SLI question
 

I have a question about SLI.

I am looking to make my computer SLI, but the current graphics card I have is 'discontinued' in places where I've looked.

I can get it direct from XFX or from eBay.

I have the XFX GeForce 8800GTX 768MB PCI-E card.

I bought the card last October, and I can't find out the model of the card (will something like Everest show this?)

What I want to know, is if I buy another one...and it's a newer/older model of the XFX GeForce 8800GTX 768MB PCI-E, will it work with the current card on SLI?

Also, will a 700W PSU cope with;

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 G0 2.4GHz
4GB DDR2 6400 800MHz Corsair XMS2
2x XFX GeForce 8800GTX 768MB PCI-E
Creative X-FI Xtreme PCI-E
Western Digital Raptor 74GB 10,000RMP
Samsung DVD RW
Various fans, such as CPU fan, case fans, etc.

Thanks.

Re: SLI question
 

for the cards I can't answer you as for the power supply, as long as it is efficient enough then there should be no problems on 800W

Re: SLI question
 

Thanks, I didn't quite expect such a fast reply, though I'm not used to forums which has such a large user base.

Edit; I've just realised that it is a 700W PSU...will it be any different?

Re: SLI question
 

sell it and buy a 4870x2 lol

Re: SLI question
 

I've always been an nVidia boffin, and I've never had any experience with ATI.

I have an nForce motherboard, and I'm guessing I'd have compatability issues if I used ATI cards on that motherboard.

Who're better at the moment, nVidia or ATI?

Re: SLI question
 

you would not have compat problems or you should not. The 4870 X2 is 2 gpus on one card and does perform very well

Re: SLI question
 

Looking on eBay, I could sell this card for around £100 or something.

Would spending another £100 on another 8800GTX be better than spending £200 on 2x ATI's?

Would I get the same/better/worse performance with that budget on ATI or nVidia?

Re: SLI question
 

You cant crossfire ATi cards on an nForce motherboard. You'd need an X38 or X48 intel chipset for that (for 16x16) or you could buy a cheaper P45 (for 8x8) There will be no difference despite the slower slot speeds with the P45.

You'd have no problem running a 4870x2 on an nForce board, just you wont be able to double ATi cards up.

Aslong as the GTX is the same core type (eg. G80) then it will work. It doesnt matter what vendor they're from. The 8800GTX only comes in the G80 flavour anyway so whatever card you pick up, it will work no problem.

The power supply should be fine.

---------- Post added at 19:25 ---------- Previous post was at 19:23 ----------

Personally, i'd sell the GTX you have and buy a 4870x2... you'll get much more longetivity out of it. Even in games that don't support crossfire, you'll still see a better improvement using one core over SLI 8800GTX's

Re: SLI question
 

From what I can see, the 4870's are expensive (in excess of £300). I'm only a student, so I'm fairly limited on cash at the moment. :P

The current computer configuration can play Crysis smoothly on High settings (the only one higher is blanked out), so I'm wondering if it's even worth spending that extra £300 at all.

Re: SLI question
 

Depends what resolution you play in to be honest, but either way a 4870x2 murders 8800GTX SLi in its sleep whatever the situation, apart from in crysis. (CryEngine seems to run better on nvidia hardware, probably a driver issue)

Not only that, but the 4870x2 is a lot more future proof.

Re: SLI question
 

I'll look into upgrading some time in the near future probably. I need a new motherboard too though. This one doesn't allow much overclocking.

Re: SLI question
 

It seems to me that Fire is pushing SLI out. The main mobo producer of SLI boards is, I think, Asus. There arnt many other manufacturers producing them.

On the other hand, I have seen plenty of Crossfire boards.

Of course, the two are incompatible. Doesn't the SLI rely on Nvidea chips? Or am I on the wrong track?

Re: SLI question
 

I believe SLI works best with nVidia, and Crossfire works best with ATI.

What is Fire? Got a link where I can update myself?

Re: SLI question
 

you are right. Intel chipsets cover crossfire and crossfireX. Intell chipsets are better with Core cpus

Re: SLI question
 

Not the case anymore, well, not for the next generation of boards.

Intel's X58 boards support both Crossfire and SLi natively.

Re: SLI question
 

the higher option for the "very high" graphics detail is blanked out because i assume your running XP and that cannot do dx10.

while i am aswell a nvidia user i have 2xbfg gtx280's in sli and i do see an improvement in, games but that is because i run at the max resolution that my tv allows.

the sli'd 8800gtx's will give you smooth playable frame rates at the dx10 level but you would need, to be running vista for that unless you do the graphics hack for crysis where you start to change values in one of the config files for the game, but if i was you and i know some people will be shocked at this but i would sell the gtx and, get a 4870x2 and possibly a new mobo aswell as crysis will benefit from a oc'd cpu.

my spec is
intel q9450 oc'd to 3.6ghz
4gb ddr 3 ram oc'd to 1600mhz
and the gtx280's in sli and i can play crysis at 1920x1080 at very high (dx10) and get 50fps however with newer drivers that might increase but i know, that the 4870 x2's are competeing very well against my cards and even beating them in some cases so i suggest, the 4870 x2 unless you don't want amd the keep the gtx and just get another gtx any make aslong as the core is the same, although i haven't checked the specs for a while but i think that the 4870 x2's memory bandwidth is allot larger than 2x 8800gtx's sli'd.

Re: SLI question
 

Ooooooooooops, missed the X!:dunce:

Re: SLI question
 

Sorry, I should have guessed. ¬_¬


Thanks for the information though.