[Cheetos316]

Quote:

It's been quite a while since we've looked at triple-GPU Crossfire and SLI performance - or for that matter looking at GPU scaling in-depth. While NVIDIA in particular likes to promote multi-GPU configurations as a price-practical upgrade path, such configurations are still almost always the domain of the high-end gamer. At $700 we have the recently launched GeForce GTX 590 and Radeon HD 6990, dual-GPU cards whose existence is hedged on how well games will scale across multiple GPUs. Beyond that we move into the truly exotic: triple-GPU configurations using 3 single-GPU cards, and quad-GPU configurations using a pair of the aforementioned dual-GPU cards. If you have the money, NVIDIA and AMD will gladly sell you upwards of $1500 in video cards to maximize your gaming performance.

Power outage in 3... 2... 1...

Source

 

[Durdle Class A]

Hmm, seems like some games NVIDIA scales better, and some games AMD does, but both could use some improvements.

 

[grunion]

Now why not do 6990/6970 tri fire?
Much the same as the earlier tri/sli/cfx review, AMD > NV.

Again looks like AMD scales better in general and at 3 cards especially , this goes back to last year as well.

Really wish they would have tested with a higher cpu overclock, yeah they both would have improved, but fermi scales much better with a faster proc.

How about that Wolfenstein scaling for AMD, wonder if they used those big fat 0's for the total scaling percentage.

 

[Cmdr.Shephard]

With those numbers it's clear, AMD is better in TRI then NVidia

 

[FLCLimax]

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...g,2865-10.html

 

[decimator]

AMD needs to work on the design for their GPU coolers, though...Middle card at 99* C...

 

[Soggysilicon]

Nice read, about what I expected... now if only these two companies could fashion some drivers...

 

[grunion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by decimate AMD needs to work on the design for their GPU coolers, though...Middle card at 99* C...

That's on mobo manufactures IMO, course not enough people run triple cards for them to care, I guess.

And with tri fire, I don't know why anyone would go 3 over 2 anyway, I wouldn't.

 

[hli53194]

How are these cards supposed to get any airflow?

 

[antuk15]

Look at those much much cheaper 6970's go

You could go quad fire with those cards and still have money left over compared to the 3 GTX's

 

[decimator]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grunion That's on mobo manufactures IMO, course not enough people run triple cards for them to care, I guess. And with tri fire, I don't know why anyone would go 3 over 2 anyway, I wouldn't.

Yeah, I guess it is the responsibility of the mobo manufacturers. My GA-890FXA-UD5 has its two x16 slots right next to each other (by that, I mean 2 slots away from each other so that dual-slot GPU's will be right up against one another). On the flip side, though, tri-Fire/tri-SLI wouldn't even be possible on a standard ATX mobo in a traditional case with 7 PCI slots if the GPU's weren't right next to each other...

 

[amstech]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hli53194 How are these cards supposed to get any airflow?

There are good cases for extreme air setups.

 

[grunion]

Just noticed something, one of these 3 is not like the other.

Attachment 203593

 

[JCPUser]

On average CFX scales a little better, but I wonder if the 580s were a bit CPU bottlenecked with a i7 920 only at 3.33Ghz. Anyway, AMD does very well considering the much lower price tag on the 6970.

As for 99C for the middle card... I think Anandtech is making a mountain out of a molehill there -- as anybody who is willing to drop $1000 on GPUs will make sure they have found a mobo that gives them a little room for air.

 

[sub50hz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grunion Just noticed something, one of these 3 is not like the other. Attachment 203593

Wouldn't that.... not function? I don't remember SLI working with differing cards, even within the same series.

 

[Nowyn]

A bit weird that they would use 11.4 preview driver and then use 266.58 released in January instead of 270.51 which packs some serious SLI love according to the release notes.

But in any case even at best 3rd card IMHO hardly justifies price premium, added power consumption etc for the performance it adds, it's more of a e-peen booster than anything else.

 

[Kevlo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by decimate AMD needs to work on the design for their GPU coolers, though...Middle card at 99* C...

Look at the Pic do you really think any good air is getting to the middle or top cards?

The Middle card is pulling heat from the bottom card's back, and is getting radiant heat from the top card, furthering the heat up.

The cards are likely no meant to be run like that, or at least that was not the primary concern in design.

 

[motoray]

NICE! go AMD!

 

[Kasp1js]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hli53194 How are these cards supposed to get any airflow?

6990+6970 Problem solved

 

[decimator]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevlo Look at the Pic do you really think any good air is getting to the middle or top cards? The Middle card is pulling heat from the bottom card's back, and is getting radiant heat from the top card, furthering the heat up. The cards are likely no meant to be run like that, or at least that was not the primary concern in design.

"Yeah, these cards CAN run in tri-Fire, but they're NOT MEANT to be." Nice one, AMD.

Honestly, it's not even that hard to get air to the middle GPU. Just look at how the GTX 580's cooler is curved a bit to allow some air in. That's really all that's needed to keep temps reasonable (without overclocking).

But yeah, if I was to get a tri-Fire or tri-SLI setup, I would definitely make sure to go with a non-ref cooler like the Twin Frozr III.