Should I Go SLI?

[joeyck]

Hi I'm sorry if this question has been asked before but I must know if I should spend more money on another 9800GTX+
My current GPU specs are

Video Memory: 512MB
Memory Type: GDDR3
Memory Interface: 256-bit
Stream Processors: 128
Core Clock: 738 MHz
Memory Clock: 2200 MHz
Shader Clock: 1836 MHz


I got this for $84.99 at tigerdirect with rebates and instant savings, now it costs 150$ without rebate, should I spend extra for SLI?


THE ONLY GAMES I WILL EVER PLAY ARE:
COD4, MW2, Currently I have COD4 which I play at everything maxed out, for COD4 I play that 91FPS max (I have it locked so I don't over load the GPU)

My gaming is EXTREMELY COOL on load for 5 hours and it doesn't go over 60 Degrees (according to speed fan and Pc Wizard)

So back to my question should I get SLI 9800GTX+ for $150 or should I just just get 4 more Gigs of RAM making it 8Gigs?

Again my COD4 is on a CONSTANT 91FPS no matter what I do and AA is off since I SEE NO DIFFERENCE in appearance.
I would like an educated answer and would like an explanation with why I should / shouldn't get SLI I don't feel like spending an extra 150 if I dont have to, my games run smooth as can be no lag / bugs ect. ect.
Please help thank you!

- Joey

 

[nforce4max]

You can on the second hand market get a used 9800gtx+/gts250 for much less than $150 and performance wise you will get a lot of bang for buck VS GTX465 through GTX475.

 

[joeyck]

Hmm... I don't want any used parts, its either brand knew, but I'm asking will me going SLI 9800GTX+ be a major boost in performance or just a waste? I play COD4 locked on 91FPS I could be over 300 if I wanted to (and I have done it) but I don't see any difference.

Couldn't I just add one of these cards? :

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4111742&Sku=E145-9504

(9500GT 1GB for physix)

or


http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4644390&Sku=B52-9826

9800GT for physix

 

[RealityRush]

If you are gettng 91fps and aren't planning on playing any new games why would you add a card, it would provide no additional benefit, especially if you only have a 60Hz monitor.

Don't waste the money if your games play fine. If in a year from now you want to play a new game and your current card can't play it, then make the decision to upgrade if you so choose. Otherwise you'll upgrade for no reason and have the wrong DX version you want a year from now when you want to play a new game

 

[RealityRush]

Hmm... I don't want any used parts, its either brand knew, but I'm asking will me going SLI 9800GTX+ be a major boost in performance or just a waste? I play COD4 locked on 91FPS I could be over 300 if I wanted to (and I have done it) but I don't see any difference.

Couldn't I just add one of these cards? :

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4111742&Sku=E145-9504

(9500GT 1GB for physix)

or


http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4644390&Sku=B52-9826

9800GT for physix

What monitor do you have, if it is only a 60Hz monitor, you will not see any additional performance boost above 60fps, if you are at 91 you have already beyond maxed out your fps. Having 120, 150, 1990 300, 500000000000 fps at this point will not gain you any performance that you can see visually.

Don't waste money on an upgrade until you want to play a new game, THEN buy a new card instead of SLi'ing 9800s as the performance boost and new DX versions will be a huge upgrade.

And neither of the games you mentoned uses PhysX.

If your monitor is 75Hz than you will still see no gain

 

[joeyck]

My monitor is 75MHz refresh 19 inch wide screen 1366 x 768

 

[nforce4max]

You can do physx but you wont see much of a boost at all in the vast majority of games. I have done this my self and it isn't worth it unless you are doing multi gpu encoding such as mpeg 2. If you got a half ass psu and sli compatible board then it is more than worth it unless you want to try to hunt down an overpriced GTX2x5 series cards. As for used if you are unwilling to take any risk then there is no gain.

 

[joeyck]

My screen refresh rate is 75Mhz btw sorry I didn't add that to the original question and very good response reality rush!

 

[joeyck]

alrighty thank you so much reality you just saved me money and I will def keep a hiden stash for another 9800GTX+ for the future, so I don't have to waste it now

But yea I am def. getting 4 more gigs of ram any advise? stay with 4? or go 8?

 

[joeyck]

Best answer selected by joeyck.

 

[RealityRush]

You can do physx but you wont see much of a boost at all in the vast majority of games. I have done this my self and it isn't worth it unless you are doing multi gpu encoding such as mpeg 2. If you got a half ass psu and sli compatible board then it is more than worth it unless you want to try to hunt down an overpriced GTX2x5 series cards. As for used if you are unwilling to take any risk then there is no gain.

You wont see any boost period except in PhysX games, which he doesn't seem to play. PhysX will not give you a boost in any other games except nVidia sponsored TWIMTBP games.