GTX260 Tri SLI - anyone try?

[Kursah]

Yeah I'm going for step-up...still going thru process, but all they have to do is verify shipping payment and it's on lol! Though I'm only going to have a single card, it'll be plenty for me! Curious to see your results though!

 

[cdawall]

now what are you going to do with the other 3 GTX260s?!

 

[psyko12]

Wow, hope this goes well for you, hmm wonder how well would they do.. Plus u have a hardcore machine a quadx pumping 4ghz wish I had that too

 

[SK-1]

to me its outdated since nehalem is taking its place

 

[HeavyH20]

I ordered the cards from NewEgg. Since it was so recent and the cards have not even arrived, the packages are going back, as is, and the the new 216 version cards are ordered. No restocking fee since they are untouched. I thought about simply keeping the regular GTX 260 cards and stepping up via EVGA, but, since I was still at ground zero, I decided to pursue the newer rev right away. I may also wait the 90 days then step up to the GTX 280 cards

Should be interesting to track where the CPU bottlenecks the cards on a sliding scale.

 

[cdawall]

it wont lol

 

[HeavyH20]

I know it won't at modern resolutions levels (1680 x 1050 and above), but I want to see how far toward Kindergarten sized icons I can go before the CPU presents itself as a bottleneck. 1024 x 768? 800x600? It will be easy to see. I am going to start out at 2.4 GHz and scale up with one, two, then three cards to see where the CPU increase stops improving GPU performance. This is the point where the CPU gets out of the way and I will record that. I am curious what those numbers look like with a modern GPU like the GTX 260.

 

[{JNT}Raptor]

to me its outdated since nehalem is taking its place

Thats the silliest statement I've ever heard.....outdating current hardware based on tech thats not even released yet????

I'm just glad the OP Is experienced or you might have tainted his purchase with your BS opinion.

Love the Idea your going with the new 216sp GTX260 HeavyH20.....look forward to the results.

 

[cdawall]

1280x1024 will be when the performance starts to lag

 

[HeavyH20]

Likely that will be the resolution with 3 cards where the CPU can't drive the data fast enough for the cards.

So, comparing dollar for dollar, you think Tri SLI 260's will outpace SLI 280's? $900 ($299 each list) for three GTX 260 cards or $900 ($449 each list) for two GTX 280 cards? Should we start taking bets?

 

[farlex85]

I'd say 3 260s take it easily, since they aren't too far under the performance of the 280 as is. That 3rd will have to scale less than 10% or something to let 2 280s beat it.

 

[HeavyH20]

OK, the results look pretty good out of the gate. I still have to tweak things a bit on the OC front, but a quick jump on the clocks yields some very good results.

 

[Chewy]

Sweet man. Another pimping rig by you Pics!

 

[DaMulta]

Very nice HeavyH20

 

[Wile E]

OK, the results look pretty good out of the gate. I still have to tweak things a bit on the OC front, but a quick jump on the clocks yields some very good results.

Can you show us the difference between 1, 2 and 3 cards, so we get an idea of scaling?

 

[HeavyH20]

Thanks for the support guys. More details, pics, etc to follow.

For Wile E, that was the plan. I just got the cards installed a couple of hours ago and these results were my first quick (anxious) check to see if everything was working. I will certainly be following up with a 1, 2 and 3 card scaling check at different resolutions.

So, until then, here is a peek at the extreme result (1920x1200):

 

[bud951]

well cdawall if you dont like me why dont you ask wizzard to ban me

I have to agree with cdawall. You are knocking everyone post after post for not having the rig that you dont even have. I have never seen system specs for a fantasy rig before. I am upgrading to Nehalem also but I cant knock anyone else for trying to get there current system to run at its best. Not everyone is buying Nehalem/Bloomberg right when it comes out. When you get your new rig together then post some scores and then make a point.

 

[yogurt_21]

looking good, definetly some nice scores there. how was the setup? any tri-sli issues thus far?

 

[HeavyH20]

No issues yet but, I have had limited exposure.

Doing some single card testing now...then SLI...then Tri SLI

 

[Solaris17]

thanks for keeping us updated on this dude im incredably curious as to how it turns out.

 

[HeavyH20]

I have run all the 3DMark06 tests to determine DX 9 SM 2 and SM3 scaling as well as DX10 with 3DMark Vantage. I am just tallying up the results to show how well the items scale or do not scale. I will post up the results Friday night, so keep posted!

 

[Deleted member 3]

a quadcpu at 4ghz with out dated architecture

Please stop the Nehalem fanboyism. Nehalem is a pos, Sandy Bridge is way better.

well cdawall if you dont like me why dont you ask wizzard to ban me

He isn't the only one that can ban you.



Apart from that, at high resolutions+AA the CPU won't be the bottleneck. Still, I wouldn't spend that much on videocards.

 

[DrPepper]

what made you get 3 gtx260's instead of 280's

 

[CDdude55]

You rich folk, hogging all the good video cards, one of those 260's could have be mine if i had some cash.lol.

Nice looking rig , must have some great cooling in the case.

 

[theeldest]

MOD points

a quadcpu at 4ghz with out dated architecture

If I had mod points I'd mod you to Troll.

Wait ... wrong board for that ....



Nice setup, HeavyH2O!