MultiGPU Update: Does 3-way Make Sense?

Race Driver GRID Analysis

Keep in mind that we had an issue with FRAPS here that didn't allow us to capture framerate at 2560x1600 with 3-way NVIDIA solutions. We decided to include the game because we've still got all the data for 1680x1050 and 1920x1200 and AMD data at 2560x1600. The problems we had didn't affect playing the game at all, and we only had an issue when we tried to record framerate data.

1680x1050    1920x1200    2560x1600

NVIDIA 3-way solutions lead at the lower resolutions with the 2-way GTX 285 SLI at the top of the heap. From the look of the framerate data, though we couldn't capture it, 3-way NVIDIA hardware performed between the GTX 285 SLI and 4870 1GB 3-way CrossFire. The 512MB hardware once again has trouble performing at high resolution in 3-way configurations. GRID is tough on memory, and performance in the menu screens on 512MB hardware at 2560x1600 is incredibly painful.

1680x1050    1920x1200    2560x1600

NVIDIA hardware shows good scaling form 1 to 3 GPUs in the tests from which we could collect data. AMD hardware scales better as resolution increases, until performance tanks with 512MB cards at 2560x1600.

1680x1050    1920x1200    2560x1600

Scaling up from 2 to 3 GPUs is more of a mixed bag. At lower resolution, some options are system limited. While the lower end NVIDIA options have more room to improve in performance, both the 4850 and 4870 1GB scale pretty well at 1920x1200. Only the 4870 1GB scales well at 2560x1600 though.

1680x1050    1920x1200    2560x1600

The 9800 GTX+ 3-way shows good value at lower resolutions. Though the 4870 1GB 3-way rises up the list at 2560x1600, there are some options that loose all value because they don't make 25fps.