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GTX 280 Sli (I've got the itch... )

Associate
Joined
18 May 2008
Posts
21
I've currently got an MSI OC GTX280 over here in Prague the GTX280's are still available i.e. BFG OC GTX 280 is roughly £250 (GTX275 & 4890 are plentiful too)

Got the itch to try out SLI but most of the time they'll be in different machines (I'm trying to justify it to the misses she needs a GTX280 so I can have the 9800GTX+ for physics - she likes Sacred 2 so should be easy)

I doing all this keeping in mind that I'll get the DX11 card end of year and SLI the GTX280 perminately then..

I'm hoping for a bit too much from my OCZ600SXS power supply, i.e. could it do GTX 280 Sli if not how about GTX 280 with GTX9800+ for physics?

I'm running a [email protected], 3x Samsung 500gb Raid0 (+1 for data) and 4gb I dont mind reducing number of HDD's or removing Raid if that would help?
 
Man of Honour
Joined
13 Oct 2006
Posts
90,805
I'm running 260 GTX SLI on a 700watt OCZ PSU and its not even sweating... but I think 600watt + 280 SLI is gonna result in unpredictable results, it might work or it might not work and even if it works it might put a strain on the PSU and not provide power properly degrading other components.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
18 May 2008
Posts
21
currently game at 1920x1200 on an acer G24....

I'll get 3D vision later so that'll eat half the FPS i.e. negate the SLI benefits from what I read...
 
Associate
OP
Joined
18 May 2008
Posts
21
Cheers, I'm hoping it'll power GTX 280 with 9800GTX+.... and the occasional GTX280 SLI run...

I'll get a new power supply when I know what the new cards are going to chew threw...
 
Man of Honour
Joined
13 Oct 2006
Posts
90,805
On paper a single 280 GTX can hit the best part of 250watt peak alone... although in SLI mode its rare for either card to be working much above 75% load.

So peak your likely to be hitting 450watt or so depending on your system and its generally not a good idea to operate a PSU above 70% load. I can tell you for a fact a 600 watt steamXStream isn't going to take too kindly to peak loads over ~450watt.
 
Soldato
Joined
21 Aug 2006
Posts
7,506
With the GTX 280 it's unlikely u'd need a dedicated physx card and certainly not something as good as a 9800GTX+ so i'd say u'd find it hard to justify on that basis.
 
Associate
OP
Joined
18 May 2008
Posts
21
Cheers for everyones input... I've decided I'm going to put the 9800GTX+ with my GTX280 tomorrow and see what happens, if it's all good then I'll get the misses a GTX 280 and then later in the year SLI the GTX280's for her and get the new DX11 card and keep the 9800GTX+ in mine for Physx...

Never liked these type of games before but the Misses is a fan so I gave it a go and it's ok, saw the Physx Patch, saw the performance with it... now got the itch.. :)
Scared 2 1920x1200 with Physx Patch...
http://www.pcgameshardware.de/screenshots/original/2009/03/Sacred2-PhysX-1920-4x.png

Full article here; http://www.pcgameshardware.com/aid,...h-for-Geforce-graphics-cards/Practice/?page=1

Just hope the misses doesn't want Physx too.. :)
 
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