R9 380 2GB or 4GB for crossfire

[Jancash]

Hi all

I need help on understanding how crossfire/sli works when it comes to how the GPU's uses the vRam.

I need this because my budget can only allow me to buy the 2GB version of the asus strix R9 380 as there is a big price difference in the two cards where I live. So the only option I have is to buy that card then later(in a few months) get another and crossfire.

This is how I understands it so far, please correct me if I am wrong, that if I crossfire 2x 2GB vRam the total visible vRam from my system will still be 2GB vRam because crossfiring works like either using one(main) card's vRam or one card at a time(alternatively).
I have also realize that there is no much difference in performance between the 2GB and the 4GB version. That made me assume that R9 380 GPU can only make use of around 2GB vRam.

My question is : Will crossfiring the 2GB version cards performance be the same as crossfiring 4GB version even at higher resolution for a bit of future proof or will I stand a better chance somehow if I crossfire the 4GB version since GPU's are now doubled?

Thanks in advance for any respond on this dilema and lack of knowledge I am facing

 

[AUnlikelyPotatoe]

Yes, go with 4gb in my opinion, it only takes use of equivalent of 1 card vram, not sure why, but it does. It depends on what resolution tho, but generally, 4gb for xfire is better

 

[davidarad02]

with crossfire, if you have one card with 2, and another one, also with 2, it will have 2 to use, which can really only do 1080p. if you have one with 2, and another one with 4, you will still have just 2, because the vram data has to be copied from one card to the other. if you have 2 cards, both with 4, you can use all of the 4GB, and that would be good for 1440p gaming, and lower power games on 4k.

 

[Jancash]

Thanks guys for input and sorry for the late respond its night here so was asleep.

I have never seen an R9 380 GPU utilizing all of the 4GB vRam. There's a link for that pls let me see it. The question is will the 4GB be full used when crossfire?

 

[AUnlikelyPotatoe]

It depends on what resolution

 

[Jancash]

I had that at higher resolutions more vRam is important like you are saying. So are we saying a GPU with weaker horse power will perform almost like the same as one with stronger horse power if they both have say 8GB vram.