Does Skyrim support SLI well?

[whateveryouwant]

Specs:

 

Intel Core I7 4700MQ, 2.4Ghz, 

Nvidia GT755m GDDR5 2GB,

8 GB DDR3 RAM,

1 TB HDD 5400 RPM,

 

You may wonder why I'm asking this? Because my laptop has an ultrabay! I can put another identical GT755! My question is does Skyrim work well with SLI? TES VI will likely do well with it, and I'll need the extra card in the future, but I'll still play Skyrim, so does it work well or not?

[EssArrBee]

 

"You can then reasonably call it 4GB of VRAM"

No you cannot. VRAM is not shared, only one cards VRAM is used.

This is the main reason why multicard setups are not cost effective, you pay quite a bit for something you are never going to use.

Incorrect. The memory is mirrored on both cards so they are using local copies of the same data.

Ah yes, my bad, should have wrote total VRAM amount is used. You are correct of course! They are mirrored. 

They do that on purpose. Programming at the architecture level is f**kin' nightmare for multicard setups with videogames. All those drivers just haven't got there yet and as Nvidia moves more toward GPGPU architecture we might never get a system that allows VRAM to be combined.

 

One thing to consider going forward when building a system is that AMD is in all three consoles, so if you are not going to be using your new pc as a workstation then maybe consider AMD. Devs are probably going to have games that are just optimized better for AMD cards since they will be working with their hardware non-stop. Also, Nvidia seems to be making push toward mobile and GPGPU stuff to cut out Intel, since their Xeon Phi Co-Processors are just amazing.

[Sniflheim]

 

 

"You can then reasonably call it 4GB of VRAM"

No you cannot. VRAM is not shared, only one cards VRAM is used.

This is the main reason why multicard setups are not cost effective, you pay quite a bit for something you are never going to use.

Incorrect. The memory is mirrored on both cards so they are using local copies of the same data.

Ah yes, my bad, should have wrote total VRAM amount is used. You are correct of course! They are mirrored. 

They do that on purpose. Programming at the architecture level is f**kin' nightmare for multicard setups with videogames. All those drivers just haven't got there yet and as Nvidia moves more toward GPGPU architecture we might never get a system that allows VRAM to be combined.

 

One thing to consider going forward when building a system is that AMD is in all three consoles, so if you are not going to be using your new pc as a workstation then maybe consider AMD. Devs are probably going to have games that are just optimized better for AMD cards since they will be working with their hardware non-stop. Also, Nvidia seems to be making push toward mobile and GPGPU stuff to cut out Intel, since their Xeon Phi Co-Processors are just amazing.

This combined with some research has led me to the R290 as my next upgrade. Just a ridiculous card...

[DanielCoffey]

Despite their initial heat issues, water-cooling can push the 290 by around 20% so that it will out-perform a 290X... but I guess if you can afford to water-cool a 290 (or two), you can afford to do the same to a 290X.

[Sniflheim]

Despite their initial heat issues' date=' water-cooling can push the 290 by around 20% so that it will out-perform a 290X... but I guess if you can afford to water-cool a 290 (or two), you can afford to do the same to a 290X.[/quote']

They only have cooling issues because of reference coolers and AMD's insistence on a driver level fan speed cap.

[Kerith]

It does increase FPS' date=' however there are a few minor technical glitches with water ripple effects. Not too noticeable if you use a good water mod though.[/quote']

Could you please elaborate more on this?

 

I have not observed water ripples functioning as intended in any of the SLI alternate frame rendering modes 1/2, nor any water mod (PURE, Realistic Water 2, nor vanilla). In addition, reloading a saves has had no effect with all above combinations. There are a couple gotcha's in my testing that I have observed:

 

1) ARF Mode 1 causes a driver crash and reinitialization. The card is initialized in single-gpu mode and thus making it appear to work.

2) ditto for reloading.

 

 

SLIAA does work, but it is meant to increase image quality when cpu bound and the performance of a single-GPU is greater then the two-GPUs in SLIAA. Is this your fix?

 

This creates a double optimal peak with my system because I have a GTX 690 (2GB VRAM), one with tearing and lower fps and another with ripple flickering.

[torminater]

I have elaborated on Skyrim's glitches on YouTube and on these boards. Search for SLI glitch bug Skyrim and my nick, and you'll find some of my collected info on the subject.

 

 

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[Kerith]

The claim was a good water mod can hide this. I posted saying that I have experienced this problem with every water mod and in vanilla. I have used your z-fighting guide as well, it has an error in it and should only be considering a far away z-fighting fix. I'll write up a correction for you after I stop being pissed at your arrogance.

[Nearox]

I'll write up a correction for you after I stop being pissed at your arrogance.

Next time you come to a new forum, you should probably reconsider how you present yourself in your 1st or 2nd post.

[Kerith]

My first post was a fair questions /emo off though

 

It a bug with the 3d Vision driver. SLI in mode ARF 2 initializes with 3d Vision disabled still causes the water to render for 3d polarized glasses. Toggling it on and off causes the water to render correctly and in ARF2 mode. This is also why the effect disappears with SLIAA. It does not support under 3d Vision. That`s why it flickers between two coherent images that react to camera changes.

 

The z-fighting guide doesn't make sense when you talk about water ripples, especially vanilla water. DirectX9 z-buffers ordered on a logarithmically to emphasis the correct layering closest to the camera as it is most noticeable.

 

Can someone with SLI turn on ARF 2 and run around in water? If you can replicate it, it needs to be put into the troubleshooting guide. 3d Vision drivers have been unified as of release 260 and could affect anyone running SLI ARF 2.

 

Can someone else replicate this by using SLI ARF2 with a 3d vision driver installed but turned off?

[torminater]

Actually, I didn't mean to be arrogant, and I still don't see how I was offending you in any way. If you know more about the subject, go ahead, post it wherever you may like, and I'll have a quick look at it.

Oh yeah, and get your temper straight.

 

 

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[TechAngel85]

Boys, play nice.

 

@Kerith,

Welcome to the forums; however, as you should have read in the Citizenship Guide when you signed up, we don't tolerate any flaming, whatsoever, towards other members here. Please note this when posting. Thanks and enjoy the forums.

 

Sent from my Moto X using Tapatalk.

[Kerith]

I was cranky and took it out here which doesn't excuse my behaviour so I apologize to torminater, Nearox, and anyone else I attacked.

 

Relating to the flickering, I don't think my hypothesis above is true. I have a hunch, but I need to run some tests. Will post results later.

[torminater]

Good to see you back here. If you can turn up some viable solutions we can add them to the troubleshooting guide on the wiki.

[Halde]

Sorry for necroing this subject, but I figured it was better than making a new thread. 

With a SLI setup with GTX 780, wouldn't it pretty much be able to crush anything I throw at it, graphics and ENB wise?

 

Because I've read that when your game drops to ~30 FPS, SLI will most likely cause microstutter.

Edited July 28, 2014 by Halde

[phazer11]

With an ideal engine it should. However Skyrim is not an ideal engine. I do not personally have two cards for SLi so I wouldn't be able to give you more specifics.