Should I SLI or Upgrade?
- Thread starter SlayerTAG
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ACTechy
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Personally, I'd SLI, since you already own one. To beat the performance of SLI 760s you'd basically need to buy a Titan or similar AMD: http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/geforce_gtx_760_sli_review,10.html
P1nnacle
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Coming from a guy who has an SLI system, let me throw my two cents in.
Some things to consider:
Look at your motherboard, where your two PCIE slots are, if you were to put two dual slot cards in, would they have one slot in-between them or be right next to each other? If you don't have at least one slot, your cards are going to get toasty (before I watercooled my cards I had to remove the middle one or the three cards would hit 90+C at below 50% load). If they are right next to each other, expect major performance loss from at least one card.
Are you prepared to have to mess around with your cards? I promise you, if you choose SLI, you will spend a couple hours at some point because your SLI stopped working. SLI is finicky. Soooo finicky. Get a new ethernet card? SLI stops working. Update your drivers? SLI stops working. Unplug your CD drive? SLI stops working. I've had to fix all of these problems, and most of them weren't quick fixes, they took some time to figure out. Be prepared to spend time figuring out how you messed up.
Can you buy the exact same model of graphics card? If you can't, that may be ok, or you may have to read #2 again. Faster cards will downclock to play with slower cards, but you will be losing the power you would have otherwise had.
Do you have a good enough PSU? Chances are you checked this, but if you're right on the line or have a lower quality PSU, when you hit higher loads, your cards might do some funny things.
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Ok now that all that is out there (I'm sure someone disagrees with how cynical I am, but hey, my two cents). SLI is a better deal when it works, you just have to be more prepared to work for that deal.
If you want simple plug in and forget, go with a single card.
Some things to consider:
Look at your motherboard, where your two PCIE slots are, if you were to put two dual slot cards in, would they have one slot in-between them or be right next to each other? If you don't have at least one slot, your cards are going to get toasty (before I watercooled my cards I had to remove the middle one or the three cards would hit 90+C at below 50% load). If they are right next to each other, expect major performance loss from at least one card.
Are you prepared to have to mess around with your cards? I promise you, if you choose SLI, you will spend a couple hours at some point because your SLI stopped working. SLI is finicky. Soooo finicky. Get a new ethernet card? SLI stops working. Update your drivers? SLI stops working. Unplug your CD drive? SLI stops working. I've had to fix all of these problems, and most of them weren't quick fixes, they took some time to figure out. Be prepared to spend time figuring out how you messed up.
Can you buy the exact same model of graphics card? If you can't, that may be ok, or you may have to read #2 again. Faster cards will downclock to play with slower cards, but you will be losing the power you would have otherwise had.
Do you have a good enough PSU? Chances are you checked this, but if you're right on the line or have a lower quality PSU, when you hit higher loads, your cards might do some funny things.
---
Ok now that all that is out there (I'm sure someone disagrees with how cynical I am, but hey, my two cents). SLI is a better deal when it works, you just have to be more prepared to work for that deal.
If you want simple plug in and forget, go with a single card.
ACTechy
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Unfortunately, no. They have to be identical models. And it's best if the about of RAM is the same too. Differing brands is fine though.
And from another SLI user, it's not always that bad...I haven't experienced any of those issues.
ACTechy
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Here are a couple excellent overclocking boards at different price points:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157304 - $90
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131837 - $105 (after discounts and rebate)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128580 - $110 (after rebate)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157293 - $125
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131819 - $160 (after rebate)
There are more expensive options, but nothing that will lead to a huge jump in performance or anything. I recommend options 2 and 4, they're excellent boards at good deals, especially that ASUS.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157304 - $90
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131837 - $105 (after discounts and rebate)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128580 - $110 (after rebate)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157293 - $125
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131819 - $160 (after rebate)
There are more expensive options, but nothing that will lead to a huge jump in performance or anything. I recommend options 2 and 4, they're excellent boards at good deals, especially that ASUS.
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