Gigabyte GeForce GTX 470 Super Overclock

[Spiderm0n]

I just ordered a Gigabyte GeForce GTX 470 Super Overclock for a new build: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125338

I am excited about the card, but have a few questions:

Can I run two of these cards down the road in SLI at some point, or is the card too customized for SLI? Is anyone here doing this?

If I do go the SLI route, can the overclock card be matched up with a standard 470 or would it require another overclock card (the ideal solution)?

How many months/years from now should I expect the 470 and the 470 overclock would be available for sale?

 

[borisof007]

You can definitely SLi the cards, just note that if you SLi two 470's, and one has higher clock frequencies than the other, then the higher clocked card will clock itself down to match the other card.

(I'm 90% certain this is right, someone verify?)

 

[borisof007]

Also, I think you're referring to when the 470 would drop in price. Probably when the 6xxx series AMD cards come out this fall (almost typed ATI! XD).

 

[skolpo]

1. Yes, you can SLI with another GTX 470.

2. You should try to get the same card if you want to SLI. If you get a reference GTX 470, your Gigabyte will have to underclock itself in order to match the reference GTX 470. Both cards have to run at the same clocks and frame buffer. You can try to overclock the reference GTX 470 to the same level as the Gigabyte, but you're safer off with another Gigabyte Super Overclock.

3. Depends on how fast new technology is produced. There's never a for-sure prediction. If the Radeon 6XXX cards prove to be a killer, there are chances that prices for the GTX 470 to drop as early as two months from now. Regardless, you should never force yourself to "wait for something better to come out so prices drop" since something new is always coming out.

 

[Spiderm0n]

Thanks guys. Yes, my goal would be to buy the second GTX 470 Super Overclock when it would be the cheapest before it drops off the market. (I would expect it would disappear sooner than standard 470s)

 

[Mousemonkey]

You can definitely SLi the cards, just note that if you SLi two 470's, and one has higher clock frequencies than the other, then the higher clocked card will clock itself down to match the other card.

(I'm 90% certain this is right, someone verify?)

Not any more, the drivers no longer synchronise the clocks and have not done so for quite a while.

 

[borisof007]

DERP, just realized that what you're saying is that both will in fact work in SLi and that one won't have to underclock to match the other, right?

Edited for me being a tard.

 

[The_OGS]

Guys, what about PhysX?
You can add a second nVidia vidcard and designate it a PhysX unit...
But two GTX470, heheh
I have a single GTX460 1GB and it works nicely.
Thinking of adding something like a GTS250 as a PhysX card.
How does that work, do all games have PhysX?
Not to hijack the thread, but I'm looking at SLI too and asking the same questions as SpidermOn.
Regards

 

[skolpo]

Not all games utilizes Physx. In fact, only a few amount of games utilizes Physx to a high degree. I wouldn't bother adding a separate card just to dedicate to Physx. SLI'ing a pair of GTX 460s will be much more efficient.

@mm: really? Wow, I didn't know nvidia stepped it up. As long as it's stable, kudos to them! I have yet to experience SLI since I can never keep myself from upgrading constantly...

 

[borisof007]

Physx is dumb IMO, Skolpo's got the right mindset.

Two 470's would be pretty high end, you would need a beast of a CPU to keep up.

 

[scotu]

Dedicated PhysX cards are for when you upgrade your GPUs you leave an older one as a PhysX card, not add a new one for it

 

[Spiderm0n]

Physx is dumb IMO, Skolpo's got the right mindset.

Two 470's would be pretty high end, you would need a beast of a CPU to keep up.

My new build will have an i7-950, would that fit the bill?
I figure one 470 would be fine for a while, but eventually I might jump to two.

 

[oooen1gmaooo]

ive been told a stock i5-750 could handle x2 GTX 470's. I myself have a GTX 470 oc'd to 800/1700 and plan on adding another one. My i5 is oc'd to 3.4ghz and should be plenty enough so you should be good

 

[The_OGS]

Dedicated PhysX cards are for when you upgrade your GPUs you leave an older one as a PhysX card, not add a new one for it

Yes, makes sense.
Unfortunately my old vidcard is a HD4870 1GB!
And I am finding my GTX460 1GB is not much stronger - at 1680x1050 it's really not enough.
I can't even run Call of Pripyat in DX11...
I should have got a 470!
Y'know, maybe the 460 would make a good PhysX card, heheh...?
L8R

 

[Spiderm0n]

I just found this test with a three way SLI of the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 470 Super Overclock.

http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/3552/gigabyte_x58a_ud9_tested_in_three_way_sli_w_gtx_470_super_overclock/index.html

It looks like 2 cards may be the way to go. Three cause heat problems and seems to confuse many applications.

 

[deweycd]

In general two is usually better if running on air. If watercooling three does work better.