TWO GTX 690s IN SLI MODE

[Melkesideck]

Hi, Just wondering could i run Skyrim with 100 or so graphics mods...

https://www.uproxx.com/gammasquad/2012/11/skyrim-mods-amazing-graphics/#page/1

Looking like that and playing at 60fps and faster with 2x GTX690s in SLI?

I am talking about having 100 graphics mods including ENB and it must run well.

 

I am willing to spend the $$$ if it could! :)

[rootsrat]

Graphic mods are mostly new textures, which SLI won't help with, as VRAM on your graphic cards won't add together. So if you install 2 cards with 2 GB VRAM each, you will only be able to use 2 GB, not 4 GB. Only gain with SLI is in GPU power.

 

So it all depends how much VRAM your card(s) will have. I reckon single 690 with 2GB could be able to do what you want to achieve (I'm saying standard 1080 resolution). Spending money on 2 graphic cards JUST to play Skyrim is not very wise shall I say. I don't know if there are any games out at the moment that would use full potential of 2 GB VRAM...

[torminater]

SLI sucks. You'll have to enable stereoscopic 3D in the nvidia Control panel, otherwise your water and HDR will be screwed. And enabling this will gnaw at your performance. Just telling you, so you don't get your hopes up and spend a couple thousand dollars...

[rootsrat]

Unless you're willing to spend fortune on 2x 4GB VRAM cards, which would be VERY pointless action :D

[SmegmusMagnus]

Use a single 4g 670; I'm running full STEP plus another 50ish mods and have zero stutter/freeze. Other relevant specs would be Windows 7 64 bit w/ i3770, but I got just as good results w/ 4 core 2.9GHz while running this card.

[PioneerRaptor]

You don't need two 690s, as a 690 already contains two GPUs inside of it.

 

You can max out using a 670/680 or a 7970. Probably even less.

[TechAngel85]

Same as what the others have said here. When it comes to video cards for Skyrim, it's really more about VRAM and screen resolution. 2GB of VRAM is going to get you playing just about anything you want; however, I'll disagree with Rootsrat. I have heard of Skyrim using up the entire 2GB before. It all depends on the textures and the resolution of the textures you're using: 1024x1024 resolution textures are going to take up far less VRAM than 4096x4096 resolution textures.

 

For what you're wanting to do, I'd say no less than 2GB VRAM, but would consider getting up to 4GB. SLI doesn't matter too much for Skyrim unless you're wanting to run at really high screen resolutions. I'd like to point out though, that CPU is just as important for Skyrim as a good video card. Skyrim is very CPU heavy and would recommend at least an Intel Core i5 for what you are wanting to do. I would HIGHLY recommend you checking out our Hardware Guide. I recently rewrote the entire guide so it's nice and up-to-date.

[JudgmentJay]

If the OP wants his game to look exactly like the screenshots he linked to, he'll need alot more than a single 670/680. The author of those screenshots uses a 670 and a 4ghz 2500k and gets 5 FPS in grass-heavy areas. You guys are really underestimating how much power Skyrim requires when it's truly "maxed out."

 

To answer your question Melkesideck, I doubt that you'd achieve a steady 60 FPS even with 2 690s if you were trying to replicate those screenshots perfectly. That said, you can make Skyrim look almost as good for alot cheaper. One or two 7970s would probably be better in the long run due to higher VRAM. Or if you're an nVidia fanatic the 4GB 670/680s.

[rootsrat]

however, I'll disagree with Rootsrat. I have heard of Skyrim using up the entire 2GB before. It all depends on the textures and the resolution of the textures you're using: 1024x1024 resolution textures are going to take up far less VRAM than 4096x4096 resolution textures.

 

 

Apologies, I may have not made myself clear - apart from Skyrim, I am not aware of any other unmodded game that would use up so much VRAM. Of course, by using massive textures I'm pretty sure you can max out even 4 GB card :)

[TechAngel85]

If the OP wants his game to look exactly like the screenshots he linked to' date=' he'll need alot more than a single 670/680. The author of those screenshots uses a 670 and a 4ghz 2500k and gets 5 FPS in grass-heavy areas. You guys are really underestimating how much power Skyrim requires when it's [b']truly[/b] "maxed out."

 

To answer your question Melkesideck, I doubt that you'd achieve a steady 60 FPS even with 2 690s if you were trying to replicate those screenshots perfectly. That said, you can make Skyrim look almost as good for alot cheaper. One or two 7970s would probably be better in the long run due to higher VRAM. Or if you're an nVidia fanatic the 4GB 670/680s.

I bad... I forgot to check the link.

 

JudgmentJay is right. You are NOT going to replicate those screenshots and still have the game to be playable with the current generation of cards. Those shots look amazing but that author did those shots more as artwork rather than saying "you can play Skyrim with it looking this good". If you'll read like JudgmentJay said, the author was only getting 5-15FPS in most all those shots with a very powerful system. If you really want to replicate that with playable framerates, you're going to need a quad-everything system. In sense, a powerful server with powerful graphical capabilities. :happy:

[Neovalen]

My Skyrim using every texture at max (including 4096 textures) I've hit close to 3GB VRAM before. I'm obviously pushing the limit though. :)

[Melkesideck]

Hi,

These are my specs....

Mother Board : ASUS rampage 4 Extreme

Processor Intel Core i7 -3960X @4.0 Ghz

RAM 16GB

GFX cards 2 x GTX 670s in SLI.

 

Hope this helps....

[Melkesideck]

Hi,

These are my specs....

Mother Board : ASUS rampage 4 Extreme

Processor Intel Core i7 -3960X @4.0 Ghz

RAM 16GB

GFX cards 2 x GTX 670s in SLI.

[Melkesideck]

Oh sorry only the 2gb versions of 670s :(

[Nauglamir]

Good day,

 

got a question - that is not exactly fitting to the SLI topic covered in this thread, but I think it is prob. the best place to ask it.

 

So - does 3D vision actually work for Skyrim?

 

I digged through the net for a while now, found out about Helix patches, and that it should work for Skyrim, but seems to create problems with ENB usage. Can anybody give information about that, based on personal experience? And in case it works – is it even possible to operate 3D vision @ full HD and with all the possible graphics enhancements (textures/ENB) on basis of a single GPU, as SLI does not seem to work properly?

 

Thanks for your help guys! :)