Video card question

Posted: Thu Dec 25, 2008 4:07 pm Post subject: Video card question

Hey guys I'm wondering what I will get more out of
Running sli video cards by getting another 8800 Gts 320 MB

or say getting Evga 9800 512 MB?
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Posted: Thu Dec 25, 2008 4:18 pm Post subject:

I am running 2x 8800GT and most games run fine using just one.There's not much out there game wise in my opinion that an 8800 will not run at the moment.
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Posted: Thu Dec 25, 2008 5:11 pm Post subject:

Fun said that the 8800GT is a bit better than the GTS so I have no idea.To be honest I have no clue what I will get next either, Probably nothing for a while though mine are a year old now.
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Posted: Thu Dec 25, 2008 10:16 pm Post subject:

I think you main limitation will be your memory buffer. Two cards running in SLI will only get the benefit of a single card (320 in your case). If you're running a monitor at a resolution greater than 1280 X 1024, then you may see noticeable difference. For two reasons, the 9800GT is essentially an 8800GT, just more efficient, and memory is 512vs.320. Also the 8800 (320) doesn't scale as well in SLI as the 9600GT or 9800GT. Lots of things to take into consideration.
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Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 11:25 am Post subject:

Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 11:51 am Post subject:

My experience with SLI is that it is not worth it!

When they make SLI actually utilize the complete 2nd or 3rd card then I might change my mind, but to basically buy a second card for the processor only is ridiculus. In my not so humble opinion! Wink

SLI is basically a joke unless you are simply building a high end system and want every little boost you can get, then it is a must. And money must be no object.

Go for the best CPU, Ram, and a great single card and you will always be happy. Very Happy

You can even try a card with two processors built in.

I currently use the XFX 9800 GX2 Black Edition and would rather have it over SLI.

Here's a review of it:
http://www.guru3d.com/article/xfx-geforce-9800-gx2-black-edition-review/
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Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 12:21 pm Post subject:

with the new nVidia driver version 180.48 they have increased performance a great deal...

Boosts performance in numerous 3D applications. The following are some examples of improvements measured with Release 180 WHQL drivers vs. Release 178 WHQL drivers (results will vary depending on your GPU, system configuration, and game settings):
Up to 10% performance increase in 3DMark Vantage (performance preset)
Up to 13% performance increase in Assassin's Creed
Up to 13% performance increase in BioShock
Up to 15% performance increase in Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts
Up to 10% performance increase in Crysis Warhead
Up to 25% performance increase in Devil May Cry 4
Up to 38% performance increase in Far Cry 2
Up to 18% performance increase in Race Driver: GRID
Up to 80% performance increase in Lost Planet: Colonies
Up to 18% performance increase in World of Conflict

I noticed a 45% increase with the install of these drivers in almost all my games... they also support dual monitors now!
Download the NVIDIA® GeForce® Release 180 driver to enable NVIDIA® SLI® Multi-monitor support, giving you the ability to use two monitors with your GeForce® graphics cards in SLI mode. Now you can easily switch between multi-monitor desktop mode and full screen 3D gaming mode without any additional system settings. Multi-monitor aware games – such as World in Conflict, Supreme Commander Forged Alliance, and Flight Simulator X – surround you with amazing graphics to immerse you in the game. In addition, you can enjoy the flexibility of having 2, 4, or even up to 6 displays based on your GPU and motherboard configurations.

links.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/winvista_x64_180.48_whql.html

http://www.slizone.com/object/sli_multi_monitor.html
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Intel i7 920 2.66GHz OCed 4.2GHz
Koolance CPU-350 AC Liquid Cooling CPU Block
eVGA x58 Tri-SLI mobo
G.Skill 3x2GB 1600MHz triple channel
3x eVGA 260 core 216 SSC Editions
Corsair HX1000 watt PSU
Cooler Master Cosmos S case

Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 12:52 pm Post subject:

I forgot to say:

SLI really makes the biggest difference when you use a higher resolution like 1920 x 1200 or higher.

So if you have a large monitor it can be even more helpful, but still I prefer to stay away from SLI.

To answer your original question I suggest getting one newer and faster card with more ram and skip the SLI of 8800 Gts 320 MB.
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Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 3:06 pm Post subject:

Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 10:54 pm Post subject: