Looking to have this as a sort of poll.

Here's the situation:
22" Monitor
Most Likely 8800 GT
Gaming as Hardcore as possible


Given the prices of hardware and quality and other circustances of the current market...

Is SLI a viable solution for adding longevity to the graphics power of a computer using the "buy one card, get one in a year" type strategy?

Please don't reply with comments about the power of one better card always being better. I don't feel like that applies here.

Thanks for all your opinions.

Ive had two rigs with 8800GTX's since launch 14 months ago, the only realistic option to upgrade for me at the moment would be to go SLI... Unfortunately the game I play most doesnt work with SLI enabled at all.

Yes SLI is a very viable way to keep systems up to date in horsepower terms for a good year or so. However it doesnt work with all games, and its not all older games it doesnt work with! You need to research your most likely game targets to find out how they react to SLI. Because my favourite game isnt compatible with SLI I have to wait for a new single card. Id love to just chuck a second GTX in each of the rigs but it wont work for the game I play...

Woo one reply.

dtq, are you running on a huge monitor or something? As far as I know Crysis is the only game that wouldn't even hint at needing more than a 8800 GTX.

Crysis is not the game to use as a deciding factor, give MOHA or COD4 (all settings as high as they go and 100+fps @1680x1050 ) a go or Area 51: Blacksite.

I game at 16x10 and am very happy with SLI 8800GT. In a game like crysis no single card would come close. Most other games, you really have to push fsaa/AF hard to make a single card struggle. if you don't tweak your settings for each game to let SLI shine, then you can be wasting money.

So as an upgrade option, yes it can be very good, but you have to put faith that you will find another 8800GT when you are ready. Will they be available new, or will you be force to look used. And of course it depends how long you wait. Looking back I can't imagine adding another 7800GT unless it was done within 6 months or so. Even now, does 7900GT SLi really interst anyone? Wait too long and 8800GT SLI may not look too appealing either. But for now it's lot's of fun

It sounds like by the time you're ready to get a second card, there will be something new available that will be more powerful than those other cards in SLI mode. SLI is best for extra performance now.

By the time you are ready for a second card you may feel like they are outdated and will want newer technology. I know thats how I would feel, but everyones different.

I run a 19" monitor, not big, but high resolution 2048x1536 (0.22 pixel pitch) Many games can really hit a 8800gtx at resolutions above 1600x1200. Oblivion, lotro, X3, crysis all of which can really but the fps brake on a GTX. Whilst crysis does it in the biggest way even lotro which is an mmorpg only manages 40fps at high resolution with everything turned up. I do game with all my options turned up though thats why I buy decent graphics cards...