4870x2 Difficulties

[Wolken007]

I picked up my 4870x2 for my main system today (Q9450). It has replaced the 4870 that was in there. I inserted the card, booted up the computer, installed the software, and loaded up crysis only to find a ton of stuttering. It is reporting my FPS as between 40-50 at 1920x1200 but the stuttering is so bad, I can't even play. When loading different maps, rescue, village, etc. the stuttering seems to go away. However, if I am playing for a few minutes, the stuttering might return out of nowhere. I cannot figure out what is wrong. I have only tried the 8.9 drivers, as they worked fine with my 4870. I have it hooked up to an 850W Thermaltake Power Supply found here:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153043

Obviously this PSU does not have an 8 pin PCI Express connector on it, but I purchased the adapter which has worked fine for others. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

PS - I am currently reinstalling windows to see if that does anything.

[Xion X2]

It's either a bug in Crysis or the driver itself that causes the stuttering. Are you having any problems in any other games?

Are you using the 8.9 officials that just came out? I had this problem with the 8.9 betas a few times and had to reinstall the driver to fix it.

[AGibbon]

Only Crysis having this issue? If so, you already pretty much have your answer. Just seems to be people with single card solutions or non X2s have better luck with this game, Even though some dual card and X2 people have it working right. Don't play it myself, just observe.

[Wolken007]

I just finished installing windows and am loading up some games to test out. I didn't notice the stuttering in any other games. However, both Crysis, and Warhead did it. Xion, did you have any difficulties like this when you were trying to get things up and running?

[Skinner]

Let me guess dx9? If so, try dx10, no stuttering here.

[Xion X2]

I just finished installing windows and am loading up some games to test out. I didn't notice the stuttering in any other games. However, both Crysis, and Warhead did it. Xion, did you have any difficulties like this when you were trying to get things up and running?

I've noticed some stuttering on the 8.9 drivers on occasion with my setup. I'm not sure what causes it. Crysis is the only game that seems to suffer from it. This was on the 8.9 betas. I switched over to the officials and I haven't noticed it since.

[Wolken007]

You are exactly right, it was a DX9 issue. As soon as I load up dx10, it works just fine. Does anybody know the cause of the dx9 stuttering? Xion, do you run Crysis in dx9 or dx10?

[Wolken007]

I am trying some different drivers. When running in dx10 mode I get a appcrash due to cryrenderd3d10.dll after about 2 minutes of gameplay. I have tried setting my system back to stock settings and still, the same thing happens.

[Wolken007]

I am so sick of this card right now. Crysis just doesn't work for me. I have read some other threads at [H] where people are complaining of the exact same thing. I can't figure it out. DX10 seems to have reduced stuttering, but still there. It is definitely a microstutter. The FPS output is 40-50+, but looks like 15fps on screen. I am going to keep working tonight, but if I can't get it, this card is going back.

Edit: Card is going back tomorrow. Getting GTX280. I can't stand how frustrating this thing is. I know some people have had good luck with it, but the microstutter is just too much. Games feel slower than they do on an 8800gtx.

[LordJuanlo]

The only strange thing I noticed in Crysis is arriving at the comm station, when dawn arrives, under DX9 and with CCC 2.21 mod. Framerate is suddenly cut in half, just like one of the two cores stopped working. But there is no stuttering, fraps numbers go from 50 to 20-25.

Sorry to hear Wolken007, I wish you better luck with the GTX

[Xion X2]

I am so sick of this card right now. Crysis just doesn't work for me. I have read some other threads at [H] where people are complaining of the exact same thing. I can't figure it out. DX10 seems to have reduced stuttering, but still there. It is definitely a microstutter. The FPS output is 40-50+, but looks like 15fps on screen. I am going to keep working tonight, but if I can't get it, this card is going back.

Edit: Card is going back tomorrow. Getting GTX280. I can't stand how frustrating this thing is. I know some people have had good luck with it, but the microstutter is just too much. Games feel slower than they do on an 8800gtx.

Sorry you're having trouble, but you have something abnormal going on with yours. Crysis runs just fine on a single X2 for me. No microstuttering until performance drops to around 30 fps. But when it's at 40-50fps it's perfectly smooth.

Are you running the fraps counter in-game? If so, TURN IT OFF. I found that to cause the game to lag terribly on a few occasions.

I think Crysis is just buggy. People from all camps have problems with that game doing strange things. It's a new and different engine, and it's very demanding on the hardware.

Good luck w/ the 280, but you may not notice a difference in performance in some games over your 4870. In some games, like Grid, it's even slower. Noticeably slower.

[DRen72]

As Xion X2 said, sorry you're having trouble, but just like Xion X2 I'm also not seeing any problems with Crysis on a single X2. Granted the game is coded poorly and it runs less than desired on practically any system but overall its far smoother than the 8800GTX it replaced. Hope your luck with the 280GTX is much better.

[Wolken007]

Thanks for the comments. I don't mean to bash at all on the card. I know there was probably something wrong with my card, especially since the issue began appearing in multiple games. I was nervous about getting a multi-gpu solution in the first place. I exchanged it out this morning and got a working BFG GTX280 OC which doesn't go above 60C load on Crysis and works like a charm. I am excited to finally sit down and replay the Crysis series. Thanks again for the feedback.

[Vanzagar]

Thanks for the comments. I don't mean to bash at all on the card. I know there was probably something wrong with my card, especially since the issue began appearing in multiple games. I was nervous about getting a multi-gpu solution in the first place. I exchanged it out this morning and got a working BFG GTX280 OC which doesn't go above 60C load on Crysis and works like a charm. I am excited to finally sit down and replay the Crysis series. Thanks again for the feedback.

Wolken007, your sig still says 4870x2, are you running with the gtx280 or still waiting for it to arrive... I am still debating between a 4870x2 and a GTX280, this post now has me leaning toward the GTX280 again... please post your opinion of the GTX280 after playing with it for a few days, especially in Warhead and Crysis... really nice to get feedback from users who have used BOTH cards...

Thanks,

Vanz

[Xion X2]

I am still debating between a 4870x2 and a GTX280, this post now has me leaning toward the GTX280 again...

Why would you let the experience of one individual influence your judgment?

No offense to Wolken and his new purchase, but there are two threads with hundreds of posts over here of users with defective 280s..

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=114925

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=115423

Lots of times it comes down to user preference. Wolken even admitted that he was wary of multi-GPU to begin with.

Both are good cards and are, for the most part, reliable. Nvidia had their issues with the 280 in the beginning, though it looks as if they've been able to work most of those out.

[Heinz68]

I am still debating between a 4870x2 and a GTX280, this post now has me leaning toward the GTX280 again...

Vanz
Long before this post you talked about getting GTX 280 so the fact is one bad experience in this thread didn't make you lean anywhere.

Just couple examples you even opened two same threads about it in different forums.

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=119596
GTX 280 and Antec 900 case?

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=119627
Will be using a gtx 280 vid card in it, 3 hdd's everything else is pretty standard issue...

[Wolken007]

Like Xion said, I was wary of the multi gpu purchase to begin with. The 4870x2 is obviously a great card. I realize that I may have been unfortunate in receiving a defective one. Also, as others have pointed out, the GTX280 has obviously had its share of issues on launch.

That being said, based on MY experience, the GTX280 has worked great. I was scared to death picking it up yesterday that I would boot into windows and see outrageous temperatures. However, after firing up Crysis, the max load temp after an hour of gaming was only 61C. It has been flawless with any game that I have thrown at it. Crysis and Warhead both run fantastically, not going below 30FPS at 1920x1200 in dx9 with a modified CCC2.21 config.

The only complaint I have about my BFG GTX280 is the overclocking ability. The card is factory overclocked out of the box, but despite its cool temperatures, has very little room for overclocking. I tried pushing the core from 615mhz default to 700mhz, which most people have been able to get with ease out of a 280, and games were loaded with texture corruption. I will have to tweak it some more and see what I can do.

[Vanzagar]

Long before this post you talked about getting GTX 280 so the fact is one bad experience in this thread didn't make you lean anywhere.

Just couple examples you even opened two same threads about it in different forums.

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=119596
GTX 280 and Antec 900 case?

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=119627

What is your point dude, man you got nothing better to do than dig up old posts for no apparent reason, get a life dude... :headexplode:... I posted GTX 280 and case just as a example, you know in case I did go that route so I wouldn;t be in trouble...

I still haven't completely decided on which card to go with but yeah this thread does have me concerned, you have a problem with that?? I've also posted that I would be buying at end of October and may wait for gtx 280 refresh, quick go look it up...

Vanz

ps. and don't call your assumption a fact...

[Heinz68]

What is your point dude, man you got nothing better to do than dig up old posts for no apparent reason, get a life dude... :headexplode:... I posted GTX 280 and case just as a example, you know in case I did go that route so I wouldn;t be in trouble...

I still haven't completely decided on which card to go with but yeah this thread does have me concerned, you have a problem with that?? I've also posted that I would be buying at end of October and may wait for gtx 280 refresh, quick go look it up...

Vanz

ps. and don't call your assumption a fact...
There was not assumption on my part, if you care to notice I posted EXACTLY what you said and sorry I'm way past the DUDE age.

[Vanzagar]

Long before this post you talked about getting GTX 280 so the fact is one bad experience in this thread didn't make you lean anywhere.[/url]

This is not a fact... dude... get it right or stfu...

[Xion X2]

Feel the love..

Honestly though, Vanz, Heinz has a point. I don't see why you may let the experience of ONE USER in this thread alter your buying preference when there are HUNDREDS OF USERS on the threads I linked above who've had problems with their 280s.

That just makes no sense.

[ATi]

indeed;)

[Heinz68]

This is not a fact... dude... get it right or stfu...

How many threads about getting GTX 280 you need to open before it becomes a fact where you're leaning.
For the rest of your comment n/m.

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=119596
GTX 280 and Antec 900 case?

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=119627
Originally Posted by Vanzagar
Will be using a gtx 280 vid card in it, 3 hdd's everything else is pretty standard issue...

PS
By the way I didn't search your posting history. I did reply in one of the threads and shortly after i came upon the other thread and started to wonder where is my reply before realizing it was another thread about the same subject. That's how I remember it.