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SLI Question

Zaphrod

Zaphrod

Zaphrod

Associate
Joined
13 Feb 2003
Posts
342
Hi all,

I am getting ready to upgrade and have bought one of the Z77 gigabyte boards with the free Antec Kuhler. I am either going to go with a 3770K or a 2600k depending on the cost performance difference once the IB CPU's are released and properly tested.

I currently have a Gigabyte GTX 480 with the windforce cooler and was debating whether to go with a new HD 7970 or GTX 680 or to get another GTX 480 and go SLI. I think if I could get another Gigabyte GTX480 with the same cooler I would be more inclined to go this way bit I cannot find it available anywhere so I was wondering if I would have any problems using another brand? If I understand correctly I should be able to use any 480 of the same configuration but I am not sure and I am also concerned with heat and noise as the windforce version seems much cooler and quieter than the standard design. Am I right in thinking 480's in SLI would be about even with a n HD 7970/GTX680?

I could probably still get a few £ for my 480 so could offset the cost of a new card a little.

What would you do?
 
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Check whether the board supports SLI before you upgrade. The review of the Gigabyte Z77 board HERE states that it is not SLI compatible.

The 480 is a great workhorse, which I doubt you'll see any appreciable benefit from using the 680 with.... unless you're into particularly hi-res gaming...

I'd go for the mobo upgrade but squeeze every last bit of mileage out of the 480. When the market's settled down, then look at the next releases of NVidia/AMD's livery....
 
A 680 is roughly the same speed as 480 SLI so I would get that unless you can find another 480 with a non reference cooler as they are very hot and noisy cards.

If you go fown the SLI route, any 480 will do, but the SOC 480 you have will go down to the clocks of the slower card unless you manually increase both using afterburner or similar.
 
Cleeecooo said:
A 680 is roughly the same speed as 480 SLI so I would get that unless you can find another 480 with a non reference cooler as they are very hot and noisy cards.

If you go fown the SLI route, any 480 will do, but the SOC 480 you have will go down to the clocks of the slower card unless you manually increase both using afterburner or similar.
Click to expand...

I would have thought 480SLI would have been quicker than a 680?
 
I bought 2 EVGA 480's last week and both cards didnt go above 70deg.. ive read people saying some older ones ran at 90deg+ and to be honest 70deg isn't that hot im sure the 680 runs at that temp.

But in the end i sent them back lol :P
 
[WU-TANG]GZA;21645047 said:
I would have thought 480SLI would have been quicker than a 680?
Click to expand...

Yes, but only slightly. (I'm using figures from 570SLI vs 680)

The 680 is a good overclocker too.
 
Cleeecooo said:
A 680 is roughly the same speed as 480 SLI so I would get that unless you can find another 480 with a non reference cooler as they are very hot and noisy cards.

If you go fown the SLI route, any 480 will do, but the SOC 480 you have will go down to the clocks of the slower card unless you manually increase both using afterburner or similar.
Click to expand...

Thanks, That is my thinking on the coolers and heat etc.

I don't have the SOC card just the standard card with the windforce cooler.
 
Thanks all, I think I am leaning toward a single new card as it will be much cooler and quieter and because I cannot find another Gigabyte GTX 480 Special Edition. Now I have to decide between the 7970 and the 680 :confused:
 
Wrexad said:
I bought 2 EVGA 480's last week and both cards didnt go above 70deg.. ive read people saying some older ones ran at 90deg+ and to be honest 70deg isn't that hot im sure the 680 runs at that temp.

But in the end i sent them back lol :P
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Why did you send back? Wish some of you guys wouldn't buy stuffjust to test with,leaving future purchasers from OCUK buying second hand /overclocked to death test cards but paying new prices.

On another note, the 480's supposedly run hot but are made for high temps. I don't worry about a card running at 90degrees if it's designed to handle those temps, so what if there are higher temps in the case too. By the time the components do die from maybe a few higher degrees of temperature, they're worthless anyway
 
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Zaphrod said:
Thanks all, I think I am leaning toward a single new card as it will be much cooler and quieter and because I cannot find another Gigabyte GTX 480 Special Edition. Now I have to decide between the 7970 and the 680 :confused:
Click to expand...

Flip a coin ;)

DarrenM343 said:
Why did you send back? Wish some of you guys wouldn't buy stuffjust to test with,leaving future purchasers from OCUK buying second hand /overclocked to death test cards.
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OcUK sell nw cards as new.

DSR returns are sold as b grade
 
Who said i bought from OCUK and who said i opened them up to test?

I bought them from somewhere else.. didnt even open the boxes they were in they were delivered at 12:30pm back down the post office at 1pm. Im sure the only loser there was me on postage cost..

I sent them back because i want to keep the cards i buy for 2 years maybe 3, So if i bought a 7970 or 680 then i can add to it 1 year down the line.. where 480's i probably wont be able to get in a years time.. not new anyway plus my psu wouldn't be big enough. So it made more sense to buy 1 card and add to it later if i need to.
 
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Wrexad said:
Who said i bought from OCUK and who said i opened them up to test?

I bought them from somewhere else.. didnt even open the boxes they were in they were delivered at 12:30pm back down the post office at 1pm. Im sure the only loser there was me on postage cost..

I sent them back because i want to keep the cards i buy for 2 years maybe 3, So if i bought a 7970 or 680 then i can add to it 1 year down the line.. where 480's i probably wont be able to get in a years time.. not new anyway plus my psu wouldn't be big enough. So it made more sense to buy 1 card and add to it later if i need to.
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Sorry, no offence intended :)
Was just wondering. Seem to often read about people buying to kind of test, see how well or poorly they overclock before returning under the 14 day distance selling rule, when nothing wrong with the cards per se.
If OC Uk or other etailers sell as B grade goods once used then not so bad I guess but suspect they don't all do that
 
Wrexad said:
I bought 2 EVGA 480's last week and both cards didnt go above 70deg.. ive read people saying some older ones ran at 90deg+ and to be honest 70deg isn't that hot im sure the 680 runs at that temp.

But in the end i sent them back lol :P
Click to expand...

Wrexad said:
Who said i bought from OCUK and who said i opened them up to test?

I bought them from somewhere else.. didnt even open the boxes they were in they were delivered at 12:30pm back down the post office at 1pm. Im sure the only loser there was me on postage cost..

I sent them back because i want to keep the cards i buy for 2 years maybe 3, So if i bought a 7970 or 680 then i can add to it 1 year down the line.. where 480's i probably wont be able to get in a years time.. not new anyway plus my psu wouldn't be big enough. So it made more sense to buy 1 card and add to it later if i need to.
Click to expand...
:D
 
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