![[H]ard|Forum](/styles/hardforum/xenforo/logo_dark.png){kind=logo}
I finally got my new system together (except for the ram which is on back order, so I've got some temporary ram in there now), and while it is faster than my old 1800xt it's not the huge improvement that I was hoping.
Currently the system is:
Q6600
Asus Maximus Formula
Sapphire HD3870X2
2gb 667mhzDDR2 (will be 4gb 1066mhz DDR2 when it arrives)
WD Raptor 150gb
Running at 1680x1050
Vista 64bit SP1
1) The games I mainly play are WoW, COD4 and UT3, and while UT3 runs flawlessly, maxed settings never budges from 60fps, WoW will run as high as 140fps and go as low as 20fps (used to go down to 5fps before the powerplay hotfix), and COD4 reports a around 80-90fps but stutters frequently. I haven't tried UT3 on my old 1800xt, however COD4 was slower, but seemed more playable as there was no stuttering, and WoW also averaged around the same fps but would max out at around 75fps.
I found some threads where users with single 3870's and comparable systems were achieving the same or better results in these games. As per some recommendations I tried the games with Catalyst A.I. disabled, enabled @ standard and enabled @ advanced, as some games do not properly support crossfire. I was expecting for WoW that disabling A.I. would increase performance as it would disable crossfire and only run on gpu (even though everest reported that both are at 825mhz). None of the settings had any noticable effect on UT3 or COD4.
I would like to, and am trying to tweak the settings to obtain a more stable fps and no stuttering, if it stayed around 60fps and didn't stutter I would be very happy. I do have the hotfix drivers installed, and they did help the stuttering for the most part. It is not constant like the Rivatuner graphs would display, the clock speed is constant at the 3D max, but in game it still stutters every 10-20 seconds. Are there settings I should change? When my ordered ram arrives will that make the difference?
2) I forget what exactly compelled me to get GPU-z to take a look at my 3870X2, however when I did get it, I noticed that the GPU clock was at 411mhz and not at 300mhz in 2d, and the default clock only shows 411mhz again on the first core (second does show a default of 825mhz). I am assuming that GPU-z is reading this incorrectly (and some research could indicate that). When running a game GPU-z does not show either core increasing to 3d speeds, one stays at 411/450 currend & default, and the other 411/450 & 825/450 default. Since it seems to be displaying ok in Rivatuner (which I think is only showing one core?) I tried Everest and it did display 297mhz for both cores in 2d and 825mhz for both cores in 3d (In WoW if I run windowed one core does stay at 297mhz). Everest also reported Crossfire as enabled (even with A.I. off), unlike GPU-z which always shows disabled. Again, it looks like GPU-z is not displaying properly, so should I trust Everest over everything else?
While I was in Everest looking at both gpus I noticed that the two cores are running different bios versions. The first is running 010.075.000.002.027526 from 12/18/07 15:18, and the second is running 010.075.000.002.027765 from 01/10/08 11:04. I would have thought that they would both be running the same. Could this lead to performance issues? I know there are updated bios's for the non X2 cards with fan fixes (which I have to fix with Riva), etc, however I do not see any for the X2's, I suppose none are available yet?
I think the last thing I noticed in Everest was that the GPU1 voltage regulator is running at twice the current of the GPU2 vrm, could this cause any performance decreases?
Thanks in advance for just taking the time to read this incredbily long post and for any comments or suggestions anyone might have. I would like to get the most out of this card and the most of both gpu's running at their full potential.
Currently the system is:
Q6600
Asus Maximus Formula
Sapphire HD3870X2
2gb 667mhzDDR2 (will be 4gb 1066mhz DDR2 when it arrives)
WD Raptor 150gb
Running at 1680x1050
Vista 64bit SP1
1) The games I mainly play are WoW, COD4 and UT3, and while UT3 runs flawlessly, maxed settings never budges from 60fps, WoW will run as high as 140fps and go as low as 20fps (used to go down to 5fps before the powerplay hotfix), and COD4 reports a around 80-90fps but stutters frequently. I haven't tried UT3 on my old 1800xt, however COD4 was slower, but seemed more playable as there was no stuttering, and WoW also averaged around the same fps but would max out at around 75fps.
I found some threads where users with single 3870's and comparable systems were achieving the same or better results in these games. As per some recommendations I tried the games with Catalyst A.I. disabled, enabled @ standard and enabled @ advanced, as some games do not properly support crossfire. I was expecting for WoW that disabling A.I. would increase performance as it would disable crossfire and only run on gpu (even though everest reported that both are at 825mhz). None of the settings had any noticable effect on UT3 or COD4.
I would like to, and am trying to tweak the settings to obtain a more stable fps and no stuttering, if it stayed around 60fps and didn't stutter I would be very happy. I do have the hotfix drivers installed, and they did help the stuttering for the most part. It is not constant like the Rivatuner graphs would display, the clock speed is constant at the 3D max, but in game it still stutters every 10-20 seconds. Are there settings I should change? When my ordered ram arrives will that make the difference?
2) I forget what exactly compelled me to get GPU-z to take a look at my 3870X2, however when I did get it, I noticed that the GPU clock was at 411mhz and not at 300mhz in 2d, and the default clock only shows 411mhz again on the first core (second does show a default of 825mhz). I am assuming that GPU-z is reading this incorrectly (and some research could indicate that). When running a game GPU-z does not show either core increasing to 3d speeds, one stays at 411/450 currend & default, and the other 411/450 & 825/450 default. Since it seems to be displaying ok in Rivatuner (which I think is only showing one core?) I tried Everest and it did display 297mhz for both cores in 2d and 825mhz for both cores in 3d (In WoW if I run windowed one core does stay at 297mhz). Everest also reported Crossfire as enabled (even with A.I. off), unlike GPU-z which always shows disabled. Again, it looks like GPU-z is not displaying properly, so should I trust Everest over everything else?
While I was in Everest looking at both gpus I noticed that the two cores are running different bios versions. The first is running 010.075.000.002.027526 from 12/18/07 15:18, and the second is running 010.075.000.002.027765 from 01/10/08 11:04. I would have thought that they would both be running the same. Could this lead to performance issues? I know there are updated bios's for the non X2 cards with fan fixes (which I have to fix with Riva), etc, however I do not see any for the X2's, I suppose none are available yet?
I think the last thing I noticed in Everest was that the GPU1 voltage regulator is running at twice the current of the GPU2 vrm, could this cause any performance decreases?
Thanks in advance for just taking the time to read this incredbily long post and for any comments or suggestions anyone might have. I would like to get the most out of this card and the most of both gpu's running at their full potential.