SLI or no?

E

Etherneal

Weaksauce
Joined
Apr 27, 2005
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With the sudden computer companies making competative pricing on SLI rigs vs. regular rigs, would now be the right time to buy an SLI enabled rig? Or is this another "OMG 12,000 3d mark score "fad". Should I just get a regular rig and when a better gfx card comes out upgrade to that.

Instead of thinking now, lets think of the furture, like which choice would be most beneficial.

Also, in regards to the Dell 2405 widescreen I'm getting. I read somewhere that SLI doesn't support its native resolution, or there were some problems. Will this be a problem, and a factor to get a regular system. Is there a noticable increase in preformance with SLI when you play at bigger resolutions, like a widescreen, 1920x1200 for example.
 
If I could, I'd go SLI. It looks like the path to beat all paths if your starting from scratch.

I wouldn't worry about that 2405 res. Everything should work fine.


edited for contrast lol...


I'm not advocating two cards now as much as I am an equipped board with all the bells and whistles.

But....if you can find a product that has "everything" (including two cards), then that's what I would do.

in contrast to whats been contrasted. :D
 
In contrast to the post above me, I wouldn't go SLI. For the price of two video cards you can get one really nice one and not even notice the difference in FPS. Your eye doesn't notice anything above 100 anyway, unless you posses some super-human powers. ;)
 
all depends on what you're willing to spend on graphics.

You can get 2 6600GT's in SLI for less than the cost of a 6800 ultra. i dont know what their comparative scores are...probably reasonably close to cut $100 off the end rig.
 
brad- said:
all depends on what you're willing to spend on graphics.

You can get 2 6600GT's in SLI for less than the cost of a 6800 ultra. i dont know what their comparative scores are...probably reasonably close to cut $100 off the end rig.
Click to expand...

6600GT SLI can be beat by a single 6800GT.

get something cheap for now. Wait for the R520s and G70s (next gen)
 
I'm not advocating two cards now as much as I am an equipped board with all the bells and whistles.

But....if you can find a product that has "everything" (including two cards), then that's what I would do.

in contrast to whats been contrasted. :D
 
I think that SLI is a good thing. But not worth the price. It would be different if Video cards were 100 - 150$. But 400$+ ehhhh

I remmeber my Top of the Line Voodoo 3 that was 150$.... Too bad SLI wasnt "current" then because 300$ isnt so bad for (almost 2x the performance) "almost"

I cant justify the fact that I can build a whole system for what 2 - top of the line video cards cost....
 
it was my understanding that he's looking for a new rig as is contemplating going SLI. If that's the concern, how can you not say yes. If the price is right, and you can get a manufactured computer to include an SLI setup than I think (sometimes I dont) it make sense to go this way.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by brad-
all depends on what you're willing to spend on graphics.

You can get 2 6600GT's in SLI for less than the cost of a 6800 ultra. i dont know what their comparative scores are...probably reasonably close to cut $100 off the end rig.


6600GT SLI can be beat by a single 6800GT.

get something cheap for now. Wait for the R520s and G70s (next gen)
Click to expand...
whats that mean? Is that SLI?


Pkirk618 has what I am thinking right.


Well what about upgrade issues....

A new GFX card comes out. Woopeedeedoo. 500+, now I have to spend 1000+ to buy two cards just so I can have that latest card, because I chose SLI when I bought my rig 6 months ago. (Is this right?)

Everything else would be the same as upgrading in a normal rig, unless the SLI motherboard doesn't support something.

I guess my main concern is compatability in the future, and if SLI is needed to play games in widescreen format without having to sacrifice anything vs playing on a regular card in widescreen. Also, what about having to connect a TV Tuner card. Which graphics card do I connect to? Will having two cards make two outputs, and don't they take up 2 PCI card slots?

sorry for all the questions, just wanna get all this mumbo jumbo out of the way before I make any decisions.
 
don't bother with SLi until you need it, with stuff like HL:the lost coast and next-gen games. At the moment all it gives you is a very expensive frameratre boost, unless you play at 1600 res, and the same could be said for that
 
Hate_Bot said:
6600GT SLI can be beat by a single 6800GT.

get something cheap for now. Wait for the R520s and G70s (next gen)
Click to expand...

not all games support SLI, so i would rather get one 6800 GT
 
Etherneal said:
Or is this another "OMG 12,000 3d mark score "fad". Should I just get a regular rig and when a better gfx card comes out upgrade to that.
Click to expand...
One vote for fad. Some people say that you can get one card now and still have an upgrade path in a year. Unfortunately, the industry keeps requiring new features, not just new speed. A Voodoo 1 clocked at 3 gHz wouldn't be enough to play doom 3 or hl2. It takes additional instructions, and new instruction sets continue to come out. Pixel shaders 3.0 is not the last word.
 
thats all the reason to buy sli now if the you can get it at a decent price. Like already stated, with the industry changing so frequently, its not the best idea to buy based on the theory alone that SLI will be there for you later.

That said, SLI is excellent at the moment and might be later on. Nobody knows. But again, the risk factor sits on SLI. I also heard this will be Nvidia's 6 month upgrade anyway instead of the usual incremental upgrade like the x800 to x850 type of marketing.
 
I would just like to point out something rather funny and relative.

In this month's issue of PC Gamer they claimed that two 6600GTs in sli will out perform a single 6800 ultra. :eek:
I'll get the scan up tomorrow. :confused:
 
SLi is too new still for me to think about it

let it mature a bit before you start to consider it
 
I've already waited a couple years for a new computer. Waiting is the last thing I want to do, although it is a smart move, ESPECIALLY when it comes to computers and murphys law, but you have to pounce some time. OK, thanks, I don't think I really need SLI right now or the confusion or heartache that might come later.....


thanks again
 
altec said:
Can some one tell me what SLI is plz.
Click to expand...

connecting 2 PCI-e videocards to act as one powerful one.

hardocp has so review and info about it
 
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