2x 7300GT or 1x 8600GT??

[Stillhart]

(Sorry for the dual post, but I just found the nVidia forum...)

I can't seem to find much definitive info on SLI vs single video cards so I guess I just gotta ask. For the same price (~$130) I can get either setup listed in the post title. I'll be using XP for a bit for obvious reasons so DX10 support isn't all-important. (I figure I spend not-a-lot now for what works now and when I decide to upgrade to Vista/DX10 I'll get something more expensive.)

Right now I run a single 6600GT and I was thinking about getting a second to SLI that...but I doubt it'll be the improvement I want. I'm figuring that, for the price, either of these setups will kick my current one's ass. Oh also I tend to play most games in windowed mode (at whatever available res is one less than 1280x1024).

Anyhow, thoughts?

Thx,
SH

Current Setup:
WinXP 64
Athlon64 3000
1GB RAM
6600GT

 

[blade85]

surely by now you would have got the answer from the other topic.

sli'ing 2 low end cards is never productive enough, your better off getting a single higher end card.

so in this case id go for the 8600.

However, personally as iv said before...i would try to skip the 8600 and 8500, and go for a slightly better performing x1950 pro/GT for a similar price range, cause neither of those two are worth the money being asked for them.

 

[liswara]

sli'ing 2 low end cards is never productive enough, your better off getting a single higher end card.

I agree with that.

Maybe 7900GS is also worth to be considered? But if I have to choose between 7300GT SLI and 8600GT, I will pick 8600GT

 

[shargrath]

Id pick a x1950PRO or an 7900GS they both perform well or buy an 7300gt and save up for a beast. but then again if you do end buying 2 7300GT's or and 8600GT go for the 8600GT!

 

[red_devil]

The way i see it, SLI's only use is when u r at the uber-high end area in which u already have the highest performing single card, then & only then u get another card for SLI.

Otherwise, a single card at the same cost as ur SLI cards will most definitely be faster and more future proof.

 

[f61]

I also vote for x1950Pro or 7900GS. Either will just # an 8600GT.

f61

 

[jitpublisher]

Dude,
2 slow cards in SLI = 2 slow cards that will run a little higher resolution setting.
1 fast card = 1 fast card that will run a little higher resolution setting.
2 fast cards in SLI = 2 fast cards that will run a really high resolution setting.

 

[rammedstein]

here is a great discussion of a very similar topic http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/242819-33-problem-crossfire
reading helps, go 1950pro/8600gt/s (1950pros can be had for less that $120, get one, they don't overheat as rumored, i live here in aus, have one of the $120 cards and it gets very very hot here but mine have never overheated in a ssf case.

 

[jitpublisher]

I said "SLI" in my post above sorry, the same applies to Crossfire.

 

[mkaibear]

Go for the 8600GT. You know it makes sense. Sort of.