8800GTS 320MB (G80) SLI or upgrade?

[Jax Omen]

Basically, I want to know if the difference between 8800GTS 320 SLI and, say, buying 2 GPUs for 8800GTS (G92) SLI would be worth the difference in price. I intend to buy a 1920x1200 LCD, and most of the games I play are stuff like SupCom, UT3, Bioshock, Lost Planet, and (whenever it comes out) Starcraft 2.

Keeping in mind that I can get a second 8800GTS 320 for like $200 and it'd be like $500 for a pair of G92-based GPUs.

I already have an SLI-capable motherboard (680i) and an E6600 @ 3GHZ, if that helps any...

Yeah, basically just looking for advice.

 

[TC91]

I'm in pretty much the same situation as you and have a pretty similar setup. SLI on a gts 320mb is a bad idea, there is not enough memory for SLI to work effectively (since SLI doesnt add the memories) and your 1920x1200 res will definately be too much for the 2 320mb's to perform decently with fsaa and higher textures on. I was tempted to add another gts as well for quite a while but it wouldnt be too much of a great idea unless i guess if you play with no to very little fsaa and would be satified with lower texture settings. IMO I would recommend that you should hold off until there is a true next gen card available, since the g92 IMO is still the same generation of cards as the g80 based 8800's, and upgrading within the same generation to me is not a very good investment, unless of course you had tons of cash to drop. Just try to hang on to ur card until r770 / gt200 at the very least and then maybe get one of those cards.

 

[imported_wired247]

I generally agree. for a 19x12 you will want more memory. For a reasonably priced upgrade for you Jax I'd recommend 2x 9600GT or 2x8800GT. You can still get a good price if you sell your GTS.

 

[Apocalypse23]

From reading various posts, comments, reviews so far I would suggest you most definitely sell the 320 mb card you have and get a 9800gx2 for $600 if you want the latest in a single card solution, plus it is more or less equivalent to having two 8800 gts (g92) cards SLI'd together. Here in Canada the 8800 gts 512 mbs are still selling for 300-350 CAD hence a 9800 GX2 is a great option.


Otherwise spend money on two 8800 512mb GTS's and SLI them.

Plus by the time you wait for the next gen cards like the r700 or Gt200, it will be too late and your video card will be worth very little by then and you won't end up actually saving much. Upgrade now and spend a few more bucks.

 

[Jax Omen]

Well, if I upgrade to a newer GPU I'd be giving my girlfriend my current 8800, so...

 

[qbfx]

...so buy two 9600GT's for like $260, that's your best option imo.

 

[Jax Omen]

Would there really be much of a jump from two 9600s from an 8800 (320)?

 

[Munky]

One 9600gt is already slightly faster on average than the old 8800gts, so two will definitely be a huge step up.

 

[krnmastersgt]

Also the 9 series drivers scale better "magically", so not only is each card faster, but then they scale better too so there should be a noticeable performance increase.

 

[Jax Omen]

Any change in advice if the 8800GTS 320 is only $150?

http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2168186&enterthread=y

 

[krnmastersgt]

Considering the 9600 GT is the same price, if not a tad more, I'd still go with the 9600. You could just buy 1 for now and wait for the 9800 GTX to come out, if it performs well enough (assuming you buy an evga brand) you could step up, if not get a second 9600 and boom. Far more performance than you'll see from a G80 GTS, even SLIed.

 

[Jax Omen]

Oh, I don't have any money right now, I'm hoping to have enough in like a month or two.

I'm weird, I plan all this crap in advance like this.

 

[krnmastersgt]

Well if you have to wait a month or two, I'm sure a lot of members will tell you to settle for the 9600s OR wait for G200 to come out.

 

[imported_wired247]

Hope you get some @$$ for that video card that is a nice gift for a girlfriend. does she game?

 

[boybleu]

Originally posted by: krnmastersgt
Also the 9 series drivers scale better "magically", so not only is each card faster, but then they scale better too so there should be a noticeable performance increase.

this info extremely useful to me, thanx a bunch for posting

 

[Jax Omen]

She games a fair bit, but not as much as me. She's got a 7600GS right now, most of the games she plays run just fine.

BUT She wants SC2 when it comes out, and I doubt a 7600GS can run that at purdy settings.

 

[imported_wired247]

My girlfriend keeps loading up Purble Place on vista when she comes over -_-


The logic game (similar to Mastermind) is actually pretty fun.


I would kill to get her interested in just about ANY other game I play