7950GT 256 vs 7950GT 512

[Ruger22C]

Did I make a mistake in buying the 256 version? I plan to run SLI. I use 1600x1200 resolution, and I enable AA/AF, etc. The 512 was only $40 more, did I make a big mistake?

 

[Rockinacoustic]

I don't believe you can run SLI on cards with the same GPU but varying RAM sizes. Most people here will tell you to got for a single card (perhaps a 8800gts/x), unless you already have a 7950GT and are adding the second one.

On the other note I really can't see an extra 3-5fps increase at most justifying $40-80 more, but that's just me. Needless to say, your setup should well handle your desired settings at most new games.

 

[Ruger22C]

Unfortunately, it doesn't. Maybe when I get the new PC (RAM, CPU, MoBo) it'll be a bit faster.

 

[Looney]

At 1600x1200 with AA/AF enabled, i would have sprung for the 512mb if it was only $40 more.

 

[Ruptga]

Originally posted by: Looney
At 1600x1200 with AA/AF enabled, i would have sprung for the 512mb if it was only $40 more.

Same here. The 320MB GTS chokes at 19x12 with no AA, just to give you a bit of a reference point as far as memory goes.

You can SLi cards with different memories and even GPUs, it's just that both cards run at the least common denominator. Ie, SLi a 256 and 512MB card and the extra 256MB on the second card will be ignored, or if you use a card with 12 pipes and another with 24 pipes, the extra twelve pipes on the 24-pipe card will be ignored.

SLi isn't really worthwhile, it's not nearly as good as far as bang/buck, and there are some headaches involved that you wouldn't have with a single high-powered card (ie. SLi only works with a single monitor output, extra driver issues, things like that)

 

[Ruger22C]

Originally posted by: ADDAvenger

Originally posted by: Looney
At 1600x1200 with AA/AF enabled, i would have sprung for the 512mb if it was only $40 more.

Same here. The 320MB GTS chokes at 19x12 with no AA, just to give you a bit of a reference point as far as memory goes.

You can SLi cards with different memories and even GPUs, it's just that both cards run at the least common denominator. Ie, SLi a 256 and 512MB card and the extra 256MB on the second card will be ignored, or if you use a card with 12 pipes and another with 24 pipes, the extra twelve pipes on the 24-pipe card will be ignored.

SLi isn't really worthwhile, it's not nearly as good as far as bang/buck, and there are some headaches involved that you wouldn't have with a single high-powered card (ie. SLi only works with a single monitor output, extra driver issues, things like that)

Really? Can I put my X850XT in here ?!

Also, I read on another forum that 2 cards with 256mB in SLI does not equal 512 mB. As in, the RAM on the second card is ignore Completely. Is that true? 256 + 256 = 256

 

[Ruptga]

Originally posted by: Ruger22C

Originally posted by: ADDAvenger

Originally posted by: Looney
At 1600x1200 with AA/AF enabled, i would have sprung for the 512mb if it was only $40 more.

Same here. The 320MB GTS chokes at 19x12 with no AA, just to give you a bit of a reference point as far as memory goes.

You can SLi cards with different memories and even GPUs, it's just that both cards run at the least common denominator. Ie, SLi a 256 and 512MB card and the extra 256MB on the second card will be ignored, or if you use a card with 12 pipes and another with 24 pipes, the extra twelve pipes on the 24-pipe card will be ignored.

SLi isn't really worthwhile, it's not nearly as good as far as bang/buck, and there are some headaches involved that you wouldn't have with a single high-powered card (ie. SLi only works with a single monitor output, extra driver issues, things like that)

Really? Can I put my X850XT in here ?!

Also, I read on another forum that 2 cards with 256mB in SLI does not equal 512 mB. As in, the RAM on the second card is ignore Completely. Is that true? 256 + 256 = 256

erm... no you can't SLi an ATi and nVidia card, in fact you can't even have both companies' cards in your system, their drivers basically try to kill each other

The ram on the second card isn't ignored, it's just that each card is still pulling from its own memory, much like two HDDs in raid 0 have the same capacity of one HDD by itself, though performance is increased.

edit: I see where you got messed up, I meant different GPUs as in a 7600 and a 7800 in the same box, the cards still need to be from the same company though.

 

[Ruger22C]

I see. I thought that RAID 0 was 2 HDDs and it doubled the capacity, just that every other bit was on the second HDD. thus, if you lost one you lost them both. But technically doubled? Am I wrong?

 

[Ruger22C]

Also when you say company, you mean i.e. nVidia, right? I.E. an XFX will work with a BFG?

 

[Ruptga]

Originally posted by: Ruger22C
Also when you say company, you mean i.e. nVidia, right? I.E. an XFX will work with a BFG?

Yeah I meant same designing company, different vendors such as XFX and BFG don't matter as far as compatibility, the differences with them is with factory overclocks and warranties.

You're right about Raid 0, I got some of it confused with Raid 1. I can't think of any other analogies though. Just know that the memories don't add up, card 1 can't access card 2's memory, and vice versa. Maybe that will be possible in the future, but I doubt it since that would bring a whole lot of extra latency into the system.

 

[Noema]

Like others said: Avoid SLI if you can.

I'd get a single 8800GTS 640MB, which would be cheaper than SLIed 7950GT, or even better: a 8800GTX (you'd have to pay about $70 more) which would be considerably faster than x2 7950GTs.

 

[firewolfsm]

Wow, you guys are so confusing.

You can NOT SLi two cards with different model names, a 7600GT will only go with another 7600GT, not a GS, and not a 7800 either. You can use cards from different manufacturers, like an XFX 7950GT and an eVga 7950GT, the lower clock speed will be used.

Memory is mirrored between the cards, so yes they each have their own memory but the data must be on each card simultaneously. Meaning you still only have 256.

RAID 0 does add the capacities of both disks, it spreads the data across both hard drives, improving performance and capacity but leaving a high chance of data loss (if you lose one disk you lose a lot of your data depending on how it's fragmented)