Micro Stuttering
Video proof: Micro stuttering may destroy the performance gains from current multi GPU technologies
Why the advantage of SLI, Crossfire and multi Chrome is questionable
The phenomenon
Triple-SLI: Problems with micro stuttering is obvious and cannot denied (Bild: PCGH)Here the disclosed problem starts: multi-GPU systems often do not succeed in displaying regular distributed frames; it comes to large time intervals between individual images - "micro stuttering" - despite supposedly fluid frame rates. One example: frame 1 is followed by frame 2 after 10 milliseconds, which corresponds to a cadence of 100 Fps. Frame 3, however, is to be seen only 40 milliseconds afterwards, followed by frame 4 after 10 ms.
The result is disastrous: The subjective frame rate of a multi-GPU system is in this extreme case below a single card, although the displayed Fps are higher. This behavior is primarily critical at low frame rates, such as the aforementioned 30 Fps. The less Fps, the greater the possible intervals between them and a regular distribution gets even more important.
Hmm... i was often tempted to get Crossfire, especially with the new 3870X2 card, but held it off till today. I don't regret it. Still sitting on my saved money for the convincing best solution. I'll only go Crossfire or X-fire when it gives a better result than a single card in all available games. and i mean the subjective result, the experience, feeling of the game running completely smoothly, during gaming. Not just the clinically measured fps.Solutions?
Reliable solutions do not yet exist, but AMD and Nvidia are informed. The problem probably stems from the methods used on the allocation of computing work on multiple GPUs. With Alternate frame rendering (AFR), the first GPU calculates the first frame while the other calculates the second one and so on. Apparently a tool is lacking to provide these frames with the appropriate harmony so that they are displayed regularly. Upcoming graphics driver could provide the necessary balancing.