[koven]

will soon be upgrading to i7 950 + X58 + custom loop

debating on picking up a GTX 480 + Accerelo Xtreme, or getting another cyclone 460 and adding gpu loop

what do you guys think? which setup would be quieter? which would perform better? i've heard sc2 does not scale w/ SLI? is that true

because for games, i only play sc2 consistently, sometimes bfbc2, i do have almost all the dx11 games but it's more for collection purposes

 

[hodgoes2001]

the 480 with that fan will be quieter (know for a fact lol).... in SC2 to my knowledge they would probably perform the same...

i would still probably just get another 460 if i was you... remember if you really want that cooler also fits the 460... lol

 

[pistons50]

I would get a single 480. It leaves more room in your rig. 1 Card is always better when making these decisions because it always can be upgraded even more.

 

[ITOzann]

for sc2 you won't need an SLI 460. A gtx 460 SLI would be a beast(SLI 460 beats the gtx480) But, if you have the money I'd say get a gtx480, so in the future once the 480's get cheaper you can have the option to go sli.

 

[Elite-]

It really depends if your going to upgrade again and add another GTX 480 if you go that route. Otherwise I say stick with SLIing GTX 460s as they will out preform a GTX 480.

 

[VW_TDI_02]

I think if you plan on going watercooling on the GPUs then go with the 480 simply because you will need to buy two $100 blocks to cool the 460s as opposed to one 480 block. If you do not plan on going water cooling then just get another 460. The reason I say go with 480 if you plan on going under water is that you still have room to expand with a 480 and since 460s run cool I'm not sure how easy it will be to sell a pair of them with blocks. So here are the options IMO
Option 1: Go with 480 and water (can go under water later or now)
Option 2: Just stick with getting another 460 but do not go under water.

Personally I like watercooling so I'd go with the 480 but either one is a great option.

 

[chuckycheeze]

my gtx 480 runs sc2 maxed @1920x1080, same with bc2. However, so did my two gtx 285s in sli. I think you;d be happy with either, but 460s wont do 3 way sli, so 2x sli is your max potential.

option 1: 480, better max potential, pretty equal performance to 460 sli
option 2: 460 sli, cheaper, but maxed potential
option 3: unlockable 465s, cheap as a 460, turns into a 470, can do 3way sli

 

[koven]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hodgoes2001 i would still probably just get another 460 if i was you... remember if you really want that cooler also fits the 460... lol

well the cyclone 460 is already really cool/quiet, not sure if it's worth upgrading the cooling on it.... lol

so if i'm going to get the AXP it might as well be for a 480

 

[hodgoes2001]

i would even look at just trying a 480 on your current RIG...

before getting the CPU/motherboard....

 

[koven]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VW_TDI_02 I think if you plan on going watercooling on the GPUs then go with the 480 simply because you will need to buy two $100 blocks to cool the 460s as opposed to one 480 block. If you do not plan on going water cooling then just get another 460. The reason I say go with 480 if you plan on going under water is that you still have room to expand with a 480 and since 460s run cool I'm not sure how easy it will be to sell a pair of them with blocks. So here are the options IMO Option 1: Go with 480 and water (can go under water later or now) Option 2: Just stick with getting another 460 but do not go under water. Personally I like watercooling so I'd go with the 480 but either one is a great option.

thanks, i'm leaning towards the 480

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckycheeze my gtx 480 runs sc2 maxed @1920x1080, same with bc2. However, so did my two gtx 285s in sli. I think you;d be happy with either, but 460s wont do 3 way sli, so 2x sli is your max potential. option 1: 480, better max potential, pretty equal performance to 460 sli option 2: 460 sli, cheaper, but maxed potential option 3: unlockable 465s, cheap as a 460, turns into a 470, can do 3way sli

what kind of fps are you getting in sc2 on ultra?

are there any microstutter issues with 460 SLI especially in bfbc2 and sc2?

 

[chuckycheeze]

Quote:

I think if you plan on going watercooling on the GPUs then go with the 480 simply because you will need to buy two $100 blocks to cool the 460s as opposed to one 480 block.

this is very true. i'd love to w/c my 3 465s right now, but i havent the $300+ to get the blocks. 1 480 would def be cheaper w/c. and my 480 never got past about 57 deg on load w/ my loop. But these 465s push 90

 

[koven]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hodgoes2001 i would even look at just trying a 480 on your current RIG... before getting the CPU/motherboard....

hmm really? would be X4 955 not bottleneck a 480?

 

[chuckycheeze]

Quote:

what kind of fps are you getting in sc2 on ultra?

never did run fraps on it. but i can tell you that i had every setting maxed and only had noticeable fps drops in HUGE battles, even then the drops were barely noticeable.

Quote:

are there any microstutter issues with 460 SLI especially in bfbc2 and sc2?

i have heard of this, but i myself havent tested my 465s on sc2 yet. my new psu gets here today. i have heard that sc2 is not sli friendly yet, but no personal knowledge of that. tmk microstutter is usually only an issue when you are hovering around the 30 fps mark.

also, my 285s never stuttered in bc2, but thats dx9 so...

 

[staryoshi]

Since you've already got one, I say SLI the GTX460. They don't really need their own loop either, as they should be able to hit 900-925 core without issue and run very cool.

 

[Sheyster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by staryoshi Since you've already got one, I say SLI the GTX460. They don't really need their own loop either, as they should be able to hit 900-925 core without issue and run very cool.

This.

You've got a good 460 already. Find another (hopefully identical) and SLI them. My next setup will prolly be 460 1GB cards SLI'd as well. They're beasts at 1920x1200!

 

[SGT. Peppers]

Get a GTX 480 and sell that GTX 460 to me so I can SLI!!!

 

[koven]

Quote:

Originally Posted by staryoshi Since you've already got one, I say SLI the GTX460. They don't really need their own loop either, as they should be able to hit 900-925 core without issue and run very cool.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheyster This. You've got a good 460 already. Find another (hopefully identical) and SLI them. My next setup will prolly be 460 1GB cards SLI'd as well. They're beasts at 1920x1200!

the main thing that holds me back from SLI'ing the 460's is that i've heard sc2 does not do well with SLI, and sc2 is 90% of my gaming

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckycheeze never did run fraps on it. but i can tell you that i had every setting maxed and only had noticeable fps drops in HUGE battles, even then the drops were barely noticeable.

you can see fps in sc2 with ctrl + alt + f !

im curious what your fps dips to in huge battles (4v4) on ultra

 

[koven]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SGT. Peppers Get a GTX 480 and sell that GTX 460 to me so I can SLI!!!

i'll have to keep you in mind when/if i pull the trigger on a 480

 

[hodgoes2001]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckycheeze this is very true. i'd love to w/c my 3 465s right now, but i havent the $300+ to get the blocks. 1 480 would def be cheaper w/c. and my 480 never got past about 57 deg on load w/ my loop. But these 465s push 90

with my air cooler it doesn't go past 60 Deg C with my sig OC lol...

which is also the cooler the OP is looking at

 

[Pankie]

I was 90% sure that sc2 didn't even support sli..