SLI: GTX780 vs GTX780 Ti

Derico

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Dec 26, 2013
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So it has become obvious to me that if you want superb performance on 1440p with ultra settings in Battlefield 4, having either 2 regular gtx780 or gtx780 Ti is the way to go. This is a bit of disappointing to me as i already own a gtx780. So i suppose the easiest way to improve my gaming experience would be through adding a 2nd gtx780?

On the other hand, i could try to sell my gtx780 (any recommendations for where i can do that in europe? The card i own is only like 2 months old. ) and then get one single Gtx780 Ti for now and maybe add another one later?
 
Solution
Can't go wrong with a couple GTX 780 cards running SLI. Dollar for dollar, euro for euro, adding a second GTX 780 will net you the best performance for your money. The GTX 780TI isn't that much better than a GTX 780 anyway -- definitely not worth the hassle of selling the one you have.
Hey

2 GTX 780?
Oh cmon that will get everything on max at 1440p!
That's a bit of money waste, the performance difference will be in 10 fps - 15fps max... from the 80+fps that you will get from 2x 780 :)
Instead get a new monitor for gaming ( 144HZ )! Wich will use the advantage of 80+ fps :)
 


Thanks for your answers. :) I was already prepared to get bashed for even asking this question, hehe.
The thing with the existing 144Hz monitors is what brought me to this conclusion in the first place. But i guess it wont matter much if i have 2 GTX780 TI or 2 GTX780, right? I mean, i would love it if i didnt actually have to sell the 2 month old card again...It's just that a single one of them just isn't strong enough for the task of BF4 in ultra at 1440p
 
Can't go wrong with a couple GTX 780 cards running SLI. Dollar for dollar, euro for euro, adding a second GTX 780 will net you the best performance for your money. The GTX 780TI isn't that much better than a GTX 780 anyway -- definitely not worth the hassle of selling the one you have.
 
Solution


That's exactly what I was hoping to hear 🙂
What kind of average FPS can one expect on 1440p and ultra settings with a pair of GTX780 compared to GTX780Ti anyway? Anyone have a rough estimation?
 


Check out this website. It has a bunch of benchmarks for the GTX 780 SLI setup on multiple resolutions. It doesn't always have 1440p on there, but 1600p should give you a good enough idea of what to expect. Even so, the 1600p numbers will be a tad lower than you'll see on 1440p.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NVIDIA/GeForce_GTX_780_SLI/3.html

You can expect that a GTX 780 TI will probably benchmark around the same as a GTX Titan. According to that website's benchmarks, at 1600p, you're looking at about a ~40 FPS difference in favor of the 780's SLI between them and a Titan (essentially a 780TI).

Either way I guess it'll serve as comparable data for you to base your decision on. Whichever setup you choose to go with. :)
 
I just upgraded from a 780 to a 780 ti and there is a big difference @ 1440p in BF4 and almost all demanding games.

The 780 ti is also a better overclocker and more stable in general. I find the 780 is pretty good for 1080p.

I suggest you sell your card and upgrade to a 780 ti it might be cheaper than 780 sli.

 


What specific 780 Ti model can you recommend? What's the best? Gigabyte Superclocked?

 
I have a asus REFERENCE and i think it's great! I RECOMMEND the asus because their quality is more consistant.

However it also has to do with luck. For example getting a card with a high ASIC score.

EVGA would be my second choice. The fastest card is the Kingpin.
 


Ok... cant find it anywhere in my trusted shops. Seems to be a special edition for extreme overclocking. Extreme overclocking isn't really my thing when it comes to gpu's anyway. Maybe an out-of-box overclocked Ti ?
 
If you like the kingpin you will probably have to order it directly from EVGA and it's the highest overclocked out of the box 780 ti on the market.
It's designed for extreme overclockers and has a high price tag.

I recommend the Asus reference if you're planning to SLI in the future because it's a blower style design meaning it exhaust the hot air from the back of the case.

Some of the non reference cards recycle the hot air in the case so you would probably need a a good case and fan configuration.

If you decide to get a non reference I would go with the Asus Direct CU II, it's far from the fastest card on the market however quiet and refined.
Asus cards generally have less problems with coil wine and buzzing sounds, again the quality is more consistent.

 


Correct me if im wrong, but a gigabyte ghz edtion card really just gets 7 more fps in comparison with a reference card, right? But i assume you cant recommend either the Gigabyte or Msi card for SLI, or ?

Would be nice, the msi seems to stay really cool and silent.
 
Give or take 7 fps depending on the game, however you can overclock most reference cards 10% or more that will reduce the performance gap.

If you have a case will good airflow and your room stays cool year round than you should be okay with non reference SLI.

MSI would be my third choice however there are many cases of coil whine and buzzing sounds With the gigabyte and MSi non reference cards.
In some cases the overclocks become unstable in time. The non reference cards are also big and bulky.

I find that the reference cards quiet, look good and if you want to keep them really cool you can increase the fan speed.
EVGA makes a reference Super clocked version.

Check out the Gigabyte review that will give you a better idea of the performance difference.

reviewhttp://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/gpu_displays/gigabyte_gtx780_ti_ghz_edition_review/1
 


So, to avoid overheating in SLI, people always choose the reference design?
In that case, if i wanted the best gtx 780 ti SLI experience, id be best of with a superclocked reference model?
 
People don't always chose the reference for SLI however it's quite popular option to avoid complications.

If you want the fastest reference experience out of the box than the 780 ti SC would be the best if both of your cards are good. " luck is a factor"

Below is an example of using two non reference cards in SLI properly.

Tiny Tom used a large case, with good fans, a large motherboard that allowed space between the two cards in SLI.
His room temperature is probably quite low when he is doing testing as well.


http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/gpu_displays/gainward_gtx780_ti_phantom_single_and_sli_review/2


 


First of all, thank you for your replies so far. You've convinced me to look into buying a pair of GTX780 Ti SLI because i, too, like getting perfect hardware results and i am currently building a high-end computer.

I'm just really having trouble finding the perfect pair og Ti's. I'm assuming you'd be going for the regular reference models from Asus?

I've done a lot of research and it seems that this "Silicon Lottery" that most people refer to is mostly something coming from enthusiasts. Basically if you are getting a solid gpu, then you can overclock it a lot and yield 15-20 fps more in high-end games compared to a reference model running at stock speeds. Is that about right?

So since i am playing with the thought of having two gtx 780 ti in SLI, i guess my worries should be more dedicated to stability? I mean, who cares about give or take 10 fps when you got 2 TI's. They should be monstrous with or without further overclocking. The apartment i live in now will be hot in summer. That's certain.

My Case is a corsair graphite. I have the option of installing up to 4 120mm fans on the side-door-mesh. The case's ceiling will be blocked with the H100i. What can you recommend with these given factors?
 
You're welcome, I'm glad I could help - Getting 780 ti SLI will be a good choice if you wan't excellent performance for your high end gaming computer.

That's right I would go with the Asus Reference models for a single or SLI configuration.

15-20 fps increase in SLI give or take sounds right depending on the game. I will give you an example of the benefit that would effect people that don't plan on overclocking.

Prior to my upgrade to the Asus 780 ti I owned a EVGA gtx 780 when playing a game like Crysis 3 max settings with SMAA Anti aliasing my clock would be around 862 mhz after playing Crysis 3 for 5 minutes, I didn't get any boost clocks without adjusting settings on Precision X "BTW I suggest you use precision X or After burner for any card you get because Asus GPU tweak isn't very good in my opinion"

When I play Crysis 3 on my Asus gtx 780 ti I get an average of about 980 mhz that is 105 mhz boost without adjusting anything.

I agree with you stability and the absence of extreme coil whine and buzzing noises is more important than a slight performance increase out of the box especially when two 780 ti's are already extremely powerful and you can always overclock them if you decide to in the future.

I suggest you start by putting front intake fans blowing on the gpu's, another intake fan on the bottom and a rear exhaust fan.

I suggest you don't use the fans that came with your case and buy higher end fans separately.

Your case and cpu cooler are quite good, this combination should keep you 780 ti SLI cool and performing well. If you are not satisfied with the temperatures you can try to put more fans on the side door.






 


Thanks. I'm more and more checking out the prices of my trusted online vendors. Just a few thoughts im still having:

As for the fan situation, I have already replaced the 120mm rear fan. Can't really find a good one to replace the front 200mm with. The side door mesh is ideal for providing fresh air for both gpu's and the psu's, so i ll definately put 2 there. However, i didnt know i could place a bottom intake fan in my case?

In SLI, taking a reference model over bulky custom design that may be recycling hot air inside the case seems more and more like a wise choice. Is the noise level ok, though? I always thought the reference models were quite loud?

What's the deal with these superclocked/OC/Classified cards? I mean, sure i can oc my reference cards in future but i was always left under the impression that these oc-versions have better gpu's that are more capable... or is it really just a special version of a graphic card for people who are too lazy / scared to play around with the clocks themselves? Also, what are your thoughts on that ACX cooler that some evga cards come with?

And the final question, would you go for it if you had the money available? Or would you rather look into buying a "Black Titan" or 790? I've read that 2x 780Ti's are still better. The point is, playing around with the thought of getting 2 Ti's probably makes me look like a super-enthusiast but im also really concerned about future-proofing my rig. Correct me if im wrong, but apart from the cost, it seems like a lot of gpu-power for the time being?!

Sorry for the wall of text. I really appreciate your support!