Nvidia Goes For Four: Quad SLI Gaming Dissected

Conclusion

Our final impression of Quad SLI is that it's awesome! The performance at high resolutions is absolutely stunning. We find it amazing that we can turn up all of the settings in games such as F.E.A.R. or Oblivion, and then watch Quad SLI chew them up and spit out the frames. For ideal performance, it is best to turn some things down, but what is the point? Quad is about Extreme High Definition and that is what it delivers.

That being said, there is one major drawback to Quad SLI: Price! One can obtain a system for around $5,000 but the 30" monitor will run you an additional $2,000+. So, if your wallet is thick and your appetite for graphics insatiable, a system with Quad SLI is right for you. If the 30" monitor is too expensive, there is the Matrox TripleHead2Go that allows the user to hook up three 19" panels for a maximum resolution of 3840x1024. Monarch Computers currently has this available for purchase as a separate unit, and ABS Computer Technologies is bundling the Matrox product and three monitors with its Quad SLI systems.

Inside the IBuyPower Quad SLI Extreme Gaming System

On a final note, Quad SLI is not for the Do-It-Yourselfer. Nvidia has made this clear, and in a dialogue with Brian Burke, Nvidia PR Manager, Quad SLI will only be available from system integrators such as Falcon Northwest, iBuyPower, CyberPowerPC, Dell, Alienware, and Widow. This instantly means a markup in cost, as you have to pay for labor, warranties, and addition items. In return you get a fully working system and the ability to sleep at night knowing that there is someone else responsible to fix the system if you play around with it too much. And for $7,000-10,000, you had better fork over the extra for the better warranty...

DIY guys beware: not using 90-degree SATA cables can be hazardous to your $1,000 video cards!

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