[Ashtyr]

Currently I have a Asus 670 direct cu II top, but these are no longer made I think.

The issue is that I have a huge bottleneck in Skyrim with my 670, and i mean HUGE!!, this is the first step to be updating my PC, but it is another matter.

My idea was to buy the Zotac 670 Amp! since it has very similar values to mine in stock, but do not know anything, not if they are good, if they are to make OC, nothing.

So I ask advice, is it good buy?

Another issue that concerns me is if with only 2 GB of RAM or not I have enough for what is coming, game at 1080p.

Perhaps it would be better to sell mine and buy 4Gb versions?

Thanks

 

[francisw19]

Throwing another GTX670 at Skyrim isn't going to help your frame-rates. It's a really CPU-bound game. I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think it's highly threaded either, so your Phenom II X6 won't get all cores used.

Maybe look an FX-8350, for example...I've heard some pretty good things about them. No experience with that particular chip on my part, so maybe someone could chime in.

--

Edit: I know we have different CPU's, but since I'm running GTX670's in SLI, if you want me to run any benchmarks for you, just let me know. I was thinking of diving back into Skyrim again anyway.

 

[Ashtyr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by francisw19

Throwing another GTX670 at Skyrim isn't going to help your frame-rates. It's a really CPU-bound game. I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think it's highly threaded either, so your Phenom II X6 won't get all cores used.

Maybe look an FX-8350, for example...I've heard some pretty good things about them. No experience with that particular chip on my part, so maybe someone could chime in.

--

Edit: I know we have different CPU's, but since I'm running GTX670's in SLI, if you want me to run any benchmarks for you, just let me know. I was thinking of diving back into Skyrim again anyway.

The problem is that i have it modded til the hell an beyond

, and now is GPU bound.

Watching the hwinfo, GPU-Z or CPU-Z my GPU simply drowns, meanwhile my CPU is about 60%, just down to 720p won 20 to 25 fps while maintaining the settings.

some pics







The processor is not the most suitable for Skyrim, although x6 to 4.2 GHz/NB to 3.2 GHz is quite powerful, but my most serious problem is currently the GPU.

Thanks

 

[Tagkaman]

Keep in mind that some mods are really not meant to be ran at full for 60 fps. I really doubt that a card exists that can run full Extreme STEP with K ENB at more than 10 frames per second.

Anyway, my single 670 is fine for me ATM, perhaps the VRAM is a bit small, but that is it.

 

[Ashtyr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tagkaman

Keep in mind that some mods are really not meant to be ran at full for 60 fps. I really doubt that a card exists that can run full Extreme STEP with K ENB at more than 10 frames per second.

Anyway, my single 670 is fine for me ATM, perhaps the VRAM is a bit small, but that is it.

actually playing with min of 32/34 fps an max of 60 to 1080p. I want to continue to enhance the graphic quality, but if I do it with a single 670 would drop from 30 fps.

But please, is the Zotac 670 AMP a great card to buy or better another one?

 

[TheSurroundGamr]

Wow, your Skyrim looks like a pastel drawing. You should take some video of that, I want to see how it looks in motion.

 

[JTHMfreak]

Well my second 670 arrives tomorrow, and our cpus are similar, but I'm not that great at modding skyrim. Gimme a link to an easy how-to guide and I'll mod the crap out of it and let you know how sli 670s perform.

 

[TheSurroundGamr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JTHMfreak

Well my second 670 arrives tomorrow, and our cpus are similar, but I'm not that great at modding skyrim. Gimme a link to an easy how-to guide and I'll mod the crap out of it and let you know how sli 670s perform.

Looks like it's already modded, son.

 

[Tagkaman]

For a modding guide, I used STEP. It's really easy to follow.

For the GPU recommendation, just buy an Asus GTX 670 DCII non-Top or a Gigabyte Windforce GTX 670 and you'll be good.

 

[JTHMfreak]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheSurroundGamr

Looks like it's already modded, son.

Not mine, really

 

[metroidfreak]

It doesn't really matter what 670 you get as long as you like the brand. I would go with something other than zotac just for the brand though. Go with an EVGA, ASUS, or Gigabyte card. They have pretty nice non reference coolers too.

Another thing you have to think about though is if you'll be pushing the limits of your power supply with all your overclocks.

And a list of what ever mods you have running would be very nice lol.

 

[Seid Dark]

Get regular Asus 670 DCII model and just overclock it to same level as TOP with MSI Afterburner. DCII is quality card and has the most quiet stock fan among 670's. Another good and quiet one is GB Windforce 3X.

After you upgrade look at CPU usage for possible bottleneck, SLI tends to use way more CPU than single card.

 

[Sharchaster]

If you already have an ASUS 670 Non TOP, then buy a second one with the EXACT same model is definitely a better choice....just overclock it and you will get more performance (although it depends on the scaling).

 

[Ashtyr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tagkaman

For a modding guide, I used STEP. It's really easy to follow.

For the GPU recommendation, just buy an Asus GTX 670 DCII non-Top or a Gigabyte Windforce GTX 670 and you'll be good.

I've never used STEP aside from that came when I had my Skyrim very modded , do not think you get the same results, but maybe this is just nonsense.

I have understood that windforce 3 are very noisy. This is something I care a lot, along with the temperature

On the ASUS non top, I like a lot, but from what I've seen do not rise much and are considerably more expensive, at least here in Spain.

My top 670 easily reaches the 1350/1370 core, and I would not buy a non top and having to castrate much the other
Quote:

Originally Posted by metroidfreak

It doesn't really matter what 670 you get as long as you like the brand. I would go with something other than zotac just for the brand though. Go with an EVGA, ASUS, or Gigabyte card. They have pretty nice non reference coolers too.

Another thing you have to think about though is if you'll be pushing the limits of your power supply with all your overclocks.

And a list of what ever mods you have running would be very nice lol.

i will change the power supply as well, no problem.

more than 150 active mods there, i can make a list of the essentials, no problem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seid Dark

Get regular Asus 670 DCII model and just overclock it to same level as TOP with MSI Afterburner. DCII is quality card and has the most quiet stock fan among 670's. Another good and quiet one is GB Windforce 3X.

After you upgrade look at CPU usage for possible bottleneck, SLI tends to use way more CPU than single card.

I know more than probably will have a bottleneck in the CPU, but I will change this later, I don´t care now

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sharchaster

If you already have an ASUS 670 Non TOP, then buy a second one with the EXACT same model is definitely a better choice....just overclock it and you will get more performance (although it depends on the scaling).

I have the top version.

These are now my options

Zotac Amp!

Core 1058 boost to 1176
Memory 6608 Mhz

365 euros

http://www.pccomponentes.com/zotac_geforce_gtx_670_amp__edition_2gb_gddr5.html

Asus direct cu II

Core 915 boost to 985 ( this worries me )
memory 6008

396 euros

http://www.pccomponentes.com/asus_geforce_gtx_670_directcu_ii_2gb_gddr5.html

Gigabyte

Core 980 boost to 1058
memory 6008

365 euros

http://www.pccomponentes.com/gigabyte_geforce_gtx_670_oc_2gb_gddr5.html

The good with the Zotac is that i have guaranteed almost 1200 core, something wich may fail to achieve with the others.

Note that my current card easily beats the 1300, so I like to make sure that the other if not 1300 is approaching as much as possible, so as not to limit teh good.

I love that Asus is super quiet, but I'm afraid to go bad for OC. Gigabyte had understood they were very noisy, but you say that it isn´t


I am a sea of doubt, a lot of money and do not want to screw up

Thanks

 

[Sharchaster]

There's no guarantee that you will get a same OC result like your current TOP version...your TOP maybe can reach 1300 Mhz easily but the others not...it's luck of draw I think...The other option, IMO is maybe Gigabyte Windforce...

 

[brettjv]

If you're that paranoid about getting a good OC'er, you should buy it used from a trustworthy OCN'er who will guarantee the clocks for you. Otherwise, it is a TOTAL crapshoot how high the card will OC, no matter what brand/model.

If you're not concerned about aesthetics (i.e. matching) and want the best cooling performance & the best chance of a high OC, I'd grab an evga FTW model. Of the non-voltage controlled 670's, these have shown to be one of the best OC'ers on AVERAGE, esp. with memory OC's. Also, putting a 'blower' style card in the bottom position is the best for cooling a SLI setup, wherein the upper card is always the issue. A blower cooler on the bottom means less hot air being sucked up by the upper card's cooler

A good way to tell how much SLi is going to help you is the simple GPU usage test. If you're consistently pegged out at 97-99% while gaming, that's a pretty solid sign that SLi is going to help you out

I can also testify that the WF3 is not that loud of a card at all. I mean, if you run it at 99% for awhile, you definitely can hear it and everything, but it's not an unpleasantly loud card by any stretch. It's nicely low-pitched rumble when the fans ramp up. Mine will do 1372/3546 on a modded (1.212V) bios, or like 1354/3546 on a regular bios (1.175V). But I have a particularly good one. And your top is particularly good ... most 670's tap out in the 1230-1300Mhz range on stock bios.

 

[JTHMfreak]

I agree with what brett said. It is total luck of the draw when it comes to how much a card will oc. For example. My first 670 ftw went to 1280 easy. However due to an unfortunate event I had to rma it. The replacement does not want to seem to go past the factory oc at all. Even with a bios mod.

 

[Tagkaman]

I hope I didn't anger you...

The bold text made you seem angry. I was just trying to help.

Anyway, the Gigabyte is not very noisy at all, and really for the best overclocks you just have to be lucky.

 

[Ashtyr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tagkaman

I hope I didn't anger you...

The bold text made you seem angry. I was just trying to help.

Anyway, the Gigabyte is not very noisy at all, and really for the best overclocks you just have to be lucky.

At all, sorry i didn't know

. just trying to differentiate the answers between many quotes

 

[100cotton]

Clock will vary from all cards. I'd just get another Asus. I had a TOP at first that went to 1280mhz. I returned it because I thought it was bad but it was just issues with the game I was trying to play (APB Reloaded does not like 600 series as I found out later). I got a non-top after that, and I don't remember what it clocked to, something like 1250 though. After a few months that card went out on me so I RMA'ed it and now my current card runs at 1306. So my non-TOP is better than my first TOP card.