What is better? SLI or Not?

[Big Red]

I want to know if it is better to put $400 into a good video card like a EVGA 8800 GTS 640MB

or

Put $400 into 2 $200 Video cards running SLI?

I plan on doing my first build in the future and Im still working on what to get.

Thanks

 

[ethel]

Get the GTS - you'll likely get better performance. Also you'll have to get a beefy PSU to support SLI, plus extra heat and noise.

As far as the GTS goes, evaluate carefully whether you need the GTS 640 or whether a GTS 320 will do. Further to that, consider the 2900XT as an alternative to the GTS 640.

 

[TheForumMember]

Remember the 2nd card in SLi will deliver up to 80% (Not 100) extra performance. Also consider some games arent optimized for SLi, so the payoff varies.

I'd hate to complicate things, but just wanted to say so.

 

[smokedyou911]

Avoid sli and instead of spending $400 on a gts try to get a 8800gt or 8800gts (512mb version). Not all games will give you the 80% increased performance. But yes, one higher end card will out preform 2 lower end cards in sli that would cost the same.

 

[starcraftfanatic]

do neither and get two 512MB 3850's, they'll beat any single GT and most GTS(G92)/X's.

 

[babybudha]

....messed up this post, read second one down. sorry.

 

[starcraftfanatic]

Whats the third?
1: cheaper yes, but how do you define better?
2:not always, it just so happens that the 3000's scale much better in crossfire than previous generations.

 

[babybudha]

Easy answer. Get Crossfire. 4 Reasons:


1) The P35 boards are cheaper and better then the 680 SLI boards.

2) Crossfire scales better then SLI.
- ie. 1x 8800GT will beat 1x 3870, but 2x 3870 beats 2x 8800GT

3) 3870 uses less power then 8800GT, therefore less likely to need to upgrade PSU.

4) 3870 cost on average (estimation) $30-60 less then a 8800GT (when multiplied by x2, it's $60-$120 cheaper)

 

[babybudha]

Big Red, what resolution do you play games at?

 

[ryanthesav]

sli is dumb unlessss u are trying to get a larger performance from two xtremly high end cards. Also there is no reason to get them unless u have a monitor with 1920x1200 or higher...other those reasons...well...just get the 8800 or get the 9800 when it comes out in 09...

 

[tvh]

Actually the P35 northbridge chipset is crossfire compatible but not to the full extent. It does have 2 PCI-e 16 slots but that is physical. the lanes are either 1x16 & 1x4, and/or 1x8 & 1x8. I do believe, I could be wrong. now the X38 are the full bandwidth crossfire boards. even though the P35 can support crossfire, it wont be utilized to the best of its abilities.

 

[Shadow703793]

Spend the $400 on a 8800GT or GTX

 

[jitpublisher]

Have a look at the new 8800GTS 512 meg (G92) 2.0 version, as someone already pointed out. They outperform the GTX in many cases, and are they are around $140 less.
With one of these, you don't really don't need SLI.
http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/12/12/geforce_8800_gts_512_mb/page14.html