Picking a GPU for modding Skyrim, 4GB(3.5+0.5) Or 8GB?

[AeroModss]

 

 

In my opinion, the 970 is more than adequite to handle Skyrim and all its ENB's on max settings.

 

Frankly, as a 970 user, it isn't. K ENB makes it cry, and even with a moderate preset like Phinix, it just so manages to maintain 40-45 fps outdoors.

 

And where do you think that comes from? The lack of VRAM? I did hear some people say that ENB's "should" run better on Intel, but I haven't seen anything to support it.

 

For the most part, I'm completely convinced that the 390 is the card I'm going to want. I just wish there were more options :tongue: Like the 390 has a much higher power consumption, I'd rather take that money that I'm spending on the power consumption of the 390, and go straight for the GTX 980, but that one is like... 30% more, for a 10% increase in performance.

 

Just be careful mate,those AMD updates are tricky and really rare.I heard that some ENBs are compatible with AMD cards

[jones177]

Hi

 

I think power consumption is a none issue. I have 3 gamers in my household using 6 pcs. The impact on my electricity bill is small compared to a/c, the oven & my treadmill. I have never seen a differences in my bill that can be related to any hardware I have put in a pc.

 

Percentages in the performance between GPUs can be deceiving. For example, last year I ran a 680 4gb. I replaced it with a 970 because everywhere I read that it was 20% faster. I only got a 3fps improvement in most games. At the beginning of the year I bough a 4k monitor & started playing Skyrim a 1440 with ENB. At that resolution the 970 was in only in the high 30s(not payable for me). I replaced it with a 980 & it showed a 10fps improvement. I have now replaced the 980 with a 980 ti. It has put me in the 60s. Of all the video cards I have bought over the years only the 680, 980 & 980 ti have delivered on performance.The rest have been like the 970. A little disappointing.

 

Later

[TheeeHippie]

Hi

 

I think power consumption is a none issue. I have 3 gamers in my household using 6 pcs. The impact on my electricity bill is small compared to a/c, the oven & my treadmill. I have never seen a differences in my bill that can be related to any hardware I have put in a pc.

 

Percentages in the performance between GPUs can be deceiving. For example, last year I ran a 680 4gb. I replaced it with a 970 because everywhere I read that it was 20% faster. I only got a 3fps improvement in most games. At the beginning of the year I bough a 4k monitor & started playing Skyrim a 1440 with ENB. At that resolution the 970 was in only in the high 30s(not payable for me). I replaced it with a 980 & it showed a 10fps improvement. I have now replaced the 980 with a 980 ti. It has put me in the 60s. Of all the video cards I have bought over the years only the 680, 980 & 980 ti have delivered on performance.The rest have been like the 970. A little disappointing.

 

Later

Thanks, I might have overestimated how much that was going to cost me a little bit >.> <.<

 

Annnd yeah, I wish I had as much as to drop 550 or 750 on a 980 or 980 Ti, I have about 1400 put aside for this PC and the 390/970 both hit a sweet spot in Performance/Price. They also both are about the max I can spend on them, +/- another 100 or so.

[notmyhome]

 

And where do you think that comes from? The lack of VRAM? I did hear some people say that ENB's "should" run better on Intel, but I haven't seen anything to support it.

 

For the most part, I'm completely convinced that the 390 is the card I'm going to want. I just wish there were more options :tongue: Like the 390 has a much higher power consumption, I'd rather take that money that I'm spending on the power consumption of the 390, and go straight for the GTX 980, but that one is like... 30% more, for a 10% increase in performance.

 

 

I don't think I've ever hit the 3.5 GB Vram cap, using a full STEP setup with a mix of 1k and some 2k textures.

Overclocking it even further than factory overclock might help, but I don't want to lose warranty just yet. GPU-Z logs say I never hit the thermal or power draw limit.

[Moksha8088]

Either card will give you superlative performance in Skyrim unless you plan on using the Arthmoor Engine update from 2021. However, by that time the new TES 6 will be out.

[Novem99]

 

I don't think I've ever hit the 3.5 GB Vram cap, using a full STEP setup with a mix of 1k and some 2k textures.

Overclocking it even further than factory overclock might help, but I don't want to lose warranty just yet. GPU-Z logs say I never hit the thermal or power draw limit.

 

 

I've already hit regularly 3.8 GB VRAM when I just used the 2K versions of all the mods that are also available in 4K and no ENB.

 

If you use extensively HD mods then the 4GB cap will be reached very quick.

[Boombro]

Just be careful mate,those AMD updates are tricky and really rare.I heard that some ENBs are compatible with AMD cards

 

I have an R9 290x all enbs I have tested worked, of course it runs better on gtx card.

 

BTW Phinix enb has SSOIL set one high, make it low PR then it off, you will get your fps back.

[thepoopbus]

390 is great for modding at 1440

[ironbender800]

Im biased towards Nvidia and plan on buying the 970 in a couple weeks myself. Upgrading from SLI 660's.

[soupdragon1234]

Just be careful mate,those AMD updates are tricky and really rare.I heard that some ENBs are compatible with AMD cards

 

 

Wrong. I've had 3 AMD cards with just about every ENB going as well as SweetFX separately. I've had zero issues with compatiblilty or anything else for that matter. Power consumption is higher but not massively so.

 

HD 7950, R9 290 and currently an MSI R9 390 8gb Vram.

 

Im biased towards Nvidia.

 

Isn't everyone.

 

and plan on buying the 970 in a couple weeks myself. Upgrading from SLI 660's.

 

I might pick up another 390 in Xfire with the 8GB vram I should be good to go for 4K gaming.

Edited September 19, 2015 by soupdragon1234