Intel Core i7-5960X SLI Gaming Performance Scaling
Category : 2014
Published by Hiwa Pouri on 13.10.14
In our SLI gaming performance scaling articles we're going to investigate SLI scaling factors. Today we're combining an Intel Core i7-5960X processor with two GTX 980 graphics cards from ASUS. Apparently we want to find out how big the performance benefit is when we add a second GTX 980 to our test system. Apart from that we're investigating the results at 1080p, 1440p as well as 2160p (UHD).
[pagebreak]
Test Setup
|
Motherboard |
|
| CPU |
- Intel Core i7-5960X - Stock
- Intel Core i7-5960X - 4.5 GHz
|
|
Memory |
- G.Skill Ripjaws4 DDR4-3000 CL15-15-15-35 Auto
|
|
Graphics Cards |
- ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980
- ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 SLI
|
| Drivers |
- Windows 7 x64
- NVIDIA ForceWare 344.11
|
|
Games and OS |
- Windows 7 x64
- All
games were up to date on the
|
|
System Drive |
|
|
PSU |
- Seasonic Platinum SS-1000XP / 1000 Watts
|
[pagebreak]
Unigine Heaven 4.0 Extreme Preset
| High Preset, 1920x1080 (1080p) |
Score |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
1656 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
3253 |
196.44 % |
| |
More is better |
|
High Preset, 2560x1440 (1440p) |
Score |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
1000 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
1972 |
197.20 % |
| |
More is better |
|
High Preset, 3840x2160 (2160p) |
Score |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
436 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
736 |
168.81 % |
| |
More is better |
Unigine Heaven Settings |
|
1080p |
1440p |
2160p |
- Preset: Custom
- Quality: Ultra
- Tesselation: Extreme
- Stereo 3D: Disabled
- Multi Monitor: Disabled
- Anti Aliasing: 8x
- Full Screen: On
- Resolution: Custom
|
- Preset: Custom
- Quality: Ultra
- Tesselation: Extreme
- Stereo 3D: Disabled
- Multi Monitor: Disabled
- Anti Aliasing: 8x
- Full Screen: On
- Resolution: Custom
|
- Preset: Custom
- Quality: Ultra
- Tesselation: Extreme
- Stereo 3D: Disabled
- Multi Monitor: Disabled
- Anti Aliasing: 8x
- Full Screen: On
- Resolution: Custom
|
[pagebreak]
BattleField 4
|
High Preset, 1920x1080 (1080p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
105.15 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
161.56 |
153.65 % |
|
More is better |
|
High Preset, 2560x1440 (1440p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
65.19 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
105.43 |
161.73 % |
|
More is better |
|
High Preset, 3840x2160 (2160p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
34.42 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 SLI |
56.97 |
165.51 % |
|
More is better |
Battlefield 4 Settings |
|
1080p |
1440p |
2160p |
- Graphics Quality: Custom
- Texture Quality: Ultra
- Texture Filtering: Ultra
- Lighting Quality: Ultra
- FX Quality: Ultra
- Post Process Quality: Ultra
- Mesh Quality: Ultra
- Terrain Quality: Ultra
- Terrain Decoration: Ultra
- Antialiasing Deferred: 4x MSAA
- Antialiasing Post: High
- Ambient Occlusion: HBAO
|
- Graphics Quality: Custom
- Texture Quality: Ultra
- Texture Filtering: Ultra
- Lighting Quality: Ultra
- FX Quality: Ultra
- Post Process Quality: Ultra
- Mesh Quality: Ultra
- Terrain Quality: Ultra
- Terrain Decoration: Ultra
- Antialiasing Deferred: 4x MSAA
- Antialiasing Post: High
- Ambient Occlusion: HBAO
|
- Graphics Quality: Custom
- Texture Quality: Ultra
- Texture Filtering: Ultra
- Lighting Quality: Ultra
- FX Quality: Ultra
- Post Process Quality: Ultra
- Mesh Quality: Ultra
- Terrain Quality: Ultra
- Terrain Decoration: Ultra
- Antialiasing Deferred: 4x MSAA
- Antialiasing Post: High
- Ambient Occlusion: HBAO
|
[pagebreak]
Watch Dogs
| High Preset, 1920x1080 (1080p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
59.81 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
93.22 |
155.86 % |
|
More is better |
|
High Preset, 2560x1440 (1440p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
50.0 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
95.6 |
191.20 % |
|
More is better |
|
High Preset, 3840x2160 (2160p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
19.79 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
29.24 |
147.75 % |
|
More is better |
Watch Dogs Settings |
|
1080p |
1440p |
2160p |
- Vsync: Off
- Color Blind Support: Off
- Graphics Quality: Custom
- Texture Quality: Ultra
- Shadow Quality: Ultra
- FX Quality: Ultra
- Mesh Quality: Ultra
- Terrain Quality: Ultra
- Terrain Decoration: Ultra
- Antialiasing Deferred: 4x MSAA
- Antialiasing Post: High
- Motion Blur: On
- Anisotropic Filter: 16x
- Ambient Occlusion: HBAO
|
- Vsync: Off
- Color Blind Support: Off
- Graphics Quality: Custom
- Texture Quality: Ultra
- Shadow Quality: Ultra
- FX Quality: Ultra
- Mesh Quality: Ultra
- Terrain Quality: Ultra
- Terrain Decoration: Ultra
- Antialiasing Deferred: 4x MSAA
- Antialiasing Post: High
- Motion Blur: On
- Anisotropic Filter: 16x
- Ambient Occlusion: HBAO
|
- Vsync: Off
- Color Blind Support: Off
- Graphics Quality: Custom
- Texture Quality: Ultra
- Shadow Quality: Ultra
- FX Quality: Ultra
- Mesh Quality: Ultra
- Terrain Quality: Ultra
- Terrain Decoration: Ultra
- Antialiasing Deferred: 4x MSAA
- Antialiasing Post: High
- Motion Blur: On
- Anisotropic Filter: 16x
- Ambient Occlusion: HBAO
|
[pagebreak]
Tomb Raider
|
High Preset, 1920x1080 (1080p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
54.1 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
103.6 |
191.50 % |
|
More is better |
| High Preset, 2560x1440 (1440p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
33.0 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
50.9 |
154.24 % |
|
More is better |
|
High Preset, 3840x2160 (2160p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
15.2 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
25.1 |
165.13 % |
|
More is better |
Tomb Raider Settings |
|
1080p |
1440p |
2160p |
- Preset: Custom
- Texture Quality: Ultra
- Texture Filter: Anisotropic 16x
- Antialiasing: 4x SSAA
- Shadow: Ultra
- Shadow Resolution: High
- Level of Detail: Ultra
- Post Processing: On
- Tessellation: On
- High Precision: On
- Hair Quality: TressFX
- Reflections: High
- Depth of Field: Ultra
- SSAO: Ultra
|
- Preset: Custom
- Texture Quality: Ultra
- Texture Filter: Anisotropic 16x
- Antialiasing: 4x SSAA
- Shadow: Ultra
- Shadow Resolution: High
- Level of Detail: Ultra
- Post Processing: On
- Tessellation: On
- High Precision: On
- Hair Quality: TressFX
- Reflections: High
- Depth of Field: Ultra
- SSAO: Ultra
|
- Preset: Custom
- Texture Quality: Ultra
- Texture Filter: Anisotropic 16x
- Antialiasing: 4x SSAA
- Shadow: Ultra
- Shadow Resolution: High
- Level of Detail: Ultra
- Post Processing: On
- Tessellation: On
- High Precision: On
- Hair Quality: TressFX
- Reflections: High
- Depth of Field: Ultra
- SSAO: Ultra
|
[pagebreak]
Sniper Elite 3
|
High Preset, 1920x1080 (1080p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
55.12 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
108.54 |
196.92 % |
|
More is better |
|
High Preset, 2560x1440 (1440p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
32.08 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
63.05 |
196.54 % |
|
More is better |
|
High Preset, 3840x2160 (2160p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
18.20 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
27.00 |
148.35 % |
|
More is better |
Sniper Elite 3 Settings |
|
1080p |
1440p |
2160p |
- Graphics Detail: Ultra
- AntiAliasing: High
- Texture Detail: Ultra
- Draw Distance: Ultra
- Anisotropic Filtering: 16
- Supersampling: 4.0x
- Motion Blur: Yes
- Ambient Occlusion: Yes
- V-Sync: No
- Use Tessellation: Yes
- Use Obscurance Fields: Yes
|
- Graphics Detail: Ultra
- AntiAliasing: High
- Texture Detail: Ultra
- Draw Distance: Ultra
- Anisotropic Filtering: 16
- Supersampling: 4.0x
- Motion Blur: Yes
- Ambient Occlusion: Yes
- V-Sync: No
- Use Tessellation: Yes
- Use Obscurance Fields: Yes
|
- Graphics Detail: Ultra
- AntiAliasing: High
- Texture Detail: Ultra
- Draw Distance: Ultra
- Anisotropic Filtering: 16
- Supersampling: 4.0x
- Motion Blur: Yes
- Ambient Occlusion: Yes
- V-Sync: No
- Use Tessellation: Yes
- Use Obscurance Fields: Yes
|
[pagebreak]
Crysis 3
|
High Preset, 1920x1080 (1080p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
36.76 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
69.74 |
189.72 % |
|
More is better |
|
High Preset, 2560x1440 (1440p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
22.83 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
40.69 |
178.23 % |
|
More is better |
| High Preset, 3840x2160 (2160p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
12.85 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
16.85 |
131.13 % |
|
More is better |
Crysis 3 Settings |
|
1080p |
1440p |
2160p |
- Anti Aliasing: MSAA High 8x
- Texture Resolution: Very High
- Vsync: No
- System Spec: Very High
- Game Effects: Very High
- Object: Very High
- Particles: Very High
- Post Processing: Very High
- Shading: Very High
- Shadows: Very High
- Water: Very High
- Anisotropic Filtering: 16x
- Motion Blur Amount: High
- Lense Flares: Yes
|
- Anti Aliasing: MSAA High 8x
- Texture Resolution: Very High
- Vsync: No
- System Spec: Very High
- Game Effects: Very High
- Object: Very High
- Particles: Very High
- Post Processing: Very High
- Shading: Very High
- Shadows: Very High
- Water: Very High
- Anisotropic Filtering: 16x
- Motion Blur Amount: High
- Lense Flares: Yes
|
- Anti Aliasing: MSAA High 8x
- Texture Resolution: Very High
- Vsync: No
- System Spec: Very High
- Game Effects: Very High
- Object: Very High
- Particles: Very High
- Post Processing: Very High
- Shading: Very High
- Shadows: Very High
- Water: Very High
- Anisotropic Filtering: 16x
- Motion Blur Amount: High
- Lense Flares: Yes
|
[pagebreak]
Thief
|
High Preset, 1920x1080 (1080p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
84.8 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
123.5 |
145.64 % |
|
More is better |
|
High Preset, 2560x1440 (1440p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
57.9 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
102.8 |
177.55 % |
|
More is better |
|
High Preset, 3840x2160 (2160p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
30.3 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
54.1 |
178.55 % |
|
More is better |
Thief Settings |
|
1080p |
1440p |
2160p |
- Vsync: Off
- Preset: Custom
- Texture Quality: Very High
- Shadow Quality: Very High
- Depth of Field Quality: High
- Texture Filtering Quality: 16x Anisotropic
- SSAA: High
- Automatically limit Texture Quality: On
- Screen Space Reflection: On
- Parallax Occlusion Mapping: On
- FXAA: On
- Contact Hardening Shadows: On
- Tesselation: On
- Image Based Reflection: On
|
- Vsync: Off
- Preset: Custom
- Texture Quality: Very High
- Shadow Quality: Very High
- Depth of Field Quality: High
- Texture Filtering Quality: 16x Anisotropic
- SSAA: High
- Automatically limit Texture Quality: On
- Screen Space Reflection: On
- Parallax Occlusion Mapping: On
- FXAA: On
- Contact Hardening Shadows: On
- Tesselation: On
- Image Based Reflection: On
|
- Vsync: Off
- Preset: Custom
- Texture Quality: Very High
- Shadow Quality: Very High
- Depth of Field Quality: High
- Texture Filtering Quality: 16x Anisotropic
- SSAA: High
- Automatically limit Texture Quality: On
- Screen Space Reflection: On
- Parallax Occlusion Mapping: On
- FXAA: On
- Contact Hardening Shadows: On
- Tesselation: On
- Image Based Reflection: On
|
[pagebreak]
GRID Autosport
|
High Preset, 1920x1080 (1080p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
118.20 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
168.98 |
142.96 % |
|
More is better |
|
High Preset, 2560x1440 (1440p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
85.18 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
119.27 |
140.02 % |
|
More is better |
|
High Preset, 3840x2160 (2160p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
48.97 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
68.36 |
139.60 % |
|
More is better |
GRID Autosport Settings |
|
1080p |
1440p |
2160p |
- Full Screen: On
- Vsync: Off
- Nigh Lightning: Ultra
- Advanced Fog: On
- Particles: Ultra
- Cloths: Ultra
- Ambient Occlusion: Ultra
- Soft Ambient Occlusion: On
- Ground Cover: Ultra
- Vehicle Details: Ultra
- Vehicle Reflections: Ultra
- Objects: Ultra
- Trees: Ultra
- Crowds: Ultra
- Water: High
- Advanced Lighting: Enabled
- Global Illumination: On
- Texture Quality: High
- Shader Quality: High
- Anisotropic Filtering: Ultra
- Smoke: Shadows: on
|
- Full Screen: On
- Vsync: Off
- Nigh Lightning: Ultra
- Advanced Fog: On
- Particles: Ultra
- Cloths: Ultra
- Ambient Occlusion: Ultra
- Soft Ambient Occlusion: On
- Ground Cover: Ultra
- Vehicle Details: Ultra
- Vehicle Reflections: Ultra
- Objects: Ultra
- Trees: Ultra
- Crowds: Ultra
- Water: High
- Advanced Lighting: Enabled
- Global Illumination: On
- Texture Quality: High
- Shader Quality: High
- Anisotropic Filtering: Ultra
- Smoke: Shadows: on
|
- Full Screen: On
- Vsync: Off
- Nigh Lightning: Ultra
- Advanced Fog: On
- Particles: Ultra
- Cloths: Ultra
- Ambient Occlusion: Ultra
- Soft Ambient Occlusion: On
- Ground Cover: Ultra
- Vehicle Details: Ultra
- Vehicle Reflections: Ultra
- Objects: Ultra
- Trees: Ultra
- Crowds: Ultra
- Water: High
- Advanced Lighting: Enabled
- Global Illumination: On
- Texture Quality: High
- Shader Quality: High
- Anisotropic Filtering: Ultra
- Smoke: Shadows: on
|
[pagebreak]
Sleeping Dogs - Benchmark
|
High Preset, 1920x1080 (1080p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
84.1 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
157.6 |
184.40 % |
|
More is better |
|
High Preset, 2560x1440 (1440p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
50.0 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
95.6 |
191.20 % |
|
More is better |
|
High Preset, 3840x2160 (2160p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
20.6 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
40.6 |
197.09 % |
|
More is better |
Sleeping Dogs Settings |
|
1080p |
1440p |
2160p |
- Full Screen: On
- Graphics Level: Extreme
- Enable Quality Anti Aliasing: Extreme
- Enable High Res Textures: On
- Shadow Resolution: High
- Shadow Filtering: High
- Screen Space Ambient Occlusion: High
- Enable Vsync: Off
- Enable Quality Motion Blur: High
- World Density: Extreme
|
- Full Screen: On
- Graphics Level: Extreme
- Enable Quality Anti Aliasing: Extreme
- Enable High Res Textures: On
- Shadow Resolution: High
- Shadow Filtering: High
- Screen Space Ambient Occlusion: High
- Enable Vsync: Off
- Enable Quality Motion Blur: High
- World Density: Extreme
|
- Full Screen: On
- Graphics Level: Extreme
- Enable Quality Anti Aliasing: Extreme
- Enable High Res Textures: On
- Shadow Resolution: High
- Shadow Filtering: High
- Screen Space Ambient Occlusion: High
- Enable Vsync: Off
- Enable Quality Motion Blur: High
- World Density: Extreme
|
[pagebreak]
Metro: Last Light - Benchmark
|
High Preset, 1920x1080 (1080p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
53.87 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
88.99 |
165.19 % |
|
More is better |
|
High Preset, 2560x1440 (1440p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
33.75 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
60.55 |
179.41 % |
|
More is better |
|
High Preset, 3840x2160 (2160p) |
Average FPS |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
16.47 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
30.75 |
186.70 % |
|
More is better |
Metro: Last Light Settings |
| 1080p |
1440p |
2160p |
- Quality: Very High
- Texture Filtering: AF16x
- Motion Blur: Normal
- SSAA: On
- Tesselation: Very High
- Scene: D6
- Runs: 3
|
- Quality: Very High
- Texture Filtering: AF16x
- Motion Blur: Normal
- SSAA: On
- Tesselation: Very High
- Scene: D6
- Runs: 3
|
- Quality: Very High
- Texture Filtering: AF16x
- Motion Blur: Normal
- SSAA: On
- Tesselation: Very High
- Scene: D6
- Runs: 3
|
[pagebreak]
Power Consumption
| Power Consumption Idle* |
Watts |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
92 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
113 |
122.83 % |
| *Entire system |
Less is better |
| Power Consumption Load (FurMark)* |
Watts |
% |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
385 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
546 |
141.82 % |
| *Entire system |
Less is better |
[pagebreak]
Performance
| High Preset, 1920x1080 (1080p) |
Performance Index |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
172.23 % |
| High Preset,
2560x1440 (1440p) |
Performance Index |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
176.73 % |
|
High Preset, 3840x2160 (2160p) |
Performance Index |
| ASUS
Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
100.00 % |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce
GTX 980 SLI |
162.86 % |
[pagebreak]
Prices
| |
Price |
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 |
|
| ASUS Strix OC Edition GeForce GTX 980 SLI |
 +
|
[pagebreak]
Conclusion
Today we’ve had a look at SLI scaling of two custom GTX 980 graphics cards from ASUS in combination with an Intel Core i7-5960X CPU, while driving the Intel CPU at default clock speeds. Our scaling index page shows an average performance bump of 72.23 percent in the case of 1080p when using two GeForce GTX 980 cards instead of one. A glimpse at our 1440p preset quicky reveals an even better scaling where the SLI system outperforms the single-GPU setup by 76.73 percent. On the other hand it was really interesting to see that in the case of our UHD preset the performance benefit went down to 62.86 percent. We’re surprised that 1440p is benefitting to most from an SLI of two GTX 980 graphics cards. Apart from that there is a 14 percent gap between the scaling at 1440p and 2160p, which is something we really didn’t expect.
When it comes to playability we can say that one GTX 980 graphics card is sufficient to enjoy recent games on highest details and 1440p resolution. We were able to play all games, which are included in this article, smoothly without stuttering. Even Crysis 3 at 1440p and with all details maxed out didn’t drop below 40 fps. If we look at UltraHD in combination with very high details, we see that two cards are a must if you want to be able to actually play games. You might be asking why we’re testing these systems with UHD and all details maxed out, since the massively increased resolution together with a 28 inch display already make aliasing effects way less visible. Our thinking is, that we want to find out where the limits of specific configurations are and in the case of two GTX 980 graphics cards we have to torture them with UHD and highest details in order to really see frame rates tumble.
Apart from the sheer performance also power consumption is very interesting to have a look at. In idle and with one card our test setup pulled 92 Watt from the wall and in the case of SLI we measured 113 Watt, which is equal to a 22.83 percent increase. Under full load we notice that the single card setup burnt 385 Watt and the SLI system was turning 546 Watt into heat, which is a difference of 41.82 percent. In other words our test systems gaming performance was increased by 63 to 76 percent, while power consumption rose by almost 42 percent. If we only look at gaming performance of the entire system and put it into perspective with the increase in power consumption, the results are rather reasonable.
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