Is SLi Really That Improtant

AngelfireUk83 · Jan 23, 2006

I read in mags about the explination or components etc and when it comes to graphics they always go on about SLi and Crossfire. Now the motherboard I was going to get was the AOPEN nCK804Ua-LFS it only has 1x PCI-E 16x port but it's sk939 but knowing my luck the board probably has old technology which will be replaced as soon as I bought.

Should I just save the extra cash and buy a SLi board (Sorry Don't Like ATi much) cause I suppose if I do I know I can go SLi. But I do know that there's a new socket coming out and I reckon SLi 2.0 will too soon (If it isn't already).

Thetwizler24 · Jan 23, 2006

As of right now, sli is just overkill and to get extra points in 3dmark05. It isn't necessary for any games out there right now as they all run smooth on my 6800gs at max settings. But if your thinking about the future as you might not want to upgrade again in another year you may want to go sli. And yes the SLI x16 is out and the cheapest mobo i have seen for it is 200$ from abit. Also am2 will be our shortly. It's up to you if you want to spend your money on the new tech or wait a few months till the bugs get fixed and the price comes down a tad.

Rattle · Jan 23, 2006

Well here's my opinion. This is not to crap on anyone that does it, cuz I love seeing the 3dmark scores they get, but thats just it, you get some mean 3dmark scores.

You do not however get 2x the performance or frames or even IMAGE QUALITY in games. If i spend 2x the money I better get 2x more something aside from the amount of video cards lol...

At this point in the game I would just buy the top card instead of going sli/x-fire

The I dont like ATI much baffles me, my last 2 cards were NV but right now the x1800/x1900 are walking all over the 7800's, you should be faithful to your wallet/pocketbook not a company.

AngelfireUk83 · Jan 23, 2006

Rattle thanks for your opinion and Thetwizler24 too since a new socket is coming out I'll wait the extra month fir the bugs to be fixed. And save up a little extra incase I need something like a better PSU or something SLi is tempting maybe even CrossFire. Even thou I have never seen either in action but would love too I really want to have a good around upgraded PC with RAID, SLi (Maybe) & just get good performance.

My Athlon 2500+ has served it's purpose I'll be keeping it as a extra gaming PC to play Diablo 2 and stuff. Will be getting a new graphics card for it again providing 6800GS does come to AGP soon.

paleh0rse · Jan 23, 2006

lol.. you're right... getting 100+ fps with everything set to "High" in BF2 just sucks... i mean, damn, it's just so...horrible...

but, alas, if someone must suffer through that, i guess i'll be that guy with my twin 7800GT's doing all that work!

trust me, they are more than 3dmark tweakers...

Wam · Jan 23, 2006

Of course it depends on your needs. As long as I can tend to keep above a MINIMUM frame rate then I am satisfied. For what I need a one card solution will suffice. There are others that will run particular games that greatly benefit from a two card solution.

You have to do your research well and see if the particular games you play firstly, even show any improvement from SLI (as many don't) and secondly need the improvement that SLI offers.

b1029384756 · Jan 23, 2006

If I were to build a system today, I'd go SLI, 7800GTX 512MB, no question about it. I run at 2048x1536, and, if I ever go LCD, it'll be 2560x1600. To run games like F.E.A.R. with all options cranked up, you need dual video cards. That said, if you're considering running two lesser video cards in SLI (or Crossfire), don't do it. You're best off spending the same amount of money on one powerful card. For example, a single 7800GTX 256MB is a better choice than two 6800GS in SLI. Also, buying an SLI motherboard, and the best video card you can afford today, with plans to buy another later, doesn't always work since the price doesn't usually drop much. If you do so only because you don't have all the money right now, and plan to buy a second one later, for example, when your income tax refund arrives, that can be alright as well. You get the advantage of having a single fast video card immediately that can handle most tasks and a second one in a few months that will pick up the slack.

Thetwizler24 · Jan 23, 2006

6800gs is on agp and you can unlock the extra pipelines with it too but can't with pci-x

AngelfireUk83 · Jan 23, 2006

So they have finally released it on AGP flavour some of my favorite internet shops don't seem to sell them yet over here in the Uk. I'll try somewhere else see what I can find wonder how much I'll get for my 6200 only had 2 months and I've never even played a game on it yet. Just got it cause I hated the FX5200 so much I was gonna snap it till my mate bought it off me for £10.

cre8 · Jan 23, 2006

Also SLI is only comes into play when running 1600x1200 or higher

Rattle · Jan 23, 2006

paleh0rse said:
lol.. you're right... getting 100+ fps with everything set to "High" in BF2 just sucks... i mean, damn, it's just so...horrible...

but, alas, if someone must suffer through that, i guess i'll be that guy with my twin 7800GT's doing all that work!

trust me, they are more than 3dmark tweakers...

dont take it personally man I just dont see the need for SLI, you have $600 worth of cards and I just bought a $510 x1900xt and it will beat your dual card solution easily... less $$ less power consumption, less heat...

DeepScience · Jan 23, 2006

Rattle said:
Well here's my opinion. This is not to crap on anyone that does it, cuz I love seeing the 3dmark scores they get, but thats just it, you get some mean 3dmark scores.

You do not however get 2x the performance or frames or even IMAGE QUALITY in games. If i spend 2x the money I better get 2x more something aside from the amount of video cards lol...

At this point in the game I would just buy the top card instead of going sli/x-fire

The I dont like ATI much baffles me, my last 2 cards were NV but right now the x1800/x1900 are walking all over the 7800's, you should be faithful to your wallet/pocketbook not a company.

Agree with the top bit. Sort of agree with the ATI thing (I had a 700 and then x800xtpe - great cards) but the bit about the x1800 walking over the 7800 is laughable. $500 for a 7800, $600 for the x1800xl and $1000 for the xt. Considering I get close to GTX clocks on a standard 7800GT it still blows the much more expensive 1800xl out of the water on everything but maybe 6x aa. Best bang for buck is the 7800GT by a long way.

Rattle · Jan 23, 2006

DeepScience said:
Agree with the top bit. Sort of agree with the ATI thing (I had a 700 and then x800xtpe - great cards) but the bit about the x1800 walking over the 7800 is laughable. $500 for a 7800, $600 for the x1800xl and $1000 for the xt. Considering I get close to GTX clocks on a standard 7800GT it still blows the much more expensive 1800xl out of the water on everything but maybe 6x aa. Best bang for buck is the 7800GT by a long way.

Hmm 2x$300 for gt's is $600

I know a guy that had 2 7800gts and said the x1800xt matched them, and he was the biggest NV fanboy of them all..

Pntgrd · Jan 23, 2006

Also SLI is only comes into play when running 1600x1200 or higher

And just where do you get this information? I don't think the resolution has anything to do with SLI other than you could run higher res's.

tom10167 · Jan 23, 2006

Probably not. The difference between a good card and a great card is not usually realized until you really crank the IQ up. Doubly so for SLI.

Nexus Realized · Jan 23, 2006

I think once you start getting into higher resolutions, SLI or Crossfire becomes the determining factor on whether or not the game will run at an acceptable framerate.

Illyest · Jan 23, 2006

Nexus hit it right on the mark really. High Reso's + Super IQ is where SLI/X-Fire really show their stuff.

SLing on a 17in monitor is really silly imho.

Pntgrd · Jan 24, 2006

Well, I will have to agree that least SLI will get some good 3DMark05 scores. Running at stock clocks on my 7800's and no tweaks to get a good score, never did figure those out anyway, just for grins, I ran through it. 12,752 ain't too bad, is it

DeepScience · Jan 25, 2006

Rattle said:
Hmm 2x$300 for gt's is $600

I know a guy that had 2 7800gts and said the x1800xt matched them, and he was the biggest NV fanboy of them all..

Yeah, SLI not very good.

AngelfireUk83 · Jan 25, 2006

Is it true there going to release a new version SLi 2.0 or something later for Vista. Maybe I've read too much into it I don't know?

Is SLi Really That Improtant

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