8800 GT SLI?

[jwhite0000]

I'm building a P55 i5-750 system. I'm planning on using my existing 8800 GT, since I don't have money for a nice newer card. I've noticed some 8800 GTs selling on ebay for $100 or less. Would it be worth while to pick one of these up and run in SLI mode? Or would it be better to just save my money for something later down the road. I'm coming from a AMD Opetron (2.52GHz) based computer. Crysis was decent playing with the 8800GT, but it would be nice to increase the resolution/fps a little. Plus I plan on playing a lot of Mass Effect 2 in the coming weeks.

 

[jay2tall]

Make sure your P55 supports SLI first. But I would never spend $100 for a 8800GT. They should be selling for around $50 on ebay, that would be worth the upgrade for the time being. (2) 8800GT's can give you a nice boost for cheap. But $100 is way to much.

 

[jwhite0000]

I specifically got a P55 motherboard that supports both SLI and Crossfire with the assumption I might do the SLI 8800 GT config.

It seems like they are going for close to $100 on ebay. Not sure why they are so high. I went in to the sell feature to find the average price of sold 8800 GTs and it came up as $130. I was kinda shocked. These video cards are over two years old.

 

[RngTrtl]

That sounds odd. I got 2 9800GTs (one nVidia and one EVGA) for 110.00 and that included shipping. 100 bones apiece is WAY too much.

 

[jwhite0000]

I'll see if I can find one under $50 or so, and if not the 5750 sounds like a good option.

 

[jwhite0000]

That sounds odd. I got 2 9800GTs (one nVidia and one EVGA) for 110.00 and that included shipping. 100 bones apiece is WAY too much.

I've heard the 9800 GT is very similar to the 8800 GT, but I don't know the specifics. I didn't do a search for a 9800. Will a 9800 SLI with an 8800 GT that I have?

 

[theblade]

I've heard the 9800 GT is very similar to the 8800 GT, but I don't know the specifics. I didn't do a search for a 9800. Will a 9800 SLI with an 8800 GT that I have?

The 9800GT is the 8800 GT, with a newer fabrication process, they have almost identical performance, however they won't SLI, another 8800 GT will cost you a little less than 100$, and for that money noting will perform better since you already have your 8800GT and a SLI motherboard, not even a HD5750, then you should be able to wait one or two year to replace them with something really better. Just make sure that your PSU can handle 2 8800GT.

 

[jwhite0000]

The 9800GT is the 8800 GT, with a newer fabrication process, they have almost identical performance, however they won't SLI, another 8800 GT will cost you a little less than 100$, and for that money noting will perform better since you already have your 8800GT and a SLI motherboard, not even a HD5750, then you should be able to wait one or two year to replace them with something really better. Just make sure that your PSU can handle 2 8800GT.

I got a 700W PSU, so I'm assuming that should handle it just fine.

 

[wolflive]

jwhite0000, I'm currently in your shoes at the moment. I just recently got another 8800GT (used) because i wanted a cheap alternative to buying a new card/cards. I thought of buying a 2X9800GT or one 280GTS but I looked at the problem this way; With Nivida's new card coming out, all current Nvidia cards should drop in price little bit.

So, cheap upgrade now then by the time Nvidia's new generation cards are affordable I'll be ready to upgrade to a card. Like you said, the 8800GT pretty much get the job done, if you don't care about Maxing everything out for games. With it in SLI that should help tie you over untill your next gen upgrade. That's how I look at it at least.

 

[jwhite0000]

jwhite0000, I'm currently in your shoes at the moment. I just recently got another 8800GT (used) because i wanted a cheap alternative to buying a new card/cards. I thought of buying a 2X9800GT or one 280GTS but I looked at the problem this way; With Nivida's new card coming out, all current Nvidia cards should drop in price little bit.

So, cheap upgrade now then by the time Nvidia's new generation cards are affordable I'll be ready to upgrade to a card. Like you said, the 8800GT pretty much get the job done, if you don't care about Maxing everything out for games. With it in SLI that should help tie you over untill your next gen upgrade. That's how I look at it at least.

That's what I'm wanting to hear. I don't play games enough to spend $300-400 on a card. Esp since I spend $300 on this card back in '07. Since it has performed fairly well in the past for me, SLI w/ two 8800 GTs sounds like a good alternative. I just wanted to find someone else in my situation. I didn't want to make an obvious mistake. I don't keep up w/ video cards as much as I used to and it seems like there are so many options out there right now at least compared to what it used to be.

 

[andriyt]

I am running 2x 8800 GT in SLI with the Q6600 processor OC'd a bit and every game runs flawlessly on 22" screen full resolution. I had this configuration for over a year already and had not met a situation where this setup would not be sufficient.

 

[NapoleonDK]

^ +1 I have a pair of BFG 8800GTS 512MB cards with a Q6600 running a mild overclock grinding out frames @ 1680x1050. The Q6600 DEFINITELY needs a swift kick in the GHZ to behave with my cards. If anyone knows how well the i5-750 feeds SLI'd 8800GTS's please let me know, I'm looking to upgrade as soon as the dust settles a bit.

 

[megamanx00]

8800GTs are going for a bit more now since they are less common than 9800GTs, even though they are essentially the same card. Anyway, two 8800GTs in SLI will give you some pretty good performance. They should keep you gaming for some time .

 

[anonymousdude]

I just took a look at ebay and there are a lot of 8800gt's for around $50. Dual 8800 gt's will keep you gaming for a while. I've had mine for a couple of years ans they still max out all my games with of course the obvious exception at 1680x1050.

 

[Mousemonkey]

The 9800GT is the 8800 GT, with a newer fabrication process, they have almost identical performance, however they won't SLI, another 8800 GT will cost you a little less than 100$, and for that money noting will perform better since you already have your 8800GT and a SLI motherboard, not even a HD5750, then you should be able to wait one or two year to replace them with something really better. Just make sure that your PSU can handle 2 8800GT.

You're not wrong mate, however there is an "ahh but". The 8800 to 9800 series was supposed to be a straight forward die shrink with HybridPower tech added, slap a new sticker on, and get it out of the door process but as with all grand plans it didn't quite turn out that way as an awful lot of 9800GT's and GTX's were showing as having 65nm GPU'S not 55nm GPU's and then a while later Nvidia announced that the 9800GTX was defiantly going to be a 55nm and this would be denoted by a small plus (+) sign but still some people were getting GPUz reading the GPU's as 65nm's but the card ID stated 9800GTX+ with slightly faster clockspeeds, which might be why the 55nm 9800GTX+ got renamed to the GTS250. The upshot of all that means that a 65nm 9800GT should be able to be BIOS flashed to an 8800GT but not the other way round because the HybridPower addition.

 

[nforce4max]

For a standard G92 GT 8800/9800gt 512mb editions $50-75 for the 1gb editions $50-100. G92 gts/gtx prices may vary but are typically $50-125.

 

[Mousemonkey]

For a standard G92 GT 8800/9800gt 512mb editions $50-75 for the 1gb editions $50-100. G92 gts/gtx prices may vary but are typically $50-125.

What process is your 9800 on by the way mate?

 

[nforce4max]

What process is your 9800 on by the way mate?

The top on is the 55nm while the bottom one in my sli box is a 65nm. The top is a BFG which cost me $205 little more than a year ago (idiot who bought it at Best Buy which was me . Clocks are 625 core shaders linked and the mem is 900 physical (1800ddr). The lower one is a PNY and has the same mem clocks but has the core clocked at 600 shaders linked (80 used). Max stable clocks are 725 with shaders linked 1010 on the mem physical. The 65nm can manage 700 with the shaders linked and the mem only 950 is the max. I should vmod the top since it runs very cool and the pcb is rated for up to 105w use. Both cards have custom coolers.

 

[Mousemonkey]

The top on is the 55nm while the bottom one in my sli box is a 65nm. The top is a BFG which cost me $205 little more than a year ago (idiot who bought it at Best Buy which was me . Clocks are 625 core shaders linked and the mem is 900 physical (1800ddr). The lower one is a PNY and has the same mem clocks but has the core clocked at 600 shaders linked (80 used). Max stable clocks are 725 with shaders linked 1010 on the mem physical. The 65nm can manage 700 with the shaders linked and the mem only 950 is the max. I should vmod the top since it runs very cool and the pcb is rated for up to 105w use. Both cards have custom coolers.

Thanks mate, you just confirmed a couple of things in one , It's good to see that you have two different 9800's working together and at the same time you've confirmed what I've been seeing in that the 65nm GPU's and 55nm GPU's were both in GT's and GTX's which sort of confirms (almost) my belief in why the GTS250 came into being.

 

[nforce4max]

Thanks mate, you just confirmed a couple of things in one , It's good to see that you have two different 9800's working together and at the same time you've confirmed what I've been seeing in that the 65nm GPU's and 55nm GPU's were both in GT's and GTX's which sort of confirms (almost) my belief in why the GTS250 came into being.

Agreed and I have read some ware that some one was lucky enough to flash a 55nm 9800gt into a gt250 but I am looking for proof (possible but far from sure). I know that a 55nm 9800gtx + can be flashed into a gts250 and have sli that way.

 

[nforce4max]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143185

My top card but I since installed a VF900-led cooler as well rednecked the cooling for the mem and power stage. The vram has a nickel plated cooper cooler (one piece unit) while I used small heatsinks for the power stage.

 

[Mousemonkey]

As I mentioned earlier, I think the only reason the GTS250 came about was to prevent AIB's selling 65nm 9800GTX OC versions as GTX+'s and as most of the posts that I've seen where people are querying why their 9800GTX+ has a 65nm GPU involve an XFX card I have wondered if words were exchanged between manufacture and partner sparking off the rumour that XFX and Nvidia were parting ways, though that has since been rebuked.