SLI Cards

[schuy1]

Hey all, I am going to be investing in the asus a8n-sli board here shortly, and I will need to get a new pcix vid card(s) I am planning on about $370-$400 for the card(s) And I am not really up on pcix cards at all, so my question is would it be better to get one bad card say the 6800gt, or two "mediocre" cards like two 6600gt's? Thanks

 

[Vapor]

IMO, one 6800GT. Why? In case you ever want to upgrade, it's 'only' another $400. Not only that, but at higher resolutions and with AA and AF enabled (i.e., detail levels you should use with either setup), the 6800GT pulls ahead due to having 256MB. Oh yeah, don't forget that SLI only works on maybe a dozen games/app at most right now; there is no guarantee of any current (that don't already work) or future game working on it either.

Maxtor disgraces the six letters that make Matrox.

 

[pauldh]

I still have an issue with the PCI-e GF6800GT costing $100+ more than the AGP version, while giving zero performance increase. Add the extra cost of that SLI mobo also, and the "futureness" of that SLI setup is costing $150-200 extra of your cash right now without giving any performance boost right now. Then considering the iffyness of SLI performance boosts anyways (requires a profile in the drivers for each game), and my frown increases more. I like the idea of SLI, just not the added $$$ premium. Hopefully you'll still be able to buy a GF6800GT PCI-e in a couple years and the price then will save enough to justify the added cost now. All assuming NV keeps up their SLI profiles for each game you will want to play and not just the most popular ones used for benchmarking by review sites. Alot to consider if you ask me.



Still it comes down to PCI-e availablity. If the X800XL was really out for $300 (which it is not), I would rather save $200+ buying a non SLI mobo and a X800XL, Then upgrade to an R520 or what ever NV has to offer someday and sell the X800XL. No need to count on SLI profiles and cheaper in the long run. Then there is the AGP alternative, which will save someone money now, but future upgrade choices may be more limited and more expensive due to the bridge cost.

There is definately alot to consider when deciding which mobo/platform to go with right now. I don't think there is any one option that best fits all people. Those who fear hardware changes may just want to blow the extra cash on the SLI mobo and PCI-e 6800 series card. While those who really could care less swapping mobos/reformatting HDD/ and doing a fresh OS install may just want to grab a cheaper AGP solution to get by for a year or two. Then others will just choose to wait a little while until GF6800 PCI-e or X800XL cards come down in price, then buy that PCI-e mobo and card.



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[pauldh]

No doubt about it, one 6800GT is a far better option than two 6600GT's. SLI only works in games in which a profile exists in the drivers. Otherwise there is zero performance increase adding the second card. At best the two 6600GT's will = 1 6800GT, but if no profile exists for the game you want to play, those 2 6600GT's = 1 6600GT. :frown:


I think anyone asking this question or even considering spending extra on an SLI mobo, should <A HREF="http://www.hardocp.com/article.html?art=NzEx" target="_new">read this first</A>, and know a little more what that extra money is going toward. Shoot if there was no added cost now, why not buy an SLI mobo and PCI-e mobo just in case. But there is an added cost, both to the mobo, as well as the PCI-e 6800 series cards. A single 6600GT is a good budget card, but if you can afford two right away, I don't think it's the card(s) to get.


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