8800 GTX In SLi

TK1 · 24 Feb 2007 at 14:11

Is there any real need to have x 2 8800 GTX's running in SLi? will the increase in graphic power be noticeable?

Lets say you run 2 GTX's on a:

Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 2.66GHz 1066FSB 8MB (Quad)
EVGA nForce 680i SLI Chipset LGA775 FSB1333 DDR2 Mainboard
PC6400 DDR2/800 Dual Channel Memory (Corsair XMS2 Xtreme Memory w/ Heat Spreader)

If you only had one GTX on this spec above would that be enough?

The reason i ask is im debating getting 2 GTX's on this spec but want to know if spending the extra £££ on another GTX will make the system almost completly future proof.

Thanks for any opinions

TK.

Duff-Man · 24 Feb 2007 at 14:23

If you're running a 30" display at 2560*1600 then maybe. Apart from that, not really.

If you're looking for an incredibly high end rig, I would just add the single GTX and wait to see what ATIs r600 brings in late March.

Also, not that you will NEVER future-proof a PC by buying absolute top-end components. The only way to keep a PC up to date is to upgrade regularly with mid-to-high end components (more cost effective also).

easyrider · 24 Feb 2007 at 14:29

TK1 said:
The reason i ask is im debating getting 2 GTX's on this spec but want to know if spending the extra £££ on another GTX will make the system almost completly future proof.

Thanks for any opinions

TK.

There is no such thing as futureproofing.

In a few weeks time the 8800 GTX will no longer be cutting edge.

They will drop in price to make room for the new 8900 series.

If you think you need SLI GTX and yet you do not mention what resolution you game at then I would not bother.

In fact unless you encode and video edit there is no reason to get a quad core right now.

w3bbo · 24 Feb 2007 at 16:20

But what about E-Peen - surely that counts for somethinng

Lolcb · 24 Feb 2007 at 16:30

Just get the best. Why compromise when you can get the best :cool:

Pants · 24 Feb 2007 at 16:40

A bit OT but does 8800 SLI work on the older boards like an Nforce 4? :confused:

easyrider · 24 Feb 2007 at 16:45

Lolcb said:
Just get the best. Why compromise when you can get the best

Because the same performance can be had for 1/2 the price

Plus in about 3 weeks the 8800 GTX will no longer be the best.

easyrider · 24 Feb 2007 at 16:45

Pants said:
A bit OT but does 8800 SLI work on the older boards like an Nforce 4?

No

andyr · 24 Feb 2007 at 17:29

i am in the same position , i keep looking at the bfg price coming down slowly and am wondering if or when i hit the buy button

LeeMc · 24 Feb 2007 at 23:32

Pants said:
A bit OT but does 8800 SLI work on the older boards like an Nforce 4?

easyrider said:
No

Correct me if i'm wrong but yes it does work on nforce 4 as long as its one with 2 16x PCI-E lanes like the A8N SLI32 but not the regular A8N like mine

lay-z-boy · 25 Feb 2007 at 00:12

easyrider said:
No

Wrong, do a search.

Duff-Man · 25 Feb 2007 at 01:50

LeeMc said:
Correct me if i'm wrong but yes it does work on nforce 4 as long as its one with 2 16x PCI-E lanes like the A8N SLI32 but not the regular A8N like mine

As I understand it, 8800s will also work on dual 8x setups albeit at a slightly reduced performance level. I haven't tried it personally though, as my single GTX does everything that I want it to.

lay-z-boy · 25 Feb 2007 at 02:01

Duff-Man said:
As I understand it, 8800s will also work on dual 8x setups albeit at a slightly reduced performance level. I haven't tried it personally though, as my single GTX does everything that I want it to.

Whereas i have, hardly any slower than dual 16x (tested on my dfi expert)

easyrider · 25 Feb 2007 at 02:34

lay-z-boy said:
Wrong, do a search.

It works on 650i with 2 x pci-e lanes @ 8x

so someone with 800 quids worth of gfx power runs on a nf4 mobo with a bootleneck of a top end k8?

shut up!

easyrider · 25 Feb 2007 at 02:38

lay-z-boy said:
Whereas i have, hardly any slower than dual 16x (tested on my dfi expert)

Please post your 8800 GTX sli analysis.

on NF4

thanks

agnes · 25 Feb 2007 at 02:50

from experiance

DONT get quad core, get the X6800 - dont argue back with that, just do it.

DONT get sli unless you want 16x aa + af at over 1920x1200 resolution. (im running at 2058x1536 16 aa and af)

ignore the poeple saying the 8800 gtx will be dead in a month, it wont, end of, there just jelous.

ignore poeple saying its overkill and not future proofing, cos it is, in a year, there will still be no main reason to upgrade unless you wanna increase fps from 60-80 imo. [edit] in games like crysis and other top dx10 titles

ags.

easyrider · 25 Feb 2007 at 03:39

agnes said:
from experiance

DONT get quad core, get the X6800 - dont argue back with that, just do it..

I'm running my 6400 @3.8ghz faster than yours so dont argue and save yorself 200 quid

The mere fact that you state get a 6800 just shows the lack of knowledge you have.

Pants · 25 Feb 2007 at 11:59

So will 8800 SLI work on a normal NF4 SLI chipset?

I'm not asking if it's worth it or not - I just want to know if you can. There seems to be so much confusion around this.

AnnandTech seems to think that you can run the cards at 8x.

Jokester · 25 Feb 2007 at 12:00

There's no doubt that a 8800GTX will run on a x8 slot.

Jokester

Pants · 25 Feb 2007 at 12:03

Jokester said:
There's no doubt that a 8800GTX will run on a x8 slot.

Jokester

Thanks Jokester,

Will two work in SLI on two x8 slots?