Performance Comparison Between Single Configurations And SLI Setups
The games of our benchmark suite reacted very differently to SLI. For example, Age of Empires III, Fable and Serious Sam 2 actually ran slower with the supposed 3D double graphics card hitter. On the other hand, the remaining games benefited from the SLI configuration. Interestingly, Age of Empires III also reacted negatively to the higher clock speed of the ASUS GeForce 7800 GTX Extreme.
In four games, the single GeForce 7800 GTX proved itself superior to the SLI setup of the older GeForce 6800 Ultra. The two were tied for the lead with two other games. The GeForce 6800 Ultra SLI solution only took a slight lead in F.E.A.R. Meanwhile, the GeForce 7800 GTX SLI configuration was the most powerful--and the most expensive--in the group.
Differences: Single Card Vs Dual Card SLI
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Age of Empire 3
Single Card
SLI (2 cards, parallel)
Performance Gain / Loss (%)
Geforce 7800 GTX (256 MB)
220.8 fps
180.4 fps
-18.3%
Geforce 6800 Ultra (256 MB)
94.0 fps
83.6 fps
-11.1%
Geforce 6800 GT (256 MB)
80.7 fps
73.8 fps
-8.6%
Geforce 6600 GT (128 MB)
57.4 fps
55.3 fps
-3.7%
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Fable - The Lost Chapters
Single Card
SLI (2 cards, parallel)
Performance Gain / Loss (%)
Geforce 7800 GTX (256 MB)
210.9 fps
187.8 fps
-11%
Geforce 6800 Ultra (256 MB)
155.1 fps
134.4 fps
-13%
Geforce 6800 GT (256 MB)
125.3 fps
117.7 fps
-6%
Geforce 6600 GT (128 MB)
76.4 fps
80.7 fps
+6%
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Quake 4
Single Card
SLI (2 cards, parallel)
Performance Gain / Loss (%)
Geforce 7800 GTX (256 MB)
438.5 fps
520.7 fps
+19%
Geforce 6800 Ultra (256 MB)
307.0 fps
433.3 fps
+41%
Geforce 6800 GT (256 MB)
268.9 fps
414.1 fps
+54%
Geforce 6600 GT (128 MB)
198.4 fps
304.0 fps
+53%
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Serious Sam 2 with HDR
Single Card
SLI (2 cards, parallel)
Performance Gain / Loss (%)
Geforce 7800 GTX (256 MB)
194.3 fps
175.7 fps
-10%
Geforce 6800 Ultra (256 MB)
130.6 fps
131.0 fps
0%
Geforce 6800 GT (256 MB)
121.2 fps
115.8 fps
-4%
Geforce 6600 GT (128 MB)
63.8 fps
54.8 fps
-14%
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Serious Sam 2
Single Card
SLI (2 cards, parallel)
Performance Gain / Loss (%)
Geforce 7800 GTX (256 MB)
103.2 fps
99.1 fps
-4%
Geforce 6800 Ultra (256 MB)
84.2 fps
79.6 fps
-5%
Geforce 6800 GT (256 MB)
79.7 fps
76.9 fps
-4%
Geforce 6600 GT (128 MB)
59.8 fps
67.8 fps
+13%
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Black & White 2
Single Card
SLI (2 cards, parallel)
Performance Gain / Loss (%)
Geforce 7800 GTX (256 MB)
145.5 fps
210.6 fps
+45%
Geforce 6800 Ultra (256 MB)
89.5 fps
148.7 fps
+66%
Geforce 6800 GT (256 MB)
79.1 fps
136.6 fps
+73%
Geforce 6600 GT (128 MB)
73.3 fps
81.1 fps
+11%
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F.E.A.R.
Single Card
SLI (2 cards, parallel)
Performance Gain / Loss (%)
Geforce 7800 GTX (256 MB)
270.0 fps
377.0 fps
+40%
Geforce 6800 Ultra (256 MB)
206.0 fps
285.0 fps
+38%
Geforce 6800 GT (256 MB)
180.0 fps
268.0 fps
+49%
Geforce 6600 GT (128 MB)
103.0 fps
152.0 fps
+48%
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