2x6600GT GPU's on a single card

[Elcs]

Perhaps this dual core, single card is faster than 2 single cored cards due to latencies concerned with the SLI connector.

Certainly there is some latency attached to to communication of the cores and memory between the cards. Wouldnt having the 2 sets of memory and 2 cores on one pcb reduce any such latency and provide some sort of improvement in speed?

One thing to consider, are they overclocking the cores/memory by default? Some cards of this generation are coming out 'factory overclocked', this could be an example of that.

 

[Ackmed]

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: Ackmed
I cant believe at how many people think this card will be faster than a X850XT, or a 6800U. Its simply not going to happen in games, with any sort of high res and AA/AF.

This is all based on the 3Dmark03 score Ackmed. This is a different design, so it is possible it has different results, no? It's all speculative. If it's not faster than a X850XTPE, then you can feel satisfied that you were correct. If it does, then others can feel satisfied that you were incorrect. People can think whatever they want you know. But by all means, try to convince them. 😉

Yes they can think what they want, but setting themselves up for a fall is silly.

Looking at the facts that we have now, a 6800GT is faster than 2x6600GT's in SLI in high res+AA/AF.

Then look at the fact that they used a synthetic benchmark, 3dmark2003. Also they didnt say what res, or with any AA or AF. You can bet they used the default 1024x768, which doesnt even stress it very much.

In games at 1600x1200 4xAA/8xAF (which every review said was the only way SLI is really better) the X850XT and 6800U will be faster. If its not, Ill shave my head and get on the roof, and crow like a chicken.

 

[thegimp03]

If its not, Ill shave my head and get on the roof, and crow like a chicken.

rofl :thumbsup:

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: Ackmed

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: Ackmed
I cant believe at how many people think this card will be faster than a X850XT, or a 6800U. Its simply not going to happen in games, with any sort of high res and AA/AF.

This is all based on the 3Dmark03 score Ackmed. This is a different design, so it is possible it has different results, no? It's all speculative. If it's not faster than a X850XTPE, then you can feel satisfied that you were correct. If it does, then others can feel satisfied that you were incorrect. People can think whatever they want you know. But by all means, try to convince them. 😉

Yes they can think what they want, but setting themselves up for a fall is silly.

Looking at the facts that we have now, a 6800GT is faster than 2x6600GT's in SLI in high res+AA/AF.

Then look at the fact that they used a synthetic benchmark, 3dmark2003. Also they didnt say what res, or with any AA or AF. You can bet they used the default 1024x768, which doesnt even stress it very much.

In games at 1600x1200 4xAA/8xAF (which every review said was the only way SLI is really better) the X850XT and 6800U will be faster. If its not, Ill shave my head and get on the roof, and crow like a chicken.

How far can you fall if your only reading about it? I can see a fall if you were to rush out and buy it before reading benches on the thing. By the way, do you happen to know what 2 6600GT's SLI'd (the original way) were pulling down in 3dmark03 at 1024x768 noAA/AF? Basically default settings?

 

[Pete]

Interesting. I didn't know GB will use 600MHz DDR, not the usual 500MHz, with this thing. Apparently Samsung is providing them enough 600MHz chips, but nV isn't handing out enough NV45s. The extra memory bandwidth should help quite a bit, and Anand's SLI review shows the 6600GT SLI close or faster than a 6800U without AA/AF. It still loses across the board with AA, and I'm not sure the extra bandwidth will help it overcome its deficit there.

I can believe it's smoother than a 6800U, but, judging by Anand's numbers, I don't think it'll be able to fully close the AA+AF gap. On the plus side, SLIed 6600GTs use the asme amount of power as a single 6800U. So the advantages seem to be slightly higher (and perhaps smoother) performance without AA, and perhaps a lower price. The disadvantages appear to be close to 128MB than 256MB available memory, and probably slower AA+AF performance.

 

[Pete]

keys, I was curious to read if nV's SLI PR numbers showed overly good 3DM scores, too. Guess what? They did. 🙂 It's 3DM05, not 3DM03, but I think SLI will scale the same for non-interactive benchmarks (where nV can use AFR, or can precalculate the most efficient SFR split). Turn on the AA, and the 6800U will probably pull ahead, most likely because of the extra RAM, but maybe also because of the extra ROPs (6800 has one per pipe, 6600GT has one per two pipes--not sure if the extra fillrate can help with MSAA).

 

[NanoCon]

newb here...does anyone know who makes the fans? Are they available off the shelf?

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003
By the way, do you happen to know what 2 6600GT's SLI'd (the original way) were pulling down in 3dmark03 at 1024x768 noAA/AF? Basically default settings?

About 13-15K, according to Futuremark's ORB (search for 3DMark03 scores with a 6600GT; the top 10 or so are claiming to be 6600GT SLI). Which is, coincidentally, just about what they claim their new card scores.

An OCed 6800GT/Ultra gets around 15K, and an OCed X800XT(PE) scores about 17-18K in 3DMark03. If the card scores what they claim it does, it's not going to blow away any high-end single-card solutions.

 

[Ackmed]

Originally posted by: eyeballkid

Originally posted by: Ackmed
Also, my bet is they used 1024x768, and no AA/AF. That doesnt really stress the GPU's bandwidth. A 6800U or X850XT despite what they claim, will be faster in real games, with settings that stress the GPU. Say 1600x1200 4xAA/8xAF. You can take that to the bank. 🙂

So, a 6800U or X850XT will be faster in real games with settings that make these games unplayable. I can see how that is a valid point indeed.

What are "these" games? MANY new games are very playable at 1600x1200 with 4xAA/8xAF. Even if you dont use AA/AF, the 6800U and X850XT will still probably be faster.

Take a look at any SLI preview, even Anands for proof of this. Almost everyone says SLI doesnt really help, until you get to 1600x1200. And all tests show the 6800U faster than 2x6600GT's.

 

[SolMiester]

I like the idea of porting it over to AGP, the SLI boards will be a non-starter

 

[CheesePoofs]

SLI can't be ported over to agp, not even this card. SLI requires the extra bandwith in both directions that is provided by PCI-E, and because of this it can't run on an AGP board.

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: CheesePoofs
SLI can't be ported over to agp, not even this card. SLI requires the extra bandwith in both directions that is provided by PCI-E, and because of this it can't run on an AGP board.

The SLI in this case is onboard the card -- and it doesn't run through the PCIe bus anyway (the SLI bridge connector goes directly between the two cards). It's just that normally you can't have two AGP boards in one system, but you can have two PCIe boards.

In theory, you could make an AGP card like this. But unless it's *considerably* cheaper than a 6800GT, or they really did manage to hack it into acting sort of like a card with a 256-bit memory interface, I'm not sure why you would want to.

 

[GRIdpOOL]

Merry Christmas everybody!

I have been doing some recon about this and have a few ideas.

[*]This is only the beginning; as some of you have already stated.

[*]The fact that this card has better performance than the dual 6600 cards in SLI is mostly due to less traffic and that traffic only going to one PCI-E interface. There is less interference and less crosstalk. Basic board logic suggests that this solution should be at least 5% faster in initial request latency.

[*]There is no reason this card couldn't be ported to AGP or other manufacturer PCI-E chipsets other than the fact that nVidia won't allow it or create drivers for it. That's why it is showing up with an SLI board. This card could possibly end up working in an ATI chipset board with the right drivers. Isn't that scary for nVidia? Here is the "conversation" that went on between Gigabyte and nVidia: Gig-"We have engineered a dual GPU card that utilizes your SLI drivers and enhancements to outperform all other single-card solutions and intend to sell it for half the cost of your flagship model. And, ehhemm, We did it on a K8T890 reference chipset by the way. Your driver SDK is wonderful. 😉 nV-"What? We didn't do it first? You cannot build an SLI card without SLI, no matter if it is SLI or not! Its an outrage! Where is the hemlock?" Gig-"Ok, calm down...." (notice Gigabyte is holding all the cards here - forgive the pun) nV-"OK, OK. On 2 conditions.... 1. We will "let" you sell it if you promise not to sell it for less than $600. 2. Please don't sell it until 2005. 2a. The card must only work with an nVidia SLI certified board. 2a1. Don't sell it without an SLI motherboard so people don't get any smart ideas. 2a2. Don't sell it until we can oblige the other manufacturers with their original SLI manufacturing plans. 2a3. On second thought, don't sell it at all..."
Gig-"We are readying the ATI-based dual-gpu solution and should have the dual x800xl card by Q205." nV-"-AAAAARGH!!!!! Ok. Fine. Sell the card. Sell it for five dollars. Just please, please don't give ATI something else to trump us with!" Gig-"That's what we thought you'd say."

Anyway.... What do you guys think?

GRIdpOOL

 

[EightySix Four]

The final part sounds pretty close to my guess of what's going on 😛

 

[Jeffyboy]

yup... tres cool huh ;-) People ought to make sure it'll fit... looks a little longer..and prolly a little heavier too cuz of all the copper. Would be nice I bet.

Jeff