Tom's Hardware > Forum > Graphic & Displays > Graphics Cards > 2x 8600GT's SLI Or 8800GTS(320mb)

2x 8600GT's SLI Or 8800GTS(320mb)

Forum Graphic & Displays : Graphics Cards - 2x 8600GT's SLI Or 8800GTS(320mb)

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zaitron   04-23-2007 at 02:57:36 PM

Hi,
i'm currently using an X850XT PE card and looking to upgrade. For a while i was interested in getting two 7600GT Fatal1ty's by XFX and running them in SLi, but now with the availibity of the 8600GT in my region, i'm once again confused.

The price here for an 8600GT is 10,000rs (approx $166) and 8800GTS 320mb is for 19000rs (approx $316). My budget is around the same as the price of the 8800GTS, and ordering from usa is not an option for me.

Should i go for two 8600GT's and run them in SLI or will a single 8800GTS (320MB) perform better in games? (both cards from XFX or Inno3d).

thanks!

note: currently using the Asus Striker Extreme (680i chipset) and an E6600 C2D processor.

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The_Abyss   04-23-2007 at 03:04:46 PM
- 0 +

Unless you're addicted to the sound of over-spinning fans, 8800 GTS.

Reply to The_Abyss
WiZ83   04-23-2007 at 03:05:09 PM
- 0 +

I would personally go with 8800GTS.
1x 8800GTS is faster than 2x 7600GT, and after looking at the latest 8600GT's benchmark, 8600GT ain't much faster than 7600GT.

Reply to WiZ83
Heyyou27   04-23-2007 at 03:25:23 PM
- 0 +

The 320MB 8800GTS is faster by a good margin, and you wouldn't suffer from SLI support issues.

Reply to Heyyou27
Dahak   04-23-2007 at 03:29:31 PM
- 0 +

Get the 8800GTS for now,as you can purchase another one a little down the road and have sli then.The primary difference between the 8600 and the 8800 is the memory interface.It's only a 128bit interface on the 8600,whereas the 8800 has a 256 bit interface.This small bifference between the cards makes a huge difference in games.Especially ones that are memory and cpu intensive like Oblivion.

Dahak

AMD X2-4400+@2.6 TOLEDO
EVGA NF4 SLI MB
2X EVGA 7950GT KO IN SLI
4X 512MB CRUCIAL BALLISTIX DDR500
WD300GIG HD/SAMSUNG 250GIG HD
ACER 22IN WIDESCREEN LCD 1600X1200
THERMALTAKE TOUGHPOWER 850WATT PSU
COOLERMASTER MINI R120
3DMARK05 13,471

Reply to Dahak
WiZ83   04-23-2007 at 03:32:07 PM
- 0 +

Besides that, I don't know where you're from, if you get rebates. My buddy got his 8800GTS for $229 after rebate.

Reply to WiZ83
zaitron   04-23-2007 at 03:37:01 PM
- 0 +

when you say 8800GTS is faster than 2x 7600GT's, are you talking about the stock 7600GT (560mhz core) or the over clocked fatal1ty version (650mhz core)?

Reply to zaitron
zaitron   04-23-2007 at 03:40:44 PM
- 0 +

I'm using the corsair HX620W power supply. I only have one sata2 hdd installed, and one dvdrw, along with a liquid cooler for the cpu. i'm guessing that should leave sufficient power for the sli setup.

Reply to zaitron
zaitron   04-23-2007 at 03:56:48 PM
- 0 +

a stock 7900GS is about the same price as the 7600GT fatal1ty. From what you're saying, shall i conclude that it's possible that two 7900gs' in sli mode would outperform the 8800GTS(320mb)?

The prices i quoted earlier are for pakistan. no rebates here, just good old fashioned bargaining:P

Reply to zaitron
JamieMole   04-23-2007 at 04:03:35 PM
- 0 +

please do yourself a huge favour and go with the single 8800gts. SLi is pretty much a waste on lower end cards now, and the support isn't there in every game.

Reply to JamieMole
dsidious   04-23-2007 at 04:05:12 PM
- 0 +

Seconded. Also, 2 cards with 256 MB each will still only use 256 MB, you can't add them up. A single card with 320 MB will do better in memory-intensive games with lots of textures.

Here's a nice review of the 8600 series:

http://www.guru3d.com/article/Videocards/426/

Reply to dsidious
JamieMole   04-23-2007 at 04:09:05 PM
- 0 +

and just to add something else. It is absolutely pointless going with a Dx9 card now imo. Dx10 cards are pretty much in everyones price range now.

Reply to JamieMole
rodney_ws   04-23-2007 at 04:57:47 PM
- 0 +

Every time a new generation of cards comes out we're presented with this same question... and every time (to the best of my knowledge) the answer is the same... unless you're talking about top-end cards, SLI is a bad bet. One high end card beats two mid-range parts.

6800 Ultra > 6600 SLI
7900 GTX > 7600 GT SLI
8800 GTX > 8600 GT SLI

At some point I think people will stop asking this question.

Reply to rodney_ws
oswold   04-23-2007 at 05:08:04 PM
- 0 +

Doesnt the 8800gts have a 320bit memory interface, not 256...thats why it has a weird number of 320mb of RAM.

And even if DX10 cards such as the 8600gt (or gts) are cheaper than the 8800s (only just), do you think they will be able to handle all the features of DX10?

And by the time real DX10 games actually come out (probably in september), there will be price cuts of DX10 cards that make buying a 8600 now instead of, say a x1950pro, stupid.

Thats why I now want a 7600gt instead of an 8800gts, as by the time DX10 games are out, ATI will have lowered the prices of all the 8800s (hopefully) and I can buy a great card at a great price with crysis.

Reply to oswold
JamieMole   04-23-2007 at 05:13:17 PM
- 0 +

the Dx10 card generation are gonna bring greater graphics and performance in smaller packages. Especially that new object randomizing crap whateva is it :P so a 8600gts may just look pretty darn good with good performance. The only problem right now is that we can't tell for sure what the performance difference is gonna be. To be on the safe side i'd go Dx10. If it does end up being utter crap in games such as crysis, im sure there is an option to turn down the graphics :)

Reply to JamieMole
zaitron   04-23-2007 at 05:17:04 PM
- 0 +

you're absolutely right about the 320bit memory interface. and you make a very good point about the fact that dx10 games are atleast another 4-5 months away. and normally i change my rig about once a year.

but if leaving dx10 aside, the 8800gts(320mb) has superior performance to two 7900GS' in sli, then the 8800gts is definately the better option for me.

Reply to zaitron
JamieMole   04-23-2007 at 05:20:36 PM
- 0 +

great choice mate.

Reply to JamieMole
kaotao   04-23-2007 at 05:51:39 PM
- 0 +

SLI is only worth it when pairing 2 high-end cards. It's always better to get 1 high-end card than SLI 2 mid-range cards.

Reply to kaotao
Farhang   04-23-2007 at 06:08:32 PM
- 0 +

Quote :

SLI is only worth it when pairing 2 high-end cards. It's always better to get 1 high-end card than SLI 2 mid-range cards.


100% agreed. :trophy:

Reply to Farhang
holy_cow   04-23-2007 at 11:27:40 PM
- 0 +

Remember:

SLI is NOT always faster...
In some games it doesn't makes it faster and in other games is
actually slower...

Better buy a single card that will always be faster than jut
hope the game you want will actually run fast with SLI...


Also you can later upgrade by adding another 8800gts if you want :P

moo!

Reply to holy_cow
zaitron   04-24-2007 at 01:15:36 AM
- 0 +

just wanted to thank everyone for their input. i'll definitely go for the 8800GTS, rather than two 8600Gt's in sli.
thank you.

Reply to zaitron
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