Poll: 8800 GTS 320 in SLI or a new 8800GTS 512?

[bornking]

Hi,

I have 2 eVGA 8800GTS 320 SC in SLI and want to know if I should sell them on eBay and buy the new G92 8800GTS 512.

Good Idea?

My monitor is 19" but I plan on upgrading sometime in 2008, and my pc is:

C2D e6750 (No OC)
4GB COrsair Ram at 4-4-4-12
ASUS Striker Extreme
PCP&C 750Watt Quad PSU
Xfi Xtreme Gamer
z5500
19" Viewsonic (no widescreen, so 1280X1024)
etc.

 

[cleeve]

Nah. Two 8800 GTS 320's are pretty good.

 

[bornking]

Hmm, what would be the increase or decrease in performace if I do upgrade?

Since SLI has issues, I have that on my mind.

 

[pauldh]

I considered a second 320MB GTS way back but somewhere I saw a review where the 320MB GTS scaled pitifully in SLI. I didn't investigate it further at the time. I'm curious as to how the performance difference you have seen from 1 to 2 cards.

One benefit I see is your two cards should sell for more than a 8800GT will cost. You could then always SLI 8800GT someday too (like me). My two BFG 8800GT cards are freakin hot & loud compared to the 8800GTS 320 though. In that case, if a single 8800GT can't beat your two cards in your games/settings, no use downgrading to get back a few bucks.

 

[bornking]

I will run FRAPS with UT3 on high quality settings and let you know, we can compare it to a 8800GTS 512.

 

[HoldDaMayo]

hell, i would recommend even a nice 8800GT over 2 GTS 320MB's. I'm really not impressed with SLI performance. But, I think if you are pretty smart for hte idea of selling the 2 GTS's for one of the G92 GTS's... i would do it.

 

[bornking]

WIth SLI 8800GTS 320's in UT3, and at 1280X1024 with everything maxed, I get an avg of 56.8xx FPS.

Let me check the reviews for the new 8800gts 512 NOT in SLI...

 

[bornking]

OK one site has it with a q6600 at 16X10 with over 100FPS...damn, and...Legion Hardware has it at 14X9 with over 120 FPS...better setup than mine but the point is clear...I wonder why I am only getting 56 FPS at such a low resolution?

Any ideas, am I doing something wrong? nothing is running in the background, just FRAPS.

 

[Evilonigiri]

Well, some games aren't friendly with SLI.

 

[aggiestudd07]

the gts 512 was barely outperformed in benchmarks by a gtx, and you dont lose the dual monitor support with sli among other things such as the higher power demand with sli

 

[HoldDaMayo]

Well, some games aren't friendly with SLI.

which is how it's always been and most likely how it always will be and is the exact reason i never recommend SLI unless you are going for absolute top performance and have money to burn... SLI has no place in the value segment imo...

 

[bornking]

Will the single 512 G92 8800 be good for a larger monitor compared to SLI 320's?

I know that SLI shines at higher resolutions, but with just 320MB of GDDR3, is that enough...say at least 1900X1200?

 

[bornking]

OK I am selling them on eBay...might as well, probably the only 320 8800's below $200 starting price...except one, hehe.

 

[enewmen]

I voted no. The question was to upgrade, not which is better.
Sure the 8800GTS 512 is a little better, but not a lot better than the 320 in SLI. So save your hard-earned money.
The 320 SLI is plenty good enough already.
If you're burning a hole through your pocket and must upgrade, you should wait for the 9800GTX or 3870-X2.

 

[cleeve]

I'd bet there will be some games - like crysis - where your two 8800 GTS cards will beat the snot out of a single 8800 GT.

Of course, it's ridiculous that there are no 320mb SLI - vs - GTX reviews out there, I couldn't find one to save my life.

 

[bornking]

not a single GT, a single GTS 512...the G92.

 

[cleeve]

not a single GT, a single GTS 512...the G92.

Same result.

 

[Evilonigiri]

One thing about SLI that I don't like is that, for example, the 2x8800GTS 320mb only can use one of the video card's 320mb vram. It should add up imo.

 

[horendus]

Id go a single card setup ANYDAY.

Pros
- Less Heat
- Less Noise
- Less Power Usage
- Better performace ESPECIALLY in games which scale poorly in SLI

Cons
- Cant brag about running x2 videa cards to ur mates

If ur 2x 8800gts's sell for enough to cover a 8800gt 512 then ur in the clear IMO.

Good Choice selling them!

 

[bornking]

I can get an 8800 GTS 512 not just the GT!

 

[seabreeze]

I voted no. You'll still be playing at 1280x1024 until you purchase your new monitor, so the current set up is fine. When you buy your monitor look at what cards are available then.

The transactions may be near enough to being cash neutral at the moment and probably for the short term, going forward. If this is the case, yes, you can sell the two GTS320's and buy a GTS512, but what have you gained for the sake of the exercise?

There are potentially better cards looming in the wings (aren't there always). You will receive less for you GTS320 cards as time goes by, but by the same token, pricing for the GTS512 will likely fall from their introductory high as well, especially with the release of any other card that out performs it.

You have not indicated your preference for staying with SLI, and if a single card solution is ok for you, wait a little longer and see what pans out from both camps.

Decide when to buy your new monitor, then buy your new card at the same time, and then sell your GTS320's.

 

[bornking]

Great advice Seabreeze, and here are my thoughts.
1. I prefer a single card.
2. My new monitor will be purchased in six to eight months...30" I hope!
3. With the $$$ I make from these two cards, I may even add some and go for a GTX...anywho the GTS 512 is a definite if I don't get the GTX.
4. If it is cash neutral I have gained a video card that will be kickass if SLI proves to be more stable in the future and I can get another one.
5. THank you for the detailed post!

 

[bornking]

I am getting offers of $200 smackeroo's for each card (fro Europe and south america mostly)...woot!

The BFG 8800 GTS OC 512 is now just $398 from Canada Computers.

THank you all for voting and sorry that some don't agree, but long live free speech!

 

[yabyab]

How can you tell if a 8800GTS is a G92 or not?

 

[neisonator]

if it has 512 mb of ram