2x 8800GT or 3870x2??

[Eggman]

Whats the point in gettin a 3870x2 when you can get 2x 8800GT for about the same price or cheaper and get a better performance?

Is it just because the sli mobos are rubbish compared to the p35/x38 chipset ones?

 

[Skeeter]

Is it just because the sli mobos are rubbish compared to the p35/x38 chipset ones?

In a word, yes!

 

[mattyrigby00]

In a word, yes!

 

[Eggman]

so whats so bad about them? surely the added gfx performance pushes the scales for a gaming pc....??

 

[Big.Wayne]

because the sli mobos are rubbish

 

[Eggman]

yeh!! but if ** not overclocking....surely the mobo wont have such an effect on performance!

 

[Big.Wayne]

Eggman, most people are using INTEL chipsets so SLI isn't really an option unless your a rich dude with Skulltrail!

One 512MB 8800GT/8800GTS is a really nice set-up and is supported in 100% of games with no faffing!

 

[HangTime]

Worth noting that even 9600GT-SLI is faster than 3870x2 in the vast majority of games: http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/geforce_9600_gt_sli_performance/page3.asp

They come in a good £50+ cheaper than the X2 so for people with an SLI board and decent PSU they must be a very attractive proposition.

 

[gadgets]

yeah but nvidia fell on their sword when it came to sorting out the license for sli which is why practically every board manufacture went crossfire.

ATI/AMD pulled off a huge one over nvidia for that

 

[JediFragger]

Seriously Eggman, I'd go for an Intel-chipset based board everytime

Hopefully Intel will suceed in prying SLi away from nVidia sometime in the near future

 

[Big.Wayne]

nvidia fell on their sword

I can understand that nVidia would prefer people using a SLI set-up to purchase an nForce motherboard but I can't help but think they would have sold a lot more graphics cards if they had licenced the technology to INTEL.

A SLI set-up running on an INTEL P35/X38/X48 chipset would have been brilliant, pity. . .

I bet AMD have sold a shed load more GPUs because you can run Crossfire on an INTEL chipset?

Out of interest, do AMD get any money for letting INTEL use the Crossfire tech on their chipsets or?

 

[Eggman]

This is my point which i think you've missed: If your building a gaming PC from scratch and want the best bang for buck in PC games (not benchmarks) and your willing to spend £300 on gfx card(s) then why not get a nforce mobo with 2x 8800gt and not a intel with 3870x2?

 

[Nickolai]

Because SLI isn't as good as Crossfire
Nvidia Chipsets are rubbish
Intel Motherboards are much better for Overclocking which increases gaming performance for free
Because the onboard Crossfire in the HD3870x2 works soundly as if it was one card no need to worry about compatibility nonsense (not quite sure if im right there <<)

 

[Eggman]

the additional o/c on intel mobos wont make the 3870x2 catch up to the 2x 8800gt on nforce7 in gaming.

So why isnt SLI as good as crossfire?

 

[Monkeynut]

It doesn't scale as well.