SLI chipset and brand compatabilty.

Ismism

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Jul 17, 2006
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Hiya all,
Im slowly getting together all the components to build my first PC.
and while doing reaserch to get ideas on what particular parts im interested in getting to support my needs and a little bit more to compensate for the future i came to the point of graphics cards. i saw an article where i belive a 7900GT was SLI configured with a 7900GTX of differnt brands.

my question is this, will this be possible with 7600GS\GSX\GT and or similar possibilties with the 7800 series.

alowing for possible benifits of Slave\Master setups and more efficient cooling arangments.

I know that the trend to get the 1 better card over 2 lesser cards is prefferd but i'd like to know, as I dont have the deepest pockets to spend on the topgear wich will depriciate in value as soon as i open the box.
i try to find the sweet spot in the price to performance ratio.
So if anybody has some light to shed on the subject it would be most apreiciated.

From Australia, Ismism
 

prozac26

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May 9, 2005
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You're talking about SLI, so you need same GPUs. I.E. two 7900GTs only. Can't mix up a 7900GT with a 7900GTX.

If you get two 7600GTs, for about $300 total, you'll feel ripped off, as one X1800XT or 7900GT will be better for you. Which sell for about $250 each. Single, better card has more value out of the box.
 

Ismism

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So the fact of the matter is the chipset must be the same.
Different brand and after market factory overclocked boards can still be compatible with other brands. or the same brand can be used but with differnt heat managment setups.

Im not personally intersted in buying 2 GPU's for the sake of SLI as I'm fully aware that 1 top end card will perform better than 2 lower end cards, as I had stated in my original post.

Im thinking possible longterm benifits of SLI.
I do enjoy gaming but not a big fan of FPS, which seem to set the benchmarks in all GPU testing and comparrisons and demand the most from GPU's.
currently for $260 AU i can get a 7600GT and i belive it will suit my needs more than I really need.

then who knows when prices fall in future and a second 7600GT is a more then feesable aquirement i'll do so. then further down the raod when perfomance criterea isnt being met i can do it all over again when a 7900GT is $260AU. for example.

As far as i can see SLI Is for the hardcore enthusiast or like me the budget concious buyer lapping bargins as the new wave of products hit the shelves.

Regards, Ismism
 

prozac26

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then who knows when prices fall in future and a second 7600GT is a more then feesable aquirement i'll do so. then further down the raod when perfomance criterea isnt being met i can do it all over again when a 7900GT is $260AU. for example.
wow, you'll be ripped off big time. SLI DOES NOT DOUBLE PERFORMANCE. Unless you're getting two top-line card (at least two 7900GTs at same time) SLI is a total waste of money, and time.
 

Ismism

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I dont think U are really paying attention to what ive said prozac26.
I relize where u are comming from with what you are repeatedly suggesting. Im fully aware that 1 7900gt will out perform 2 x 7800GT's and 1 7800GT will out perform 2 x 7600GT's and so on.

Currently using shopbot.com.au pricing for GPU is roughly as follows.

7600GS=$170
7600GT= $250
7800GS=$410
7800GT=$440
7900GT=$480

These prices are listed in Australian dollars and are current to todays listings in shobot.com.au
the7900GT is normally priced at $500+ but this is the lowest price i could find and suggest that already price cuts are are being implemented as new products are comming in.

if i had the money i would get the 7900GT but the fact of the matter is I dont my budget is $250 max and im not prepared to go over it.
I have not purchased any GPU's yet, as that and the CPU will be the last things i purchase for my pc. so Im not getting ripped off. due to the fact that i havent spent any money on 1 yet.

What im trying to suggest here is get the top most GPU you can afford at the time. Then maybe later on if prices and perfomance are more than suitable get a second GPU for SLI or Sell the first and buy a new. It all comes down to price\performance ratio.
I never suggested getting 2 GPU's for the sake of SLI in the first place.

I do however see SLI becomming more usefull in future as its only a newish technology that can only improve with age. and newer products will come out designed specifically to get the most out of SLI I hope someday.
Untill then yes i would agree that upfront SLI does seem a waste of time.
Though the investment might payoff in future.

Good things come to those that wait, as the saying goes and in the world of computing this is a definite truth.
By the time I do get a GPU 7800-7900's might be closer to my budget and i'll get 1 and only 1.

Untill then i'll happily sit on my measly pile of gold and wait eagerly for the next price drop.

I would of liked this discussion to go into the possible configuration setups that hypothetically could utillise chipset compatibilty but differnt heatmanagment principles and overclockabilty methods. but it diddnt it went straight to price and infeasability.

OH well NVM, :roll:

No offense inteded.

Regards, Ismism