7800 gtx sli vs. single 8800 gtx

[itsmekirill]

I've been running 7800 gtx sli for almost 2 years now, but the summer heat is reminding me once again what a mistake I made getting cards with single-slot coolers. They routinely run at 95 celcius during the summer which sometimes results in artifacts.

So I'm wondering, if I were to get just one 8800 gtx, how would its performance compare to my SLI setup?

 

[Kromis]

Originally posted by: itsmekirill
I've been running 7800 gtx sli for almost 2 years now, but the summer heat is reminding me once again what a mistake I made getting cards with single-slot coolers. They routinely run at 95 celcius during the summer which sometimes results in artifacts.

So I'm wondering, if I were to get just one 8800 gtx, how would its performance compare to my SLI setup?

Obliteration

 

[gregor7777]

Originally posted by: itsmekirill
I've been running 7800 gtx sli for almost 2 years now, but the summer heat is reminding me once again what a mistake I made getting cards with single-slot coolers. They routinely run at 95 celcius during the summer which sometimes results in artifacts.

So I'm wondering, if I were to get just one 8800 gtx, how would its performance compare to my SLI setup?

WHOA, I have the exact same cards running in SLI in a pretty tight case.

Mine idle at 52C and under use see upper 60's.

95 degrees is WAY too hot for those.

BTW, I live in Southern Florida so heat is an issue here too.

Here's a comparison with the cards in question:


First link, look at the 8800GTX single card in D3, 1600x, High Quality

113.5 fps

Second Link, Dual 7800GTX 256mb in SLI in D3, 1600x, High Quality

91.9 fps

Not quite obliteration, but this will of course vary by resolution and game so take it for what it's worth.

 

[Dainas]

Those temps are pretty scary, ether the cooling paste has been reduced to a crumbling dust under the heatsink.. or you live in an oven. With my 7800GTX sli, it was about 54c idle and topping out at 78c. The 8800GTX runs allot hotter in idle(58-68c) but still stays under 85c in burn


Performance wise when it comes to games like Oblivion and Call of Jurez.. its complete and annihilation over 7800GTX SLI by the 8800GTX. First off in Oblivion with the exact same settings(maxed with hdr) plus 4xAA my FPS went from 20~ to 50(!!!!!) outside. Also there is never any outside combat chop out slideshows like 7800GTX sli.

Other games it isnt soo glaring, but still, damn.

 

[nitromullet]

I had 7800GTX SLI last year, and I have to agree with the rest of the posters. I really like my single 8800GTX much better than both of those 7800's. That being said, I had tremendous heat issues with the SLI setup as well because I had a Lian Li V1200 Plus case (the cards were upside down at the top of the case), and the best solution was to replace the single slot stock coolers with NV5 Silencers from Arctic Cooling.

 

[Slugbait]

The Card Cooler sounds like something that would help. Got tons of excellent reviews, and was even highlighted four years ago by MaxPC in their GOTY issue.

I have one in a drawer somewhere that use to cool my overclocked Ti200. The big bonus was that the airflow going over the top of the card provided additional air to my Northwood 1.6a, and therefore I was finally able to get a stable overclock higher than 2.2 (finally got it to 2.4).

Been thinking about swapping out the original fans for LED fans and run 'em around 1000 RPM, just to give my new system a little more bling and a little extra cooling over my videocard.

Alas, the company has apparently folded. Their website has been returning a 404 for about a year now. But it should be relatively easy to copy...it consists of a pair of 80mm Sunon fans connected to a pair of brackets.

 

[Fenixgoon]

single card - allows for extra expansion, typically faster, fewer issues in getting all games to work (god forbid you lack an SLI profile, bad SLI drivers, etc.)

 

[Munky]

1 new high end card > 2 old high end cards. Period.

 

[itsmekirill]

I pried off the heat sinks and dabbed on some new AS5. It went a little cooler...by 4-5 degrees. Forcing the fans to 100% with rivatuner was another few degrees (they were capped at 70% by default for some reason). I guess it's time to get a new card.

 

[LittleNemoNES]

Originally posted by: itsmekirill
I pried off the heat sinks and dabbed on some new AS5. It went a little cooler...by 4-5 degrees. Forcing the fans to 100% with rivatuner was another few degrees (they were capped at 70% by default for some reason). I guess it's time to get a new card.

lol I wish I could say that with your ease

'Oh well, time to get rid of these 2 once high end cards!'

 

[bryanW1995]

gersson, what kind of scores are you getting in 3d mark 06? I'm thinking of running an x1900 cf and x1950xt in crossfire on an ip35 pro. I have an msi 975 mobo for cf comparison but it's not mine.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: itsmekirill
I guess it's time to get a new card.

Either that or some case fans. If I were you, I'd add a 92mm side intake to your case, directly over the cards. I've seen 15-20°C lower load temps when that was done with a single card that had a single slot cooler. Of course, if you were using the temps as an excuse for your upgrade, I guess that's as good of an excuse as any.

 

[LittleNemoNES]

Originally posted by: bryanW1995
gersson, what kind of scores are you getting in 3d mark 06? I'm thinking of running an x1900 cf and x1950xt in crossfire on an ip35 pro. I have an msi 975 mobo for cf comparison but it's not mine.

last time I checked I got ~12000 3d mark06 and ~20,000+ 3dmark05