To SLI or not?

Rhodan · 17 Oct 2010 at 17:41

I'm planning a new build shortly that will look something like this:

CPU: Core i5 760
RAM: 8gb Corsair
Mobo: Asus P7P55D-E Pro
PSU: Corsair 650w
Monitor: Dell U2311H

I plan to game at native 1920 x 1080p resolution, with max settings in most games (STALKER's, Crysis etc.).

So now the last thing I need to decide on is the GPU setup. I was thinking of going with SLI GTX 460's but I keep seeing posts by people saying don't do SLI because of problems, rather get a single powerful GPU. However, I don't want something that is going to be noisy and hot (GTX 480).

I'd appreciate your advice, especially those of you that have GTX 460's in SLI, what is your experience?

Dark_Angel · 17 Oct 2010 at 17:44

Well, since the new AMD / ATI (whatever you wanna say) GPU's are literally days away from launch....

Rhodan · 17 Oct 2010 at 18:41

Days from "launch", but probably a month or more away from actually being able to buy it, or one that would be worth buying anyway (6970?).

Anyway, if we could stay on topic and not speculate I would appreciate it.

nalla · 17 Oct 2010 at 19:47

well personally you'd want the 1024mb version for that res and for a little future proofing, and the cheapest of them is around £164 x2 = £328, whereas a gtx480 is around £340, not much difference i think, anyway i have 2 gtx 480's in sli and it all depends where you have your pc situated from a noise point of view, my pc is situated under a very sturdy bench and i cannot hear my graphics cards over my case fans ( antec 1200 ), if you have the pc on top of a bench then i can see where people moan a little about the noise but its still not audible over headphones, the only problem i can see is if the pc is in your living room or bedroom, other than that i would definately recomend the gtx480 as that would give you the chance to get a second card at a later date if need be, and give you full time performance boost as not all games utilise sli, but i do believe that the problems with sli are far and few between, definately less than xfire anyway.

biuro74 · 17 Oct 2010 at 19:48

I recommend the rule no 1: start your SLI with one card

I mean when your system starts to slow down in games, buy second card and make SLI, otherwise always try to get one stronger card.
Situation might be interesting when 2 cards in SLI are cheaper and faster than strongest card on the market. Well.. choice is yours, but GTX480 is not what you may want (for example, there are GTXes 470 which you can nice o/c for free, and save some money in pocket for next such card in the future).

Keep in mind that 2 cards in SLI are hotter than single ones (mine primary +10 deg, second is normal). And when you think about SLI, do buy cards with OTES system (exhaust hot air outside the case), otherwise your SLI might overheat cards = BSOD, reset or freeze. It's a pain, because some nice cards are good and cheap (like MSI TwinFrozr), but not suitable for every SLI system (very well ventilated case required).

Rroff · 17 Oct 2010 at 19:52

Rules for buying SLI:

-When your already using the top end single card and still not getting enough performance.
-When 2x mid-range cards are both faster and substantially cheaper in combined cost than the current top end single card. (Or poor availability of the top end card).
-When you already have 1 of the cards and its substantially cheaper to get a 2nd one than buying the latest faster/fastest card.
-Low end GPUs for lols/messing around.

At all other times I'd be looking at single GPUs.

An Exception · 17 Oct 2010 at 19:58

Rhodan said:
Days from "launch", but probably a month or more away from actually being able to buy it, or one that would be worth buying anyway (6970?).

Anyway, if we could stay on topic and not speculate I would appreciate it.

If you can't wait, get some 460's is you arn't sensitive to micro stutter, and are not bothered by the odd SLI issue.
If you don't want the above get a GTX480 and live with the heat and noise.

or get a 5870.

Rhodan · 17 Oct 2010 at 20:19

Micro stutter?

arc@css · 17 Oct 2010 at 20:27

^^Skipping slightly, not smooth.

Peter450 · 17 Oct 2010 at 20:29

Rroff said:
Rules for buying SLI:

-When your already using the top end single card and still not getting enough performance.
-When 2x mid-range cards are both faster and substantially cheaper in combined cost than the current top end single card. (Or poor availability of the top end card).
-When you already have 1 of the cards and its substantially cheaper to get a 2nd one than buying the latest faster/fastest card.
-Low end GPUs for lols/messing around.

At all other times I'd be looking at single GPUs.

Yeah this roughly my view on SLI aswell, i have heard mixed opinions on if dual cards are worth it, and the consensus seems to be it's only worth it if you can't get the required performance from a single card

jorzeh · 17 Oct 2010 at 20:48

I never noticed any microshuttering on my 4870x2 but i do get something like that abit on GTA4.. "It's really ****ing annoying" as neko would say.

Fully star out swear words

Dark_Angel · 18 Oct 2010 at 08:33

Rhodan said:
Days from "launch", but probably a month or more away from actually being able to buy it, or one that would be worth buying anyway (6970?).

Anyway, if we could stay on topic and not speculate I would appreciate it.

Many are saying that there won't be stock issues.

Either way, I'd always rather get the latest and greatest... failing that a single card all the time unless you're either doing an upgrade, can get an SLI pair really cheap.

Rhodan · 18 Oct 2010 at 08:35

So the general consensus is to go with a single GPU?

Dark_Angel · 18 Oct 2010 at 08:40

Rhodan said:
So the general consensus is to go with a single GPU?

Yes, unless the performance of SLI lower ends beats a higher end equal to roughly the same cash.

It's why I mentioned the ATI cards in my first reply, in *MY* opinion, you'd be silly to buy when they're 'released' this week and we don't know the situation with stock.

If there is a lack of it, you just loose a day or 2, if there's plenty, then woohoo!

Then again, you might dislike ATI.

Rhodan · 18 Oct 2010 at 08:43

I don't have any favourites, whatever gives me best bang for my buck.

Are the 6970's supposed to be available soon as well?

RavenXXX2 · 18 Oct 2010 at 08:46

Cards out this week the 6850/6870 are around 5850 performance and IMO you want something faster, so either go with a Zotac 480 amp which is quiet and cool or wait for the top single AMD GPU's coming late November.

Big.Wayne · 18 Oct 2010 at 14:47

Rhodan said:
I'm planning a new build shortly that will look something like this:

Core i5 760

8gb Corsair

Asus P7P55D-E Pro

Corsair 650w

Dell U2311H

I plan to game at native 1920 x 1080p resolution, with max [££££] settings in most games (STALKER's, Crysis etc.).

I was thinking of going with SLI GTX 460's but I keep seeing posts by people saying don't do SLI because of problems, rather get a single powerful GPU. However, I don't want something that is going to be noisy and hot (GTX 480).

I'd appreciate your advice

Hey Rhodan

One way or another your going to have to "compromise" . . . If your wanting Max Max eye candy in any game of your choice your going to have to "compromise" with the budget and spend an absolute fortune £££ on GPU's . . . . if you have a finite amount of money then your going to have to "compromise" on your requirements . . . are you really prepared to spends hundreds and hundreds of pounds extra in order to set graphic levels so high that you can see the pimple on the nose of a soldier!

Ultimately the choice is yours and your alone but feel free to canvas opinions, people will tell you this, people will tell you that, some people will tell you the other . . . . some of it will be fact, some of it will not be fact? . . . . your best to first look at the "facts" and interpet them yourself . . . if there is some point of "fact" you do not understand then that is the time to be asking questions . . . good luck! :cool:

biuro74 said:
Situation might be interesting when 2 cards in SLI are cheaper and faster than strongest card on the market

Rroff said:
Rules for buying SLI:

-When 2x mid-range cards are both faster and substantially cheaper in combined cost than the current top end single card. (Or poor availability of the top end card)

Peter450 said:

Yeah this roughly my view on SLI aswell

Click to expand...

Rhodan said:
So the general consensus is to go with a single GPU?

Dark_Angel said:
Yes, unless the performance of SLI lower ends beats a higher end equal to roughly the same cash.

Rhodan said:
I don't have any favourites, whatever gives me best bang for my buck.

GTX 460 SLI Benchmarks 138,000 results

I can see you raising the price of the 768MB GeForce GTX 460 People discuss what is good for them and what is good for you

Rhodan · 18 Oct 2010 at 18:08

Thanks for the awesome reply, still haven't decided what to do though :confused:

I'm not bothered between the price difference of the GTX 460 SLI vs 5870 (I'm going for one or the other). I just don't want to spend that amount of money and have "issues" with games not working properly, or having to fiddle with settings to have stuff work.

An Exception · 18 Oct 2010 at 18:29

Rhodan said:
Thanks for the awesome reply, still haven't decided what to do though

I'm not bothered between the price difference of the GTX 460 SLI vs 5870 (I'm going for one or the other). I just don't want to spend that amount of money and have "issues" with games not working properly, or having to fiddle with settings to have stuff work.

OC'd 5850 or cheapest 5870 if you can't wait until november, but you should at-least wait for the 68xx to be released this week as 5800 prices may come down.

While the FPS of 460 SLI is impressive, with multiple GPU's the perceived smoothness doesn't translate well in terms of FPS like a single GPU does.
As a rule of thumb, you can take SLI/Xfire Fps and reduce it by 10-30% to get an indication of real world performance...

Big.Wayne · 18 Oct 2010 at 19:02

Hello Ejizz

Ejizz said:
While the FPS of 460 SLI is impressive, with multiple GPU's the perceived smoothness doesn't translate well in terms of FPS like a single GPU does

That's an interesting statement? . . . what is that based on please? . . . I'd like to know more? . . .

Ejizz said:
As a rule of thumb, you can take SLI/Xfire Fps and reduce it by 10-30% to get an indication of real world performance...

How have you worked out this "rule of thumb" please? . . . so your saying if a game being played with SLI averages 100FPS it will be "perceived" the same as a game being played on a single GPU that averages 70-90FPS? . . . is this a "Fact" or some kinda thing that some people believe and other people don't believe? . . . I'm curious to understand this SLI "rule of thumb" because your the first person I ever heard talk about it? . . . nVidia or AMD certainly don't mention this to prospect customers?