Need GFX card help...

[b` m3ow]

Hey all, I have a DELL XPS 710 Gaming Rig.

Quad Core Q6600
2GB RAM
8800GTX 768mb..

My question is, what GFX Card do i have? I looked in dxdiag, just says nVidia, looked in system info > device manage > display adapter. I am no n00b when it comes to PC's, but I needed a PC fast and quick for school/gaming. Didn't have time to build.. I know all the brands, EVGA, BFG, XFX, etc etc.. I can't tell what is in here..

Any help?

Why? I want to SLi these bad boys, but need to know the company that makes it, so I can buy the same one. Or does it really matter? Just have to be the same spec as the one in there now?

thanks

[jesus]

Re: Need GFX card help...

I don't know if programs can tell what brand (no program I have can tell), but I'm pretty sure brand doesn't matter. The cards have to be just be the same, and at the same clocks.

But to check for the brand, just open up your case and look at the card. If it says "Nvidia" and/or has a black and green design like this then it's an OEM card.

Infact, that picture is my old 8600GT that I got in my dell inspiron 531. Mine was OEM, so yours probably is, too since it's also a Dell

[b` m3ow]

Re: Need GFX card help...

Ok, since its OEM, what does this mean for me?

[jesus]

Re: Need GFX card help...

If you had to match brands, you'd need another OEM version (which I think you can only get from the nvidia site) but I just looked it up, and the brands don't have to match

edit: actually, it seems to be mixed whether or not you can mix brands. some sources say you can, and some say you can't

but in this PDF for the 80 drivers from 2005 it says under "Release 80 Enchancements" (Page 60)

Release 80 Enhancements
NVIDIA SLI Enhancements
• Cross-card compatibility
SLI no longer requires that graphics cards be identical, but they must still
have the same core GPU.

So it looks like before the brands had to be the same, but not anymore

[b` m3ow]

Re: Need GFX card help...

Awesome! Thanks!

[Eagle101]

Re: Need GFX card help...

Open your case, it is prolly an OEM like Tomeis said unless you customized it on the Dell site. And yeah the cards don't have to be OEM according to the PDF put out by Tomeis. I agree with Tomeis nothing will happen unless the core clocks and specs are different, specs must be the same :)

[b` m3ow]

Re: Need GFX card help...

I just looked on NewEgg, it seems the 8800GTX is dieing... Since the 9800's are out, and the 3 GTX on NewEgg, due not match my GTX from DELL.. Which means no SLi, until i can put out for a 9800, which sucks atm, cuz a single GTX is faster in some ways, more pipelines than the 9800..

Ohh well

[Eagle101]

Re: Need GFX card help...

Dude honestly i strongly suggest not to take a stupid move and upgrade from a perfectly good 88 to a 98 big mistake there. And plus SLi, you don't need it...for now.

[b` m3ow]

Re: Need GFX card help...

Ya i know, I was just throwing it out there, that the only option is going to a 98series from the 88, since I can't SLi

[cloakster]

Re: Need GFX card help...

If you really want to upgrade something, maybe go to 4GB of RAM?

[jake_]

Re: Need GFX card help...

Dude honestly i strongly suggest not to take a stupid move and upgrade from a perfectly good 88 to a 98 big mistake there. And plus SLi, you don't need it...for now.

:nod:

There isn't a significant enough improvement in performance when compared to the price.

If you want a new card, wait for the GTX 200's or the 4870's.

[Eagle101]

Re: Need GFX card help...

:nod:

There isn't a significant enough improvement in performance when compared to the price.

If you want a new card, wait for the GTX 200's or the 4870's.

Seconded!

[b` m3ow]

Re: Need GFX card help...

The GTX 200's ?

[Eagle101]

Re: Need GFX card help...

The new Nvidia cards the 99s if you'd like.

[signa]

Re: Need GFX card help...

I just looked on NewEgg, it seems the 8800GTX is dieing... Since the 9800's are out, and the 3 GTX on NewEgg, due not match my GTX from DELL.. Which means no SLi, until i can put out for a 9800, which sucks atm, cuz a single GTX is faster in some ways, more pipelines than the 9800..

Ohh well

dell only uses 'oem' type cards that are specially made for them. you wont find any of them at newegg. I'm pretty sure you could still buy another 8800gtx to run in sli with it though. I think they only have to have the same core revision gpu and memory? sli will however run at the lowest cards core speed.