GPU Question

Permafrost

I'm building a new PC and m having trouble figuring out what GPU to get as it is going to be used for gaming, modeling, sculpting, etc... My main question is how will a GTX 690 perform with programs? Mainly 3DS Max, Maya, ZBrush, UDK, CryEngine 3.

Eric Chadwick

Max generally doesn't work well with AMD cards, so I always try to go with Nvidia. Other than that, I go for something with a decent amount of RAM (to load all those game textures at highest res), and then just go for the most bang for the least buck. One generation back from the hottest latest thing.

Entity

Wouldn't an 690 be overkill for 3D work? Unless you're planning on using the combined CUDA cores for GPU rendering or playing games a single card would be much better in terms of stabilty. That said, it'll probably work fine. If you do run into any problems with 3D applications you can always disable SLI temporarily.

Ace-Angel

Most of the time, cards don't contribute anything to offline work, only real-time and applications that support said setup. So 3DS Max won't see any benefits from a new hot VGA card, unless you run Max in Nitrous (2012+), but it's not the answer to making a full on scene. Same with Maya.

Traditional rendering (Mental Ray, Scanline, etc, offline work basically) relies on your CPU, RAM and HDD

ZBrush relies more on your CPU, RAM and HDD type than VGA. Might see some benefit if you're putting mutiple types of shaders on mutiple subtools, but that's about it.

UDK and Cryengine will see the most benefit, but only in terms of real-time speed and fluidity in a scene. Saving, compressions, builds, etc still are the same a ZB.

Since you're gaming, then yes, a 690 would make sense to get, but don't expect beast performance out of the card alone for the 3D part of offline workload.

EarthQuake

Nvidia 690 is like.... $1000? WTF? Thats crazy crazy absurd overkill for a video card if you're doing game dev. For like $170 you can get a Nvidia 560TI, and in the majority of 3d apps you will see no difference.

UDK/Cryengine would benefit from that card, but the cost/performance ratio is totally wanked. If you're a millionaire and just want "the best" card buy it, but its a horrible value.

Permafrost

Thank you for all the responses.

I forgot to mention the reason I am leaning towards a 690 is because I am going to be gaming with a 3 monitor setup.

What would all suggest I know the 690 is extremely expensive, but with running a 3 monitor setup for gaming and doing 3D work, what would be the best buy?

James Ordner

You'd save $200 by going with a 670 SLI setup. If you get overclocked 670s, they may actually outperform a single 690. I have a single 670 FTW edition (here), and it tears up everything I throw at it. Of course, I'm only running a single monitor. With two, I imagine you won't have any problems running all current games maxed out on 3 monitors.

EarthQuake

2x 560Ti, 580, or 660Ti should work at a fraction of the cost, and not far off in performance.

Try to keep in mind that the 690 is essentially two 680s duct-taped together, and a single 680 is only about 20% faster than a 660Ti

690 = $1000
680 SLI = $900
580 SLI = $620
660TI SLI = $540
560TI SLI = $350

If you're gaming on all 3 monitors at once, maybe the 690, but even then the 660TI SLI setup would probably suffice at about half the cost.

If you're only gaming on 1 monitor, you just need one decent card to run the first 2 monitors, and then almost any $50-100 or so video card will take care of the 3rd screen(ie: not running SLI, just two GPUS).

With certain CPU/Mobo combos, you can get by with just 1 GPU as well from what I know. So an I7 with a mobo that has DVI out should be able to act as the 3rd output, though you'll be stealing some power from the CPU here, so better to have a 2nd cheap card.

Permafrost

Ok So if I go with the 670 FTW SLI setup should I get the 4gb card or get the 2gb Signature 2 card?

TAN

I am currently using a GTX 670 MX and it just really works great Permafrost.

If you really are a hardcore gamer go get the GTX 690. But except from that you cal listen to all these people and their advices.

maximumsproductions

personally I have a single GTX 580 and can run BF3 on ultra easily so maybe that'll put some perspective here and there.

Also unless you're planning on GPU Rendering and FX (top of my head Fumefx/Vray) you don't need a 4gb card as no game will take advantage of it.