Compare 2x 8600GT (SLI) Vs 8800GTS

X1950XTX

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I am thinking of these 2 options:

1 - Two 8600GT 512Mb cards in SLI configuration.

OR

2 - One 8800GTS 320Mb card.

Does anyone know *conclusively* which graphics setup will be the fastest?

Is the single 8800GTS gonna be faster than the two 8600GT cards?

Here's the specs:
_______________________________
GeForce 8600GT 512MB DDR3

Core Clock Speed: 540MHz
Memory Clock Speed: 1400MHz
Shader Clock Speed: 1200MHz
Memory Bus: 128 bit
Memory Bandwidth: 24 GB/s
Stream Processors: 32
_______________________________
GeForce 8800GTS 320Mb DDR3

Core Clock Speed: 500MHz
Memory Clock Speed: 1600MHz
Shader Clock Speed: 1200MHz
Memory Bus: 320 bit
Memory Bandwidth: 64 GB/s
Stream Processors: 96
_______________________________

Don't forget the 8600GT is going to be in an SLI configuration,
I don't know what is doubled because of that but note that
even with 2 of the 8600GT cards, those still do not match the
96 stream processors of the 8800GTS.

I am getting a brain haemorrhage trying to work this one out!

HELP!
 

X1950XTX

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Thanks, you're helping me keep my sanity!

I was thinking the 8800GTS had to be faster and give better framerates.

Plus, I plan on running Server 2003 which I know for certain has problems with SLI
(although that can possibly be fixed with hacked drivers... nah, I would rather steer
clear of all that if possible and still have a faster GFX setup)
 
Really depends on the situation for 'conclusive' but the vast majority of the situations favours a single GF8800GTS.

Here's 2 8600GTSs against a single GTS-320;
http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/nvidia_geforce_8600_gts_preview/page17.asp

Here's two separate review with the GTS-320 OC and the GTS and GT in SLi;

http://techreport.com/reviews/2007q3/radeon-hd-2400-2600/index.x?pg=6


http://techreport.com/reviews/2007q2/radeon-hd-2900xt/index.x?pg=11

Now 2 GTSs in SLi in a bunch of games against single X1950XTX (should give you rough estimate of just below GTs-320 usually) and HD2900XT (usually just above GTS-640);

http://www.computerbase.de/artikel/...n_hd_2900_xt_crossfire/9/#abschnitt_anno_1701

I haven't look for more comparos but they aren't really promising what little there is. Most reviewers don't bother SLi'ing the current mid-range because they are a little weak even when SLi'ed.

Should give you an idea of the limited potential of SLi'ing 2 GF8600GT cards.
 

blade85

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I hate it when people just come out of no where, ignore the original question and just say...no forget that get this instead...it just costs another $$$...but is worth it.

Well how do you know that the OP even has the budget to get a GTX. Maybe he doesnt...maybe thats why his options revolve around the 8800 320 or 2x8600 cards.



@ OP: The 8800 320 card would be better off compared with 2x8600 cards. So if they are your only options, take the single card route.
 

Hatman

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Do you know how much money he has? Do you know if he needs it? Did he even ask about it?

No, he didnt.

You dont know his situation, so saying "get a GTX" is pretty stupid.
 

rodney_ws

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Nevermind.
 

X1950XTX

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Thanks to TheGreatGrapeApe for even finding something to go off.

It seems two 8600GTS cards in SLI still get beat by the 8800GTS,
and it is the 8600GT I am on about, not the GTS, so I guess
its going to have to be the single 8800GTS. :)

Indeed, I am on a tight budget of only £500.

Cheapest 8800GTS I can find is £175 at the moment, since the 8800
Ultra came out, the GTX and GTS have come down in price a bit, but
the GTX is out of the question, the cheapest one I can find is £318.

I only just realised last night how cheap the AMD 6000+ is now @
£106 (Aria, UK) this is £30 cheaper than the Intel E6600, which I
had my heart set on 100% until I looked through the TomsHardware
charts - there are 35 CPU tests (theres a Vista thing where every
CPU scores the same so I ditched that test) and out of the remaining
34 tests, the E6600 beats the 6000+ in 16/34 tests, the 6000+ beats
the E6600 in 18/34 tests AND its cheaper! Because I am going for AMD
I can get a cheaper MOBO that supports 6400/800Mhz RAM and also
get this 8800GTS card.

Believe me I would love to get a GTX but they are way too expensive
and dare I say it - overpriced since its the top card, its never "worth it"
getting the top card.

In 6 months or a year, believe me I will be grabbing a GTX as soon as
they come down to reasonable prices.
 

X1950XTX

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Nah I wasn't gonna bother OC'ing. I know its feasible (even getting the 5600+
and OC'ing that to around about 6000+ speeds) but these components are so
much faster than what I have currently (ATI 9550, lol) I think I will just leave
everything at stock speeds.

Thanks for the help.
 
Even if you don't OC now, it's good to know that in the future you have that overhead room to give you an added boost. Same with the graphics side, with the GTS the difference between stock speeds and the usualy BFG/eVGA/XFX style OC is pretty significant in performance, so while now it's more than enough, it's good to know you have some future headroom as a possibility should either lag.
 

emp

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Are you also aware that those features are pretty much unnecessary if he owns a DECENT CPU, the Athlon 64 X2 6000+ should be way more than enough to watch HDTV movies. Those features only matter to those with weak CPU on HTPCs.
 

amoreal83

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U can try X2 5000+ it will gone to 80-95% when it was playing 1080p H264 without hardwareAcc.

Today I hav chage my leadtek 6600GT for leadtek 8600GT EXTREME,because....
I'm using the weak CPU(PD805)
but I thought it's purevideo HD driver have not supply my windows xp yet...so suck...!!
 

robatthg

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They’re getting off track,
I also have this Dilemma; A pair of 8600gt’s are 20% cheaper than an 8800gts (in Aust)
Is the 8800gts 20% better.
 

rodney_ws

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I think a really easy way of looking at this comparison is the number of stream processors... the 8600s (combined) have 64 while the single 8800 is bringing 92. Unless there is an insane difference in clock speed favoring the 8600s, there's no way they will ever be able to compete with an 8800... and when you factor in the compatibility, stability and the overhead that come with using SLI, the answer is pretty obvious.

*edit* Oops. I forgot to even mention memory bandwidth... it's just no comparison.
 

emp

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It's beyond that, they don't even run on the same cores, it's impossible to compare them that easily on the amount of stream processors or bandwidth, The 8800GTS runs on the G80 core, the 8600GT runs on the shitty G84 core. This is pretty much comparing an FX-57 to a Pentium 4 2.4Ghz.
 

GeoMan

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Another vote for the 8800GTS

elcold hit the nail on the head, a lot of games don't support SLI, so you'll see no advantage over a single 8600GT in some games, and the 8800GTS is just plain and simple a faster card.
 

emp

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It's pretty obvious that SLI 8600GT don't stand a snowball's chance in hell against an underclocked 8800GTS, but I'd like to see a 8800GTS on a quad SLI 8600GT OC configuration (Yeah.. might need someone to develop drivers and a mobo for that :D). the GTS probably would still win anyway...