Hammer down the GFX card facts

[System]

I am in a discussion with a friend about video cards over SLI. From what I know SLI is a failure, but he believes not.

So this is what I'm asking, if any of you are willing to hammer out the plain facts including:

The pros of SLI

The cons of SLI

power management

8600 card

2x 86gts cards vs a 88gtx

9 series

pcie 2.0


As far as I know - 8600 is a joke card, a 7600 given DX10 capabilities. SLI has nothing to really offer in terms of benefits and only has cons.

9series as not the next gen launch of dx10 as some presumed it to be

pcie 2.0 is suppose to be a big woah

Whats the shizzle - is it better to buy two 86 vs a single 88? I believe not.

edit.

I forgot, the resolutions are a major factor in this too. If we can paint a 3 screnios - 1 low budget. 2 medium budget and 3 high budgets? AKA low res to high res playing.

[solofowaffles]

Re: Hammer down the GFX card facts

88<sli 86 any and every day.

[System]

Re: Hammer down the GFX card facts

88<sli 86 any and every day.

Funny I heard a 88GTX eats 86 for breakfest, especially @ my monster resolutions. Actually to be honest you are the first to say an 86 is pro let alone SLI that I have heard since it came out asides from the other guy.

And also add in 2 88 GT cards

[Wizrdwarts]

Re: Hammer down the GFX card facts

Less than twice the performance for twice the price = decide for yourself. :)

[jake_]

Re: Hammer down the GFX card facts

The 8600 completely fails, period.
8800GT wins in all scenarios right now, if you're filthy rich go ahead and use SLI, but be warned:
For a 100% increase in your power usage and the amount of money you have to spend, you are getting a 30-40% increase in performance at best (mostly higher resolutions)

At a resolution of 1280x1024 you don't need anything more than a single 8800GT to run even the most graphics intensive games.



And the 9' series are the real next-gen cards either. wait until the gtx200's come out in July.

i.e, you're right about pretty much everything.

[solofowaffles]

Re: Hammer down the GFX card facts

Whoops i typed the wrong key D:
I meant 88>sli 86

[jesus]

Re: Hammer down the GFX card facts

Whoops i typed the wrong key D:
I meant 88>sli 86

and just to clarify, it's ANY 8800, including the weakest one, which is the 8800GS

[System]

Re: Hammer down the GFX card facts

The 8600 completely fails, period.
8800GT wins in all scenarios right now, if you're filthy rich go ahead and use SLI, but be warned:
For a 100% increase in your power usage and the amount of money you have to spend, you are getting a 30-40% increase in performance at best (mostly higher resolutions)

At a resolution of 1280x1024 you don't need anything more than a single 8800GT to run even the most graphics intensive games.



And the 9' series are the real next-gen cards either. wait until the gtx200's come out in July.

i.e, you're right about pretty much everything.

So if you play on a 1080p hd screen which is better in your opinion, 88gtx or 88gt sli?

Because thats basically it right there, he uses 34" 1080p and I use a 50" 1080p screen and never had a problem with my card not to mention I use to use a 21" widescreen @ 2500x1650 res.

Can we agree on prices?

Which is cheaper:

2 88 gts in sli and factor in the necessarys:
bigger psu (what size prolly?)
nvidia mobo
new cooling system for each card (this site claims it can slash heat in half on air alone but we also need to consider avg temp of the room)

monthly bills

http://www.legionhardware.com/document.php?id=702&p=12

single 88gtx
big psu (600-700)
ne decent mobo (not limited to nvidia)


I also like to throw in PCIE slots available. At most I've seen is 3 on a mobo, something like 2 true 16x pcie slots and the third is just pcie. I myself use a creative sound blaster card that needs a slot for itself and that leaves me with 1 slot left. Now I'm not too sure with whats the deal on physx cards and what not but to me SLI limits you're choices for future upgrades.

[Flt. Sgt. Powderhound]

Re: Hammer down the GFX card facts

How the hell did you get such a high res screen?

[System]

Re: Hammer down the GFX card facts

My bad 1680x1050. It's been half a year since I been on it I couldn't remember the res.

[Eagle101]

Re: Hammer down the GFX card facts

physx is a gimmick, SLI is more than fail, its ultra fail, as Jake pointed out another 100% pwr consumption + a mere 30~40 increase in games ffs :s.

SLI is a waste of money and usage of extra power. The 88GT SLi plus all the cooling and new mbo u included in your post is going to weigh out expensive, whilst the config with the GTX will weigh less in price.

Thing is the 88GT is the gamer's choice as it is one hell of a card. I would have bought it myself if i had it in my config list as an option although i could only choose btwn a GTX or GTS640 go figure.

[Wizrdwarts]

Re: Hammer down the GFX card facts

Hey at least it's not SLI 8500s like in some of the rigs advertised in some PC magazines. :)

System: Don't waste your money on a PhysX card. Nvidia just bought AGEIA and will enable PhysX on all the 8 and 9 series cards.

[jake_]

Re: Hammer down the GFX card facts

Hey at least it's not SLI 8500s like in some of the rigs advertised in some PC magazines. :)

System: Don't waste your money on a PhysX card. Nvidia just bought AGEIA and will enable PhysX on all the 8 and 9 series cards.

I concur with both statements.
:nod:

[Wizrdwarts]

Re: Hammer down the GFX card facts

Yeah I just want to scream when I see those ads. Hopefully most people aren't that computer-stupid to buy SLI 8500s.

And of course, Nvidia's advertising them on its site:

http://www.slizone.com/object/slizone_buyprebuilt_us2.html

Ew, SLI 8400s.

[Eagle101]

Re: Hammer down the GFX card facts

Yeah I just want to scream when I see those ads. Hopefully most people aren't that computer-stupid to buy SLI 8500s.

And of course, Nvidia's advertising them on its site:

http://www.slizone.com/object/slizone_buyprebuilt_us2.html

Ew, SLI 8400s.

:laugh: You wont believe how many people can be that stupid Wizard.