Recommended GPU for 21:9 34" monitor

Hardware Hub GPU
1

I'm getting a Dell UltraSharp U3415W (34" monitor with 3440 x 1440 resolution).
What GPU do you recommend? I was thinking of getting a Asus Radeon R9 290X DirectCU II OC HDMI DP 2xDVI 4GB or a Asus GeForce GTX 970 Strix DirectCU II OC HDMI DP 2xDVI 4GB to start with and add one more later if I need to. The prices of those two are about the same.

My specs:

  • Asus Maximus VI Hero
  • Intel Core i7-4770K
  • Noctua NH-D14
  • Asus GTX 570
  • Kingston 32 GB RAM HyperX Beast
  • Seasonic Platinum-1000
  • Fractal Define R4
  • Windows 7 Pro

I plan to play Elite: Dangerous and later on Star Citizen.

Any thoughts?

2

Perhaps you should wait for the next line of GPUs from AMD. If you cant wait then spend the extra cash on the GTX 980. Keep in mind about possible Ti versions of the GTX 980 that have an impact on pricing. SCit will be demanding so that should be your point of reference when looking at GPUs as Elite seems good with FPS results on an older system consisting of;

Asus GTX 660OC-DC2

i5-4670 3400 MHz @ 3591 MHz

(1920x1080, High, FXAA=ON, VSync=OFF), Docking tutorial:

Hangar: 45 - 55

Hangar launch pad: 60 - 70

Outside: 70 - 120. 

You are pushing a lot more pixels with 21:9 3440x1440p so you will need more than a 970 to run SCit on maximum settings 60fps most likely.  Future proofing comes with cost but can be worth it. You can compromise if you are not fussed and go with the 970 which should be fine and will only get better with driver updates and optimization. It will run elite, no problem. Star Citizen is the wobbly one where i would say just go for the best you can get but be patient with it and save that little bit more money for a better card.

I personally run Asus or EVGA as they seem to be the best for support all round and have always got great information on there products around the web. Strix cards are great  and you cant really go wrong with them.

Lastly, use Display Port!

 

3

Your gonna want dual 970s on that monitor, I have one and I had 2 and recently grabbed a 3rd 970. I get nice fps now.

 

4

Two R9 290s would be good. They perform better than the 970 usually at higher resolutions so. 

Really though I'd just wait. AMD is gonna be dropping nre cards and nVidia will inevitably fore back. 

5

Thanks for the replies!

Do we know when AMD is releasing their new cards? There will always be something new and faster just around the corner.

The Dell monitor will be in store 2014-01-15 and my current card (Asus GTX 570) will not do 3440x1440 resolution. Maximum resolution for GTX 570 is 2560x1600 according to Nvidia and Asus.

I'm going to buy a 34" monitor! Which one is not yet certain but I think that it will be the Dell.

I feel like I have three options.

  1. Run the monitor at a lower resolution and wait for what AMD will release.
  2. Get one 290X to start with and get one more later if needed.
  3. Get one GTX 970 to start with and get one more later if needed.

 

The GTX 980 is ~50% more expansive then the 970. Is it really worth it?

From the reviews I've seen GTX 970 is faster in 1440p and 290x is faster in 4k. 3440x1440 is somewhere in between 1440p and 4k.

I've never had any luck with overclocking so I won't be doing that.

6

I'm using an asus r9290 4gb with a 29 2560 x 1080 and it runs pretty nice even things like Arma 3.

7

Your going to need dual cards to run that resolution, i've tried,.

8

A non overclocked 970 is quite a bit slower then a 290x and it only gets worse at 4k a single 980 might be playable in these games at 4k but I don't think any single card will deliver good performance at 4k. The 290x at-least Stateside is a very good deal for the money and one can acquire two good custom cooled 290x's (what I have) for around 600-650$. The 970 in SLI would not be that much worse off maybe 15-20% less performance some of which could be made up if you overclocked them but would cost around 650-700$ for a pair of good ones. Also consider that in order to power up two 290x's you will need to have a beefy PSU as each card can draw like 400 watts at full load. Waiting for the new AMD cards isn't a bad plan especially considering as Star Citizen isn't out yet. 

9

February sometime is the target for AMD's new cards.

I'd wait, but if you wanted to buy a card now get an R9 290. Not the X and add another one later. The 290 is much cheaper and only a few FPS slower than the X.The 290s do better at higher resolutions.

The 980 is not worth it. TBH Idk why the hell it even exists and to buy one you'd have to be stupid. I'm sorry. It is over $200 more than a 970 and you get 5-10FPS more in game...

10

2560X1080 isn't a good comparison. The 3440X1440P will be nearly twice as hard to drive.

11

Tinman: My PSU is a Seasonic Platinum 1000 so it should be able to power two R9s.

DerKrieger: I've ordered the monitor, TrackIR 5 and Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS and want to start playing Elite: Dangerous when they arrive in about two weeks.

AMD 290 are pretty "cheap". I can get two Sapphire Radeon R9 290 Tri-X OC HDMI DP 2xDVI 4GB for less than one Asus GeForce GTX 980 Strix DirectCU II OC HDMI 3xDP 4GB.

12

I game at 4k with a single 980

It depends game to game as far as what fps you are going to get, and what sacrifices you are prepared to make in quality settings.  

Also i have yet to find a game with settings that let you make in game text large enough to read easily without a lot of dicking around.

just a few games, settings and fps for reference

TSW - 4k, no AA, no SSAO, everything else maxed - sits at 70 - 90 fps except for major fights which drop to 45 fps

World of Tanks - 4k, no AA everything else maxed - 85 fps average

Farcry4 - 4k, No AA, everything else at HIGH - 50fps average with spikes as low as 30fps 

Elite Dangerous - 4k, everything maxed, No AA average 90 fps

AC Unity - 4k, no AA - about 30 - 40 fps (playable but looks crap - i actually run this at 1440p)

DA Inquisition - 4k, no AA - 40 - 75 fps depending where you are and what you are doing

13

3440x1440 has a lot less pixels than 4k then I first thought. The monitor is only 60 Hz so super high fps is not necessary.

14

I went with two Sapphire Radeon R9 290 Tri-X OC HDMI DP 2xDVI 4GB. I got a really good deal on them.

Thanks for all your input!