8800 GT SLI = 9800 GX2?

[UzairH]

Ok, the 9800 GX2 has two cores (or seperate GPUs), with 128 stream processors each. The 8800 GT has 112 SPs. Both have very similar core and memory clock speeds. My question is, since the 9800 GX2 is just basically two 8800 GT's stuck together, yet it sells for $500 vs $180 for an 8800 GT, why not get a pair of 8800 GTs and SLI them yourself? This is assuming of course one already has an SLI mobo, or that the price difference between a single SLI PCIe and a dual SLI mobo is small enough. Does the performance of 8800 GT SLI (each one 512 MB) equal that of a single 9800 GX2?

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: UzairH
Ok, the 9800 GX2 has two cores (or seperate GPUs), with 128 stream processors each. The 8800 GT has 112 SPs. Both have very similar core and memory clock speeds. My question is, since the 9800 GX2 is just basically two 8800 GT's stuck together, yet it sells for $500 vs $180 for an 8800 GT, why not get a pair of 8800 GTs and SLI them yourself? This is assuming of course one already has an SLI mobo, or that the price difference between a single SLI PCIe and a dual SLI mobo is small enough. Does the performance of 8800 GT SLI (each one 512 MB) equal that of a single 9800 GX2?

Its more like 2 underclocked GTS stuck together, but yes, this is what people were accurately basing expectations and pricing on prior to GX2's release. There is some potential difference in how well SLi profiles are maintained and updated for single-slot SLI vs standard SLI. There's still some advantages/disadvantages to both and some odd variations in games (probably due to profiles), but for the most part performance is the same.

 

[UzairH]

Thanks Chizow. I'm getting a new system soon (jumping on the quad core wagon), and will either stick with my X1950 XT or get the 8800 GT SLI, both as a stopgap until the nextgen Nvidious/AMD cards are launched.

 

[Wreckem]

Originally posted by: UzairH
Thanks Chizow. I'm getting a new system soon (jumping on the quad core wagon), and will either stick with my X1950 XT or get the 8800 GT SLI, both as a stopgap until the nextgen Nvidious/AMD cards are launched.

Thats exactly what I did. I pulled the trigger on 8800GT SLI when I got it for under $350. Its preformance is slightly less than the GX2 at stock levels but its neglibile, and if you overclock its much much more in line with the GX2.