SLi question- Better gfx with 2 $100 cards or 1 $200 card?

the gt will be hands down better

The 7950GT would easily win.

First of all you could get 2 7600GT for around $180 if you look carefully. Secondly don't bother with SLI at all unless you're buying the very top end.

Conclusion is, get the 7950GT. Or alternativly get the x1950xt (i've seen them around $200 in places and they are better than the 7950GT).

I recommend a X1950XT for 185$ on newegg

Alternately, you could have two X1650XT's. They are both 256-bit :] unlike the 7600's. But i'd stick with the 1950xt.

Or, if you have the money, a 8800 GTS. 640MB if you can afford that, 320 if not.

Well, my question is more of a technical one. At what point does SLI really help?

While I am looking for a new video card, I currently have a AGP mobo. I am considering 2 options (the obvious 2) upgrade to pci-e or just get a AGP card.

I would love suggestions. I have a FX-55 chip with 4 x 512 ram duel channel and all I play game wise is CS 1.6.

I am really not interested in any other games.

My current card is x700 pro. I want to upgrade so I can give my wife the x700 and get rid of her FX5500 (which is very noisy)

SLI helps, but it almost never provides a 100% speed boost for the extra card. It's more like a 25% speed boost on average, sometimes it's no speed boost, sometimes it's a high speed boost. But it's inconsistant.

That's why a single card is always better, because it's increased performance consistant, and it usually uses less power.

SLI or Crossfire are usually only a great idea if you can afford two top-end cards and you are on an unlimited budget that allows you to get the best performance money can buy.

If the only game you play is cs 1.6, then you don't need a new graphics card for your computer, you won't notice any difference whatsoever. If your wife's card is too noisy, then just buy a different hsf for her card.

Just get a X1950 XT AGP - I've got a 1950 Pro and you'll really notice the diff, really.

What might also work is putting in an anscient Egypshun artrefact. A mummified cat testicle would pwn.

xringx

You have the same situation that i just had.

I still have and AGP system(look below for spec) and my old card was 9800XT that is almost = to x700 I did not have any problem playing any games but i decide to upgrade and i bought the sapphire 1950 pro, and my system increase 4000 points in 3d mark 06 and most of the games that I play are in max quality with good FPS.


My case is different that yours because my CPU is socket 940 and there is not a motherboard PCI-x socket 940 that is compatible with my CPU , I think that your CPU is transferable to a PCI-x motherboard if that is true , and you have money buy a pci-x board and buy a 8800gts that is dx10 sm 4.0.

Answering your question about SLI, the SLI help. BUT that is not always the true.... most of the single high end video cards are faster that most of the SLI and CF configurations. But if you build 2 high end video card in SLI-CF mode, there is going to be a difference.

If you don’t want to spend $$$ just buy 1950 pro (AGP) you will see the difference. This card is around $200, and will give to your system a few more years of life.


SLI is only worth it when you buy 2 high end cards.

Since you're on sock 939 I'm guessing you've got PCI-E. Get the 8800GTS in the 320MB flavor. Since you're only on a single core Vista won't be that fast anyway. I just sold my FX-55 as a matter of fact and I can tell you that it's fast, but it won't be for multi-threaded apps of the future. I still recommend the 8800GTS 320MB card which can be picked up for about $270. Every game for XP should run splendidly.

Actually, I am still AGP, but considering a move to a new mobo with pci-e.

I am leaning towards staying with a AGP card which should last me for a couple more years and then blow another wad on a complete new set up.

Nah, no point in spending $200 on an AGP card. You'd be better off going with a new board and a mid ranged PCI-E card. When you do decide to upgrade you'll already have the card and you can retire that system. Just get a board with onboard video and a PCI-E slot so you can still use the system for internet or something without the gaming card.

Why you want to spend money in a new system if your system is running all the games.

:? Yes is going to be one day that your system will be ridicules slow and you have to change it.

Most of the people that say that is better to by a cheap pci-e system instead of spending $200 in a new AGP video card. If you have a very, very , very old system make the change. If not buy the new card. Not everybody have $$$ to spend in a new system. People claim that you can buy a system for $200. Yes that’s true but in most of the situation you are buying a system that is not going to show you a great deal of difference, and in most of the occasion is slower that the one that you have.

The point is that you will be spending more money for a system that is no so great.

I bought my system around 3yrs ago

Quick spec

AMD FX 51 (940)
Asus KN8
2G Ram
Raid 1+0
ATI RADEON 9800XT (upgrade to sapphire 1950 pro)
SB Audigy 2 (P edition)

I just upgrade my video card, Until now I have not plans to change anything. In the future if I buy something I buy a new video card. Only because the DX 10.

The day that my comp don’t run games in a playable way, Then is time to change.

Then why is the reason to spent some money to change. To buy a decent comp , you have to $$$, most of the changes requires new memory, mobo, processor, video card and power supply.

The FX -55 is a great processor......


Why change a old Shelby for a new 300M ?

Are you an idiot? He's on socket 939. I said switch the MOTHERBOARD and get a PCI-E card. He'd be spending the same amount and could use the video card in a future build. It's a MUCH better option than buying an AGP card.

Here dude, some links to mobos. AGP graphics cost more than PCI-E, and they're not making the 8800's or R600's on AGP. Do yourself a favor and get yourself a $60 mobo and go PCI-E. NewEgg doesn't have full ATX boards in for 939 right now, so I linked to EWiz and ZipZoom. Any of those cheaper 939 boards are likely better than what you're on now anyway.

http://www.ewiz.com/query.php?dp=1&categry=127&brand=&p...

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductList.jsp?ThirdCate...

It might be a good idea to spend a bit more and get the 640mb GTS instead of the 320mb, they're saying that extra memory will come in handy with DX-10 games so if you plan on going Vista with a dual core system someday you might wish you'd gotten the 640mb version instead. You can't beat the price/performance on the 8800's right now man. They rock.