8800 GTS 320MB + 640MB

[tokenhandle]

From all the reviews I'm seeing, the 8800 GTS 320mb is great until the resolutions get high. Since I'm using a 19" widescreen, this is not a problem for me, so this card hits the sweet spot as far as price v performance. I am worried about what happens if I upgrade the monitor tho. Guru3d had a report that showed 2 320mb GTS still couldn't hack it at higher resolutions because of the limited memory.

I did find something interesting on the Nvidia website.

They list the requirements for SLi as "Two identical GPUs".

So is it possible to run a 320mb GTS and a 640mb GTS together?
Technically, they ARE the same GPUs, right?

 

[Matt2]

I would say this is completely out of the question.

After all, you couldnt SLI a 7800GTX 256mb with a 7800GTX 512mb.

As far as I know, the frame buffer on the two cards have to be exactly the same since both cards are rendering the same scene.

 

[tvdang7]

Originally posted by: Matt2
I would say this is completely out of the question.

After all, you couldnt SLI a 7800GTX 256mb with a 7800GTX 512mb.

As far as I know, the frame buffer on the two cards have to be exactly the same since both cards are rendering the same scene.

well those were 2 different cards tho. these cards have same clocks dont they?

 

[Matt2]

Originally posted by: tvdang7

Originally posted by: Matt2
I would say this is completely out of the question.

After all, you couldnt SLI a 7800GTX 256mb with a 7800GTX 512mb.

As far as I know, the frame buffer on the two cards have to be exactly the same since both cards are rendering the same scene.

well those were 2 different cards tho. these cards have same clocks dont they?

It doesnt matter if they have the same clocks.

When I had two EVGA 7800GTs in SLI, one was 445/1000 stock and the other was 470/1100 stock and they both worked perfectly. The Nvidia drivers default the faster card down to the slower card's speed.

It doesnt matter though, I guarantee it wont work. Try to use a 7900GT 256mb in SLi with a 7900GT 512mb. It just wont work.

I apologize for my lack of technical understanding for this situation, hopefully someone will come in here and back me up.

EDIT: Furthermore, the 7800GTX 256mb and the 7800GTX 512mb were the exact same GPU down to the resistor. Clockspeeds are determined by the card's BIOS.

 

[tokenhandle]

I suppose another hurdle is whether it will recognize the additional memory. It may only recognize 320mb per card, leaving 320 unused on the 640mb card. Everything always defaults down to the weakest link, right?

 

[aka1nas]

I thought that with the 90 series drivers you could mix memory sizes and it would limit the larger card to the smaller memory size.

 

[TheRyuu]

Crossfire limits you to the smaller memory size I know that (remember the X1800's?).

Not sure about Nvidia's SLI.
I'm not really even sure why you'd want the SLI an 8800 series card anyway.
Just go for the 8800GTX and stay single if you want one that badly.

 

[BFG10K]

If this works (which I doubt) the driver will probably make both cards behave as 320 MB parts.

Just get a faster single card.

 

[tersome]

You can mix two cards of different memory sizes. The drivers just limit the memory size on both cards to 320mb.

 

[Matt2]

Originally posted by: aka1nas
I thought that with the 90 series drivers you could mix memory sizes and it would limit the larger card to the smaller memory size.

I just looked through the release notes for the 90 series drivers and didnt see anything about mixing and matching memory sizes.

If it's true, then I was wrong and I apologize, but I didnt see any hard evidence that you can and googling the topic didnt turn anything up.