards are in playI just want to clarify something with you Solar, cos from the way you have worded this it appears you think all the vram from GPU's is added together.This single card right here is enough to run what you run by itself because Vram is very important for what you are using 5760/1200 or what ever this card 6Gb is what you need to run smooth I would be ok with this because I have that much Vram already so I would be ok with 2 cards I would get the 4 gb Versions of Nvidia to make it really run tops
While there is a difference between 1080 and 1200 in FPS, at 5760 x 1*** it's not that big a difference.
You can get away with 2 cards and surround/ef. Although I wouldn't use any less than a pair of 7950 or 670's unless you have x3 22" screens.
The main difference between 2 and 3 cards I have noticed is that areas with 2 cards, it would either top out or drop to say 45FPS. With a 3rd card, the drop is less and it would go up to 60FPS more often.
Luckily some games are playable maxed with 2 cards already. Others like Bioshock INF, it gave the frames a boost enough to keep it @ 60FPS. The only time it dips, is when entering a new area. It quickly dips down to ~30FPS and then shoots back up to 60 and virtually stays there. For two cards, some detail lowering is a must but you can find a happy speed/quality mix.
Overall the 3rd card adds between ~0-30FPS+ and higher minimum frames. That higher can be the difference between kind of jerky 45FPS to smooth 60. Some games like Arma2 however, make zero difference.
Concerning VRAM, most games handle 2GB of VRAM +Surround quite well. I wouldn't tackle it with anything lese than 1.5GB/2GB though. MSAA is a big VRAM eater at high resolutions. Each step adds ~200MB+ to usage. Without AA, or FXAA, a lot of games sit at about 1.5-1.7GB already. Add x4AA and you might hit the buffer. Without, it's still under the limit.
But the biggest frame killer I've seen so far is SSAA (Screen Space Ambient Occlusion). With surround, that has to be turned off in all games.
Thanks guys - I do love my setup. It took years to evolve, but evolve into man awesomeness it did
(Here's what it actually looks like)
*NB ▲ - I had a very loving and understanding wife with no kids... that was the result
you have 4.5gb with all three cards
It's not. It only uses the Vram from 1 card in any SLI or Xfire set up. You could have 4 of mine or your cards in Xfire but it will only ever be able to use 3GB.
Paul.