Author Topic: SLI Discussion (Read 362 times)

FOGOLD · « **on:** January 10, 2005, 06:29:11 AM »

I am looking to upgrade this year sometime. What's everyone's take on Sli?

Personally it looks an untidy solution and poses various problems. The idea that you could put in a top card then put a second one in 2 years later sounds great, but

a) who says the identical card will be available

b) You won't get double the
performance

c) when they are both out of date you are stuck with TWO old cards (like people were with Voodoo 2's)

d) I am there fore inclined to stick with a top line card on a single PCI E 16 slot.

Anybody agree/disagree?

Balsy · « **Reply #1 on:** January 10, 2005, 07:20:44 AM »

Im going with a SLI board with AMD. Im placing a 6800 GT OC in it now (which performs as good/better than 2 6600 GTs). Then when the prices come down, I'll pick up another.

The way I look at it... PCI Express is here to stay, so having another slot only adds functionality...but hey nobody is forcing you too run two cards. Gigabyte has come out with a 2 processor card already (one slot) the drawback is that both processors are accessing the cards ram, which slows it down.

SLI gives you the option to go with whatever the market throws at you.

FOGOLD · « **Reply #2 on:** January 10, 2005, 10:56:55 AM »

Will the SLI slots be able to take anything other than graphics cards? I've noticed that SLI boards have fewer regular PCI slots?

I guess with onboard sound and LAN becoming the norm, it's less of an issue.

Balsy · « **Reply #3 on:** January 10, 2005, 01:56:44 PM »

only PCI express x16, my board has 3 additional PCI slots, but onboard lan, sound etc... negate the need for anymore slots.

Only thing extra I slammed in a PCI slot was a soundcard, 2 PCI slots are wide open.

ALF · « **Reply #4 on:** January 10, 2005, 05:50:34 PM »

The great thing about SLI is you have the OPTION. You can always buy one card and be happy, but you can buy a second card down the road and be better off.

If you buy one 6800Gt and spend $450.00 now or buy two 6600GT and spend $435.00 for both isnt the issue. Its buying one 6800gt now...and a second one next year for only $200.00 when the latest wiz bang 8300mega GT comes out for $500....and you get similar performance for half the cash.

Just be sure to buy a popular model so you can get that matched set later without playing the Ebay swaperoo game.

Good SLI mobos have 2 extra PCI-E 1x slots and a few vanilla pci slots as well.

GRUNHERZ · « **Reply #5 on:** January 11, 2005, 02:22:43 AM »

I dont like the idea of two loud, hot, power hungry video cards in my system - especially cards that will be outperformed by a single card within a year. However if you are buying an all new system now its certainly a good idea to get a PCI-E slot, and while you are at it you might as well get two of them at 16X just in case. As most have said onbord sound and LAN make extra regular PCI slots less important.

Kev367th · « **Reply #6 on:** January 12, 2005, 12:03:20 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by GRUNHERZ
I dont like the idea of two loud, hot, power hungry video cards in my system - especially cards that will be outperformed by a single card within a year. However if you are buying an all new system now its certainly a good idea to get a PCI-E slot, and while you are at it you might as well get two of them at 16X just in case. As most have said onbord sound and LAN make extra regular PCI slots less important.

Then again isn't that always the problem whether its a single card or dual card, always something faster in a year.
Difference will be by adding a second (by then inexpensive) card you 'may' get close or equal performance to the 'new' really expensive card.
At minimum you will get a very nice performance boost for a lot less money.

If the card is made to nVidias refence design specs all it needs to have is the same amount of memory as the 1st one. Doesn't have to be same make.

FOGOLD · « **Reply #7 on:** January 12, 2005, 02:53:34 AM »

What about Power Supply. Got to be 500 +?

whels · « **Reply #8 on:** January 12, 2005, 06:24:40 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by FOGOLD
What about Power Supply. Got to be 500 +?

depending on what other thing u got connected.

right now for duel 6600GTs minimum is 400 (might be 350), if u get duel duel 6800 Ultras then minimum goes up to 500+.

SLI is an option u want to have available even if u dont think ull need it. its extra preformance on the cheap, kinda like overclocking. and PCI-E is the new standard replacing AGP.

GRUNHERZ · « **Reply #9 on:** January 12, 2005, 07:51:18 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Kev367th
Then again isn't that always the problem whether its a single card or dual card, always something faster in a year.
Difference will be by adding a second (by then inexpensive) card you 'may' get close or equal performance to the 'new' really expensive card.
At minimum you will get a very nice performance boost for a lot less money.

If the card is made to nVidias refence design specs all it needs to have is the same amount of memory as the 1st one. Doesn't have to be same make.

I know, thats why I said to get a 2 PCI-E 16x sli board "just in case."