Is SLI mandatory for surround gaming?

[gentrinity]

Im thinking of getting the Matrox Triple Head Go. I havent seen too many benchmarks with 3840x1024 resolution so I ask the kind people here, is SLI a must for that kinda setup?

 

[Heyyou27]

Well, if you're going to play titles like Oblivion and F.E.A.R. at that resolution, you'll want an 8800GTX or better.

 

[gentrinity]

Well, the thing is, im getting a laptop, and please for the love of god, nobody convince me otherwise XD. Job demands it.

New SLI notebooks came out and I can get either a 7950GTX or I can get two 7950GTX.

That is a pretty sweet set up.

My monitor broke so I will be getting a replacement monitor soon. I had a Viewsonic VP930b, costs about $300, so I asked the lady for an upgrade where I would pay the difference and she said no problem. I would get the VG2230wm as the replacement and I shouldnt pay much extra, probably less than $50.

VP930b
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824116365

VG2230wm
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824116060

My idea is to get the 22 inch widescreen monitor and then add two relatively inexpensive monitors to complete the surround.

Will this work and will one Go 7950GTX be enough to power that sucker, or should I get the second one? Its $500 extra, but I dont terribly mind.

 

[dagonoth]

Are you looking to game with this high resolution or just do normal office/multimedia stuff on it. Even with SLI there is no way you will be able to play a recent game at a resolution that high. First the games don't support atypical resolutions such as that. Second even with an SLI setup of 8800GTX's Oblivion is still slow at higher resolutions let alone at that resolution it would be unplayable even if it could use that resolution.

 

[gentrinity]

Currently, the games I want to play are these;

Call of Duty 2
Brothers in Arms EiB
Brothers in Arms RH30
Brothers in Arms HH (Coming out at the end of the year)
Company of Heroes
Medieval II

Those are my main concerns.

I dont need an exaggeration in FPS, I would be more than happy with 60fps, and as long as I dont dip below the 30fps mark, I should be a happy camper.

 

[dagonoth]

I just have to say that there is no chance of getting good framerates at a resolution that high in call of duty 2 or company of heroes for sure. Even if you can force the games to play at that resolution there will be scaling problems and/or graphical distortions. You'll also end up hurting your neck looking back and forth to see everything.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Im thinking of getting the Matrox Triple Head Go. I havent seen too many benchmarks with 3840x1024 resolution so I ask the kind people here, is SLI a must for that kinda setup?

Well I was having this discussion with another forum member who just bought a TH2G setup powered by a GF8800GTS, and before he bought it were were looking at the performance in some benchies, and if you look at 25x16, even a GTS seems able to handle it easily even with 4XAA, so 38x10 being a lower resolution shouldn't pose much problem to a single GTX and even GTS. He's currently running 30x7 due to monitors used.

Oblivion performance at 25x16;
http://techreport.com/reviews/2007q1/geforce-8800-sli/index.x?pg=8

http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/evga_e-geforce_8800_gts_superclocked_320mb/page7.asp

http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/evga_e-geforce_8800_gts_superclocked_320mb/page8.asp

Fear 25x16 and 20x15 which is closer to the workload of 30x10;
http://techreport.com/reviews/2007q1/geforce-8800-sli/index.x?pg=6

http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/evga_e-geforce_8800_gts_superclocked_320mb/page6.asp

For now you'll likely encounter some sub optimal refresh rates, but if they're playable with that level of AA in the TechRepot reviews you should be fine for now.
It's in the future titles, like Crysis and UT3, where you'll likely have more issues IMO..

 

[dagonoth]

The normal aspect ratio's for game resolutions are 4:3 and 16:10, and rarely 5:4 and 16:9. the resolution you're looking at would be 3.75:1 which is not a supported resolution. Games are not made for surround gaming currently.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Well, the thing is, im getting a laptop, and please for the love of god, nobody convince me otherwise XD. Job demands it.

New SLI notebooks came out and I can get either a 7950GTX or I can get two 7950GTX.

Well my reply was before you wrote THAT !!

You're going to struggle IMO, but it's still doable. Look at the TechReport FEAR benchies to get an idea, then consider taking off about 15% performance for laptop versions.

That laptop's going to be very HOT though.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

The normal aspect ratio's for game resolutions are 4:3 and 16:10, and rarely 5:4 and 16:9. the resolution you're looking at would be 3.75:1 which is not a supported resolution. Games are not made for surround gaming currently.

Don't write stuff you know nothing about!

There's a TON of games with surround gaming support;

http://www.matrox.com/graphics/jp/gxm/products/th2go/gaming/list.php

JEEZ! :roll:

BTW, do you even know how to manually change and FOV in a game?

 

[gentrinity]

http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/gxm/products/th2go/gaming/list.php

Matrox begs to differ.


@TheGreatGrapeApe

http://techreport.com/reviews/2007q1/geforce-8800-sli/index.x?pg=6

Thanks for the great find.

The 2048x1536 resolution ran 60fps on average with a 7900gtx in SLI. Thats very doable.

The laptop Im getting will feature a E6600(this system im getting has the desktop C2D), which is not near as fast as the X6800, but the GPUs are a bit faster and maybe I can OC to at least come a little closer.

 

[gentrinity]

http://www.matrox.com/graphics/jp/gxm/products/th2go/gaming/list.php

Beat me to it!

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

LOL!

Beat-ya with the link. :twisted:

Yeah I'd say you're stressing the Laptop alot, but it's doable in current games, but I have a feeling in future games you'll need to turn some stuff off.

Edit, but you beat me on the beat-ya post. :mrgreen:

BTW, something to consider, you're laptop may be a little penalized due to some of the component in the laptop versions, memory and core are a little slower. 600/500, versus 650/800, that's why I say calculate at about 15% penalty. Also depending on your CPU it could affect your performance too, a desktop replacement will allow you a full CPU, but a Merom C2D will be a little slower than the desktop C2D they used.

 

[dagonoth]

If you use oblivion as an indication of games to come, you won't be having very good framerates on future titles at such a high resolution.

Oblivion

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

That's with 4XAA, so it'll be playable, just not with heavy AA.
BTW, the GF7900 isn't there due to HDR+AA.

Crysis and UT3 will be playing on the GF7900GTX in DX9 mode, so it'll be on the high end of that generation, just lose out on some of the benefits.

 

[gentrinity]

I think ill reconsider the laptop thing.

Maybe I should get a cheaper one. The one I was looking at was going to come out around $4000. Didnt realise that. Thats too much.

However, I can get one with very similar specs for $2500 with a 7950GTX.

This one would be with a C2D laptop processor, and I would then wait until Santa Rosa comes out in the summer, by then I should get the introduction to the DX10 laptops.

But judging by those benmarks, I am pretty sure that one 7950GTX should be enough to get at least 30fps at those resolutions. Those games should keep me busy for a while.

When I start playing next-gen games, Ill get a desktop with SLI to push the surround sytem.

Sound like a plan?

 

[dmacfour]

that resolution is rediculous. I don't really like the idea of 3 monitors. I'd wait for a bend around monitor (If anyone ever made one). or better yet.. the holodeck.

 

[gentrinity]

Would you happen to know if it is possible to use different monitor sizes for the TH2G? What would be the result?

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

However, I can get one with very similar specs for $2500 with a 7950GTX.

Better idea IMO.

This one would be with a C2D laptop processor, and I would then wait until Santa Rosa comes out in the summer, by then I should get the introduction to the DX10 laptops.

Wouldn't worry too much about the DX10.... IF you can get one with an external PCIe connector (not Express Card), then you could use LASSO and then buy whatever you want for graphics, and also remove it when not gaming.

But judging by those benmarks, I am pretty sure that one 7950GTX should be enough to get at least 30fps at those resolutions. Those games should keep me busy for a while.

Yeah, it may be tight and choppy at times but adjusting things like view distance etc will help.

When I start playing next-gen games, Ill get a desktop with SLI to push the surround sytem.

Sound like a plan?

Yep, that's likely better and cheaper.

Would you happen to know if it is possible to use different monitor sizes for the TH2G? What would be the result?

You can use different sizes, just not different resolution IIRC. This orm of surround gaming is essentially just a big single image. I don't think it's possible, but I haven't investigated it as much. Unlike the Parhelia, in this case the monitors are not truly independant.

 

[gentrinity]

Wouldn't worry too much about the DX10.... IF you can get one with an external PCIe connector (not Express Card), then you could use LASSO and then buy whatever you want for graphics, and also remove it when not gaming.

Please explain.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Please explain.

Well LASSO from AMD (and likely something similar eventually from nv) using the recently finalised PCIe External spec allows the user to add regular cards in an external housing. Asus has this for their ExpressCard solution, but it works at PCIe 1X speed and limited cards, so I wouldn't want to consider it for the highest end of the gaming spectrum.

Here's a link, supposedly/hopefully, the rumours are we can expect them in the summer/fall period, and likely connector support sooner;

http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=7995

Personally that let's me pick a nice efficient laptop for the portable side, with good battery life, and then I can add ridiculous graphics power outside without heating the rig, and without worrying about it eating my battery on a regular basis.

That's the solution I like for the mobile user who also wants to game every once in a while. I found with multiple computers, I used my laptop more than anything, and only rarely turned on the gaming desktop, which meant about $2,000 worth of hardware going to waste, which could make the laptop better. I still don't want an SLi or even X1900 laptop for my day to day, but an external solution fits perfectly, where I can plug in my port replicator and voila, the power fo an XPS rig when I need it, and the efficiency of an ulra-light when I need that instead.
Also the heat from a GF7900GTX/X1900 inside the confined space of a laptop can't be good for everythig else, even with fans running all out.

 

[gentrinity]

So the Lasso is supposed to use regular PCIe? Just so I dont get confused, thats PCI Express x16 right?

Sounds very promising!

The thing is though, that the laptop I want (its a Hypersonic) has, as its most important feature, RAID 0. Sadly, they do not allow video card downgrades.

I would be stuck with a 7950GTX with limited upgrade possibilities.

This sucks.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Well yeah it's a PCIe16X slot, but is using 2 PCie external 8X links to link to the test system. Even just one wuld be fine for most situations (even 4X+4X SLi/Xfire IMO).

Yeah it's tough I know, Believe me, it's worse in Canada. HP and Gateway only support us through places like BestBuy, you can't order custom made online like you can in the US. So chosing carefully is important, and this type of upgrade option is very VERY attractive.

 

[stefx]

I'm not sure I'd like to play at 3580 x 1024. I love the idea of that width, but having a vertical 1024 seems like a big disadvantage (what monitors have a native resolution of 1024 vertical beside 1280 x 1024, which would be 3 x 15" monitors or something like that?)

I think I would prefer a single 24" widescreen at 1920 x 1200 at its native resolution, or the one just below (1680 x 1050)

Now if the triplehead2go had a 1050 vertical, three monitors at 1680 x 1050 might become quite interesting.

The games are listed on Matrox's site, but are they really playable ? The system doesn't seem to be very popular (I hardly ever read about it in forums) so it doesn't seem like it's gaining traction.

Here's a Tom's Hardware article about the triplehead2go, they don't seem too hot about it Link
For 285 (TH2G) plus 3 x 175 $ = 810, the setup is about the same cost as a 24" LCD at 1920 x 1200

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

(what monitors have a native resolution of 1024 vertical beside 1280 x 1024, which would be 3 x 15" monitors or something like that?)

Actually 15" LCDs are usually 1024x768. 19" LCDs are 1280x1024;
http://www.samsung.com/Products/Monitor/LCD_Digital/LS19MEPSFVXAA.asp

I think I would prefer a single 24" widescreen at 1920 x 1200 at its native resolution, or the one just below (1680 x 1050)

It's not for everyone that's for sure.

The games are listed on Matrox's site, but are they really playable ? The system doesn't seem to be very popular (I hardly ever read about it in forums) so it doesn't seem like it's gaining traction.

It's a niche market, like SLi. It's been around longer though. And it's got wide support from developers. And hey, if it's playable on Oblivion and FEAR then it's pretty much playable on any supported game.

Here's a Tom's Hardware article about the triplehead2go, they don't seem too hot about it

Like I said, to each their own. And the difference between the FOV of 19x12 and 38x10 is pretty dramatic.

Here's the 30x7 view of Oblivion;

That to me is much more realistic, and less VPU intensive than 25x16.
PS, that was on a GF6800 series before the person upgraded to the GF8800.


edit: St00pid photobucket resizes the images! now changed to imageshack so you could see full screen.