7800GT SLI or single 7800 GTX 512 @1920x1200?

[Madellga]

Yes, call me stupid :shocked:. I was tired of the flaming threads here and I didn't check the forum last week (I was under a stone).

Saturday I went to the local shop to get a DFI NF4 Expert and ended also with 2 7800GT from Gainward.

I was planning to sell my normal GTX and go SLI. Today I saw the 512MB GTX reviews and OMG, it beats sometimes the 7800 SLI setup.

I can return the 7800GTs - haven't even installed them and get the GTX for the same price. I have also a buyer for my normal GTX. What would you recommend?

BTW Rollo, no flaming necessary but I am skipping ATIs for this generation....the X1800XT is still not available here, but the new GTX is .......

PS: My old NF4 is sold also, lets see if the Expert does better. The DFI NF4 Expert seems to be a great board, better layout IMO. BIOS options are a bit better also (HTT speed, voltage options). I just installed and fired up, copied my setting from the DR and it is now running Memtest. After some OK passes I will boot with Windows and check prime95. I will post some picture later in the mobo forum. I wanna see also if I can run my SD a bit faster.

 

[nippyjun]

What would be the price difference?

 

[crazydingo]

At 1920x1200, the 7800GTs will come out on top. Just look Anand's benches.

The advantage with the 512MB GTX are that you have the option of adding one down the round and get more. Add to that less power consumption and heat. (compared to 7800GT SLI)

Just dont give in to those inflated prices, get one only if you dont get shafted.

 

[Madellga]

Originally posted by: nippyjun
What would be the price difference?

20 bucks only

 

[Madellga]

Originally posted by: crazydingo
At 1920x1200, the 7800GTs will come out on top. Just look Anand's benches.

The advantage with the 512MB GTX are that you have the option of adding one down the round and get more. Add to that less power consumption and heat. (compared to 7800GT SLI)

Just dont give in to those inflated prices, get one only if you dont get shafted.

Yep, I just might return them and wait a couple of weeks. The prices will only fall.

Regarding perfomance, it is a mixed bag. Sometimes it is ahead, sometimes it is behind. Look at Day of Defeat or Serious Sam 2 (other websites). The GTX 512 wins.

The issue I think is that the 512MB GTX gives you the performance boost in all games, but the 7800 GT SLI sometimes doesn't. As I have no experience with SLI, that's why I am asking.

 

[Bartokomus]

I think a single card is the better choice; seems like depending on the situations, performance is about par. But you have the hope of new drivers improving performance on the 512 card, as well decreased noise and power consumption...

 

[Cookie Monster]

Originally posted by: Bartokomus
I think a single card is the better choice; seems like depending on the situations, performance is about par. But you have the hope of new drivers improving performance on the 512 card, as well decreased noise and power consumption...

True, the 512mb GTX used a beta driver, we could see more performance from this beast.
7800GTX 512mb.. less power, less noise, less heat, almost equal performance.. with its 512mb of ram it might help out performance in WoW.

 

[H0witzer]

In the reviews are all the cards running at stock speeds? If so then the GTX might have an advantage when overclocked.

I wonder if the GTX 512 maxes out alot higher or not.

Originally posted by: Madellga

Originally posted by: crazydingo
At 1920x1200, the 7800GTs will come out on top. Just look Anand's benches.

The advantage with the 512MB GTX are that you have the option of adding one down the round and get more. Add to that less power consumption and heat. (compared to 7800GT SLI)

Just dont give in to those inflated prices, get one only if you dont get shafted.

Yep, I just might return them and wait a couple of weeks. The prices will only fall.

Regarding perfomance, it is a mixed bag. Sometimes it is ahead, sometimes it is behind. Look at Day of Defeat or Serious Sam 2 (other websites). The GTX 512 wins.

The issue I think is that the 512MB GTX gives you the performance boost in all games, but the 7800 GT SLI sometimes doesn't. As I have no experience with SLI, that's why I am asking.

 

[Cheesetogo]

Originally posted by: H0witzer
In the reviews are all the cards running at stock speeds? If so then the GTX might have an advantage when overclocked.

I wonder if the GTX 512 maxes out alot higher or not.

Tom's hardware was able to get over 600 on the core and 1800 on the memory.

 

[H0witzer]

[/quote]

Tom's hardware was able to get over 600 on the core and 1800 on the memory.[/quote]

600 on the core and 1800 on Mem??!! Man that's high. That does make me think that when overclocked one GTX 512 might pull ahead than 2 GT's (overclocked).

 

[Marcdaddy]

My Default speeds when i set to potimal is 603/1.77 i can go as high as 625/1.81 when overclocking both of them.

 

[H0witzer]

Originally posted by: Marcdaddy
My Default speeds when i set to potimal is 603/1.77 i can go as high as 625/1.81 when overclocking both of them.

BOTH of them??!!! Dude that is just sick and wrong!!!

 

[crazylegs]

get the 512 GTX......

then if u must get another later!!!

 

[Madellga]

My wife asked why I was replacing the mobo and I explained her about SLI and showed her the new card on AT.

Now she asked if I would like one for Christmas.....

I replied that I would write my letter to Santa tonight

 

[Cookie Monster]

Originally posted by: Madellga
My wife asked why I was replacing the mobo and I explained her about SLI and showed her the new card on AT.

Now she asked if I would like one for Christmas.....

I replied that I would write my letter to Santa tonight

:laugh:

 

[Elfear]

I still think the GT's will come out ahead. In the benchmarks I saw if the 512MB 7800GTX was beating the SLI'd GTs it wasn't by much and it was only in a few games. I imagine some of the more hard-core games (FarCry, FEAR, HL2: Lost Coast, etc.) will see a nice increase from the SLI'd GTs over the 512MB GTX.

How much did you pay for your cards if you don't mind me asking? I was debating the same thing a week ago and after looking at prices it was a no-brainer, since a 512Mb 7800GTX is $700+ and I picked up two brand new GT's for ~$500.

 

[Eureka]

Well, the GT goes for about 350 each right now, and the 512 GTX is 700... maybe you should wait until 512 drops in price?

Norm

 

[Madellga]

The cheapest 7800GT I can get costs 333 euros. It is the one from Gainward.

The 7800GTX 512MB costs around 675 euros (XFX is the only one I can buy at the moment).

To get prices in dollar add around 20% to prices in euro. The price includes 16% tax.
In US you can get rebates and there is competition between sellers. In Europe most stores sell close to MSRP. It is a shame.

With a DFI NF4 Expert I could install NV Silencers on the GTs, having less noise and better cooling.

Is SLI working on most games? My + point for the 512MB GTX is not to worry about SLI setup and bugs.

 

[johnnqq]

if you game at 1600x1200 go with the 512. sli requires a bigger psu, sli mobo, decent airflow. unless you have this (which you might) 512 gtx may be a better option.

 

[deadseasquirrel]

Originally posted by: H0witzer
In the reviews are all the cards running at stock speeds? If so then the GTX might have an advantage when overclocked.

I wonder if the GTX 512 maxes out alot higher or not.

FiringSquad tested it. Results for the left-click impaired:

FEAR 16x12 4x16x
512GTX..........35
512GTX OC.....38
GT SLI............40

Quake4 16x12 4x16x
512GTX............92
512GTX OC.....101
GT SLI............105

Doesn't quite take the lead overclocked, but it does come a lot closer.

Things turn odd at 2048x1536:

FEAR 20x15 4x16x
512GTX..........23
512GTX OC.....26
GT SLI............24

The overclock helps the 512mb takeover here at the highest of resolutions, but that doesn't work on Quake4:

Quake4 20x15 4x16x
512GTX..........69
512GTX OC.....63
GT SLI............78

No idea why it goes DOWN when overclocked... unless that overclock was too high and thermally throttled down.

 

[Madellga]

Is SLI working on most games? New and Old?

A single card will be better always, no matter what.

The SLI setup must support/be supported in the game.

Is that done through the drivers? Or is it needed also game patching?

Regarding my hardware, I think it can handle both cases (except in situations like the summer 2003, we had 40C for some days...)

 

[H0witzer]

Wow that is interesting. I would have expected a little more in OC mode. Ohhh well not like "I" could afford one for a while anways I just bought my 7800 GTX256 and there is no way I can justify buying a new card.

Originally posted by: deadseasquirrel

Originally posted by: H0witzer
In the reviews are all the cards running at stock speeds? If so then the GTX might have an advantage when overclocked.

I wonder if the GTX 512 maxes out alot higher or not.

FiringSquad tested it. Results for the left-click impaired:

FEAR 16x12 4x16x
512GTX..........35
512GTX OC.....38
GT SLI............40

Quake4 16x12 4x16x
512GTX............92
512GTX OC.....101
GT SLI............105

Doesn't quite take the lead overclocked, but it does come a lot closer.

Things turn odd at 2048x1536:

FEAR 20x15 4x16x
512GTX..........23
512GTX OC.....26
GT SLI............24

The overclock helps the 512mb takeover here at the highest of resolutions, but that doesn't work on Quake4:

Quake4 20x15 4x16x
512GTX..........69
512GTX OC.....63
GT SLI............78

No idea why it goes DOWN when overclocked... unless that overclock was too high and thermally throttled down.

 

[SniperWulf]

since you have the cash in hand right now, I would return the GTs, get the 512 and wait for wifey-pooh to get the second one for christmas

 

[Madellga]

2 GTX 512MB? That won't happen. Santa will not do that.

GT SLI or GTX 512MB is what Santa would bring. Of course I also would open the package before Xmas....:evil:

 

[imported_michaelpatrick33]

Has Nvidia made any mention of being able to SLI a 7800GTX 256 (I have a watercooled BFG at 521core and 1414mem) and a 7800GTX 512 (which I will, of course, watercool)? I already have a Seasonic 600 so I am not worried about power