Dual SLI NVidia 6800 (God-send Or Cursed)

[Quicksilver62160]

I've been reading up recently that NVidia is bringing back the Voodoo's concept of SLI, where on the new PCI-E motherboards that have two PCI-E slots, you'll be able to put two of the same graphics cards next to each other.

The drawback, you have to upgrade your entire computer, motherboard, RAM, processor, everything just to get this feature, so that brings us to the point, is this a great thing or is this just something to piss off avid video gamers.

So far, PCI-E has been underperforming in every sense of the word, AGP still holds the reins, controling the video card industry. Will SLI provoke the reign of PCI-E though, or will it prove to be another downfall?

[Yawgm0th]

Re: Dual SLI NVidia 6800 (God-send Or Cursed)

It's pointless until we get it on AMD systems. Intel processors aren't fast enough and will hold back the cards. It would take a high-end Athlon 64 to prevent CPU limitation. You put that Dual SLI system on an Intel system and it won't be much improvement over a single card. When nForce 4 comes out and they make socket 939 motherboards with dual PCI-E slots, it might have some use. Even then, only if you have an Athlon 64 FX-53 (or 55, if it's out by then) would it be worth the money.

Besides, it's so expensive that most people won't even consider it.

[Quicksilver62160]

Re: Dual SLI NVidia 6800 (God-send Or Cursed)

Yeah, you really can't do much without using an AMD Processor now, that seems to have become a staple comment. I would like to see the abilites of one of the new motherboards with the SLI cards in it though, I think that it might actually prove to be an interesting match... that's if (and a big if here) they manage to make PCI not suck, and increase the quality of DDR2.

Well, we can only hope for so much right? I still have a feeling in the pit of my stomach that a truly useful SLI set-up is at least 2-3 years away.

[Juggalo_Dan]

Re: Dual SLI NVidia 6800 (God-send Or Cursed)

Here is what I'm thinking.

Dual Athlon 64 FX-53 nForce based Motherboard
2gb Dual Channel PC-4000 Ram
Dual Radeon X800XT 256mb or Dual Geforce 6800GT 256mb
Mixed with.
15k rpm Hard Drive for faster loading.

Would that not be the godliest gaming system?

[amd_man2005]

Re: Dual SLI NVidia 6800 (God-send Or Cursed)

No. Theres no point in Dual CPU's. You only need one.

[Quicksilver62160]

Re: Dual SLI NVidia 6800 (God-send Or Cursed)

No. Theres no point in Dual CPU's. You only need one.

\

I believe that you meant GPU, well, I hope that's what you were talking about. And this is a debate about it, or a discussion really, not should I get it.


Juggalo- That looks like my computer, look in my siggy.

[amd_man2005]

Re: Dual SLI NVidia 6800 (God-send Or Cursed)

\

I believe that you meant GPU

Umm, no. He also mentioned Dual X800 for the video card, the part I mentioned had nothing to do with dual GPU's.

[rahat]

Re: Dual SLI NVidia 6800 (God-send Or Cursed)

If you are able to spend around 3500$ it will be good. But I dont think most of us would be able to spend such a huge amount fo money. IMO it is meaningless to gain 30 more fps in doom 3 by 1000$.

[Yawgm0th]

Re: Dual SLI NVidia 6800 (God-send Or Cursed)

You can't use dual Athlon 64 FXs anyway. The socket 939s can't, and the socket 940s are just renamed Opteron 150s, which also can't. Even use dual Opterons 2** wouldn't make much difference anyway. Certainly not enough to make up for the performance lost by the use of ECC RAM, which is required by socket 940 processors.

[wayout44]

Re: Dual SLI NVidia 6800 (God-send Or Cursed)

You needn't use dual PCIe 6800's either as the PCIe 6600's have the SLi bridges as well.

[Quicksilver62160]

Re: Dual SLI NVidia 6800 (God-send Or Cursed)

Umm, no. He also mentioned Dual X800 for the video card, the part I mentioned had nothing to do with dual GPU's.

Ooh, I see, I missed where he said that Dual processor part lol, thought you were still talking about the two Nvidia Cards on the SLI. And everyone else, this is not a "should I thread" it's a discussion thread on your opinions of this new technology.

Personally, I feel that the PCI-E is just another gimic that's going to die off like many other things. Technology is killer like that, the Tablet PC never took off, and I don't think that PCI-E will really be making any strides either. And for refrences, I've just consumed a six pack of Smirnoff .

[Yawgm0th]

Re: Dual SLI NVidia 6800 (God-send Or Cursed)

PCI-E is a must. Graphics might not take advantage of it for years, but that's not the only part of PCI-E. It does away with the PCI bus and allow for much faster devices to be used in PCI (PCI-E, that is) slots. It's especially important for servers and high-end workstations as in getting rid of the need of PCI, it also means no more need for PCI-X. That means using fast devices, such as SCSI and SATA controller cards, without paying much more for PCI-X. PCI-E is certainly useful, it's just not yet needed for video cards. In that area, it only provides more bandwitdh to something that has more bandwidth than it can use. Maybe in a couple years cards and applications will take advantage of PCI-E. Until then, it's not worth worrying about unless you will actually make use of the PCI-E slots.

[Morgan_Lander]

Re: Dual SLI NVidia 6800 (God-send Or Cursed)

Also, unless I missed something, I haven't heard about ATi having SLi or similar for the X800's. Make your own conclusions...

For gaming, no dual cpu's aren't necessary, and really a waste. It would be cool though. However, if you actually do rendering alot, for example, that might justify the extra CPU.

[amd_man2005]

Re: Dual SLI NVidia 6800 (God-send Or Cursed)

And everyone else, this is not a "should I thread" it's a discussion thread on your opinions of this new technology.

I don't believe we need you telling us what to talk about in your thread, as its over a page long now and the answser has pretty much been answered and threads just have their ways of wandering off topic in some way or another.

[Juggalo_Dan]

Re: Dual SLI NVidia 6800 (God-send Or Cursed)

Also, unless I missed something, I haven't heard about ATi having SLi or similar for the X800's. Make your own conclusions...

For gaming, no dual cpu's aren't necessary, and really a waste. It would be cool though. However, if you actually do rendering alot, for example, that might justify the extra CPU.

Yes, I do some rendering every once in a while when I get bored.

Someone spare me an Athlon XP 2400+ This 1800+ is killing my frame rate... I don't have any cash, damn I need a job.