BF3 - Upgrade to Tri-Fire?

[crawlgsx]

What do you guys think, would it be worth upgrading to Tri-Fire for me? (from crossfired 6950 unlocked to 6970)

I run 1 monitor, 1920x1080. Right now on Ultra with 2x Anti game is smooth as butter, 4x is playable but the low drops a little more than I like.

I don't know if I should just wait to Crossfire the next gen cards, or wait till the next gen cards come to pick up a cheaper 6970, or just do it now so I can maximize my BF3 game play experience.

 

[-Sn1PeR-]

Umm.. Are you running those leaked Cap4 drivers? I am and have no need for more performance. I'm averaging ~100fps+ with 2x 6950's in crossfire @ 1920x1080 - All Ultra, High Post AA, 16x Aniso, HBAO off. You don't need deferred and post AA -- try just using Post. I don't see why you would need TriFire on a single monitor.

 

[Hailwood]

Umm.. Are you running those leaked Cap4 drivers? I am and have no need for more performance. I'm averaging ~100fps+ with 2x 6950's in crossfire @ 1920x1080 - All Ultra, High Post AA, 16x Aniso, HBAO off. You don't need deferred and post AA -- try just using Post. I don't see why you would need TriFire on a single monitor.

That's pretty much how I felt as well. With 2 x 6870's I am getting pretty consistent 80+ FPS with everything on Ultra FXAA + the lower AO setting.

From my experience going from 11.9 --> 11.10 P3 drivers (15 ~ 20% performance improvement), and from the CAP4 thread, it appears that there are still some pretty nice improvements to be made just from the drivers as well.

 

[Lord_Exodia]

Running on a single screen with settings like that I'd say crossfire is sufficient. Going tri fire will get you a bit better performance but your already more than playable in the game with max detail. I guess it's a personal preference thing really, but before buying a 3rd card make sure you get stability from your setup. Either PSU or your cpu overclock. Get a new psu if it seems to be the likely culprit and you've ruled out your cpu overclock and voltage. Overclock your 2 6950s to at least 950mhz and then see if you feel at that point that you need more performance.

 

[Tiporaro]

The diminishing returns at that res seem to be pretty steep for a third 6950 for you. If you want to add it just because you can and you appreciate the marginal gains, then that's all good. But for perspective, with the new cap4 here I'm hard pressed to justify a third one for 2560x1600 myself. About the only place it's still a solid choice is for eyefinity.

 

[master noran]

No way, not on a 1920x1080 lcd. I have a feeling that after they get the drivers and all that in order, that 6970 CF will be fine for eyefinity and multi monitor resolutions.

 

[crawlgsx]

I am running Fresh install of 7, preview 3, cap 4.

I can't even run 4x anti without getting drops into the high 40's and 50's at times (other times its at 80-90). I am running ultra with 2x anti (HBAO on, should I turn it off?).

 

[-Sn1PeR-]

I am running Fresh install of 7, preview 3, cap 4.

I can't even run 4x anti without getting drops into the high 40's and 50's at times (other times its at 80-90). I am running ultra with 2x anti (HBAO on, should I turn it off?).

You are running Deferred and Post anti-aliasing at the same time? Disable Deferred and just run High Post (FXAA). turn HBAO off. Max everything else out and you will be at ~100 fps. With those settings you are easily into ~1.5GB of your VRAM, which doesn't leave much for MSAA. Take some screenshots and compare -- I know the [H] is working on an article about this.

 

[crawlgsx]

You are running Deferred and Post anti-aliasing at the same time? Disable Deferred and just run High Post (FXAA). turn HBAO off. Max everything else out and you will be at ~100 fps. With those settings you are easily into ~1.5GB of your VRAM, which doesn't leave much for MSAA. Take some screenshots and compare -- I know the [H] is working on an article about this.

Interesting, I did not realize. I will try those settings out (deferred and HBAO off with FXAA)

 

[Marcdaddy]

Here you go Im running 3 6970's in Tri-Fire coupled with a 2600K@4600Mhz ( can go to 5000Mhz ) Im running BF3 at 1920X1200 all settings Max and i get 100Fps to 150FPS.

 

[crawlgsx]

Here you go Im running 3 6970's in Tri-Fire coupled with a 2600K@4600Mhz ( can go to 5000Mhz ) Im running BF3 at 1920X1200 all settings Max and i get 100Fps to 150FPS.

Thank you, so sick of hearing about how you need higher than 1920 to take advantage of cross/tri firefire. These demanding games DO need more for 1920.

Eyefinity users just love to throw it out there though.

 

[crezzlin]

Im running a 2600k @ 4.8 and 6990/6950/6950 hitting 200fps in some maps @ 1920x1200.. all max apart from AA

BUT i can't use this with eyefinity as the mouse to screen lag is crazy just like it was on BC2 and Black Ops.. sucks!

 

[Lord_Exodia]

Im running a 2600k @ 4.8 and 6990/6950/6950 hitting 200fps in some maps @ 1920x1200.. all max apart from AA

BUT i can't use this with eyefinity as the mouse to screen lag is crazy just like it was on BC2 and Black Ops.. sucks!

200FPS!! LOL Add some MSAA to that. You have way more fps than needed for that. It may make you more competitive. I'd set FXAA to medium and MSAA to 4x. As long as your still averaging 120fps after that your good to go.

 

[Tiporaro]

Thank you, so sick of hearing about how you need higher than 1920 to take advantage of cross/tri firefire. These demanding games DO need more for 1920.

Eyefinity users just love to throw it out there though.

Wait, how does him saying hes at 100-150 fps mean that you need trifire for 1920. I'm all for cross fire for it, but the third card giving you 100-150 is essentially useless other than for 120hz screens.

 

[USMCGrunt]

Ya, im running trifire and hitting around 100-150fps with every setting maxed at 19x12...I havent tried eyefinity resolution since alpha/beta...it was pretty painful to watch the performance hit at the higher resolution.

If you want all the eyecandy and realize that your spending a lot for a little then i'd say go for it.

 

[crawlgsx]

Wait, how does him saying hes at 100-150 fps mean that you need trifire for 1920. I'm all for cross fire for it, but the third card giving you 100-150 is essentially useless other than for 120hz screens.

Because I'm NOT running Trifire, Just crossfire, at 1920, and I get dips at times all the way as low as 40-50fps during smoke/fire with settings maxed (deferred and HBAO off). I average probably 80-100fps, but during multiplayer in heavy areas it can dip pretty low.

It doesn't mean I NEED trifire, I am just saying it would help with my dips.

 

[N1GHTRA1N]

Here you go Im running 3 6970's in Tri-Fire coupled with a 2600K@4600Mhz ( can go to 5000Mhz ) Im running BF3 at 1920X1200 all settings Max and i get 100Fps to 150FPS.

With my system and crossfired MSI Lightning 6970's. I get 115-125fps with 1920x1200 everything maxed except MSAA. I can't see need anything more than that. Trifire would be a waste for me. In fact Crossfire is a bit more than needed since I get 60fps with a single card.

 

[crawlgsx]

If you get a solid, and I mean always above 60fps with 1 6970 at max settings with deferred and HBAO off, then you are the only one.

And don't check single player, multiplayer is a lot more abusive.

I can run in some areas and have 150+ fps, other areas it'll drop to 40fps with heavy fire/tank/smoke/explosions etc... and that is with a faster CPU than you with crossfired 6970's.

 

[USMCGrunt]

With my system and crossfired MSI Lightning 6970's. I get 115-125fps with 1920x1200 everything maxed except MSAA. I can't see need anything more than that. Trifire would be a waste for me. In fact Crossfire is a bit more than needed since I get 60fps with a single card.

Sure, your up in the 100s range but you have a key, performance sucking feature disabled, MSAA. To make it an apples to apples comparison, turn everything to max then find out what your average range is.

I honestly dont know mine cause I dont really watch the counter that much but I never experiance slowdowns or jittery play and when I do glance at it, its always above 100 and ive seen it as high as 180 at one point.

Though to be fair, as the [H] review pointed out, the difference between MSAA on and off isnt much when you've got FXAA on.

 

[N1GHTRA1N]

Sure, your up in the 100s range but you have a key, performance sucking feature disabled, MSAA. To make it an apples to apples comparison, turn everything to max then find out what your average range is.

I honestly dont know mine cause I dont really watch the counter that much but I never experiance slowdowns or jittery play and when I do glance at it, its always above 100 and ive seen it as high as 180 at one point.

Though to be fair, as the [H] review pointed out, the difference between MSAA on and off isnt much when you've got FXAA on.

I tried it with MSAA 4x and crossfired was in the 80-85 FPS range and a single card was in the 40-45 range. I'm very impressed with the crossfire scaling in this game.

 

[N1GHTRA1N]

If you get a solid, and I mean always above 60fps with 1 6970 at max settings with deferred and HBAO off, then you are the only one.

And don't check single player, multiplayer is a lot more abusive.

I can run in some areas and have 150+ fps, other areas it'll drop to 40fps with heavy fire/tank/smoke/explosions etc... and that is with a faster CPU than you with crossfired 6970's.

I only play multiplayer. I have about 24 hours logged. I have never seen the FPS drop down to 40 with MSAA off and everything else on the highest setting with 1920x1200. The average is in the low 60's with highs in the low 70's and lows in the mid 40's.

I used FRAPS a while back with 300 seconds of gameplay on the caspian border. I think the results were something like MIN: 45, AVG: 61, HIGH: 73.