AT recommends eschewing SLI

[n7]

From the main page, page 8 of the article.

I find it refreshing to finally see a site recommending something most of us have known forever
The only time SLI/Crossfire motherboards & two cards is worth it is for those who want the absolute highest end, like two 7800GTXs.

We also generally do not recommend SLI as an upgrade option. The main benefit of multi-GPU technology these days is to increase the maximum performance beyond the fastest single card on the market. ATI and NVIDIA have kept upgrade cycles fairly consistent over the past few years. It makes sense to spend money on a card that will bring increased performance and more features to a system when a new generation of GPU comes out rather than augmenting an aging card with another of the same type. Another argument against SLI-as-upgrade for the 6800 GS in particular is that we have no idea how long the card will be in production.

 

[Greenman]

You have to admire the marketing. Not many people buy the top end cards, with sli, the people who do buy them get two.

 

[Dribble]

Have to agree - Has anyone bought one 6600/6800 card then later bought a second one to sli AFTER the 7800 series came out?

 

[Genx87]

Interesting to note Nvidia stopped making 6800Ultra cards.

 

[dug777]

hehe, i don't think anyone in the history of SLI actually upgraded from one card to two...

*waits for people to tell him he's completely wrong, and not only did they do it, but all their friends did it, and their friend's sisters, and their friend's aunties, and the guy they talked to on the bus yesterday*

 

[Megatomic]

If I can find the "right" deal I'd upgrade my system to 6800GT SLI. I paid $265 shipped for a brand new, shrink wrapped, never before been used card. Maybe after Christmas I'll find an orphaned GT for sale in the FS/FT forums for a ridiculous price. :heart:

 

[phaxmohdem]

That's funny the guy on the bus next to me yesterday said he'd just purchased his second Geforce2 MX200 Card and modded them to run in SLI mode all for under $200.

Of course I told him he was full of crap and that my SLI'd TNT2 Ultra's would spank his crappy MX's any day of the week

 

[Doctorweir]

Originally posted by: phaxmohdem
That's funny the guy on the bus next to me yesterday said he'd just purchased his second Geforce2 MX200 Card and modded them to run in SLI mode all for under $200.

Of course I told him he was full of crap and that my SLI'd TNT2 Ultra's would spank his crappy MX's any day of the week

ROFL...but only to be pwned by a SLI-set of Voodoo2 12mb

 

[Munky]

I knew since the beginning of SLI that the upgrade path was just a marketing gimmick, to get people to buy an SLI mobo even if they're not gonna use SLI, and more of a checkmark feature than an actually useful upgrade option. Some people might disagree (I'm thinking of at least 1 right now...) but most people would rather have 1 new card than 2 old ones.

 

[Creig]

A single card to SLI upgrade makes sense if somebody were to get a CAN'T-PASS-IT-UP deal on the 2nd card, but generally the best option is to simply sell the current card and purchase the next generation.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally posted by: Creig
A single card to SLI upgrade makes sense if somebody were to get a CAN'T-PASS-IT-UP deal on the 2nd card, but generally the best option is to simply sell the current card and purchase the next generation.

Yup. It's a good idea in theory but in practice it just doesn't work out. It would work out if cards were reasonably priced and if their values dropped when newer and better cards came out.

If you're a tightwad gamer and want to keep your card for three years then maybe it would work--you could pick up a second card off of eBay cheap perhaps, three years from now. But even that's a big if since I'm continuously amazed at what eBayiots will pay for used items in unknown condition with the added risk of getting ripped off.

 

[SynthDude2001]

Originally posted by: munky
I knew since the beginning of SLI that the upgrade path was just a marketing gimmick, to get people to buy an SLI mobo even if they're not gonna use SLI, and more of a checkmark feature than an actually useful upgrade option. Some people might disagree (I'm thinking of at least 1 right now...) but most people would rather have 1 new card than 2 old ones.

Originally posted by: Creig
A single card to SLI upgrade makes sense if somebody were to get a CAN'T-PASS-IT-UP deal on the 2nd card, but generally the best option is to simply sell the current card and purchase the next generation.

I agree with both of these statements. Even if I had a PCI-E 6800GT right now (I don't; I have an AGP one) - I don't think I'd be all that interested in adding a second one for SLI unless I could get it really cheaply. I'd just sell it and get a new card (once one comes out that justifies its price premium over my 6800GT in my mind). IMO, SLI really only makes sense if you want the absolute highest-end solution at any given time and are willing to pay through the teeth through it.

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: dug777
hehe, i don't think anyone in the history of SLI actually upgraded from one card to two...

*waits for people to tell him he's completely wrong, and not only did they do it, but all their friends did it, and their friend's sisters, and their friend's aunties, and the guy they talked to on the bus yesterday*

Having a nice little conversation with yourself there, aren't cha?

 

[Keysplayr]

So is what Anandtech is saying is: Either Do SLI right up front, or don't do it at all?

 

[ballmode]

yup

 

[LTC8K6]

So is what Anandtech is saying is: Either Do SLI right up front, or don't do it at all?

That's what I said a long time ago. SLI only made sense if you had the money to buy 2 top end cards at once.

 

[rivan]

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003
So is what Anandtech is saying is: Either Do SLI right up front, or don't do it at all?

Yep - and not only that, but generally only SLI on the top of the line, like doing 7800GTXs right now.

 

[Tanclearas]

Yes I did use SLI as an upgrade. I purchased a 6600GT (limited funds). It was the Gigabyte fanless model. I got a good deal on a second one (paying much less for both than I would have paid for 6800GT or 6800Ultra), but SLI failed for me for another reason. The Gigabyte fanless cards in SLI just ran too hot to the point of artifacting. Each card ran great on its own, but SLI just wasn't going to happen. I would have had to significantly modify the case to add a fan to cool fanless cards. Kind of defeated the purpose.

Anyway, I currently have a single 7800GTX. I would consider SLI again. I wouldn't count on SLI as my upgrade path, but I at least have the option. I think it funny that people are so desperate to save a very small amount of money that they won't get an SLI-capable motherboard. Hell, it even gives you the option to run two video cards for multiple monitors.

Believing that SLI isn't a good upgrade option is an opinion, not a fact. My opinion is that relying on SLI for your upgrade path would be pretty silly, but discounting SLI as an upgrade path completely is just as silly. In fact, not spending an extra $20 on a motherboard to give yourself that option (IMHO) is a pretty bad decision.

 

[SPARTAN VI]

I was planning on SLI being an upgrade path, too. Bought one 7800GT with the intent of buying another one later. But luck had it in for me that day, and I was blessed with 4 7800GT's.

 

[addinator]

just don't do like i did... and buy 2x 6800ultras a month before the 7800 series came out...

 

[KristopherKubicki]

The big problem I have with SLI/Crossfire is that if you want to use it as an upgrade path, you have to be sure the card you're buying is going to be around in 2 or 3 years. Does anyone remember the 5950 Ultra? Sure with a 6600GT you're pretty safe, but if you jump on board a low production sku cough*6800gs*cough, you might even end up paying *more* for that second card in SLI config.

SLI is basically hedging your upgrade path, and pretty much goes against AT's entire "buy what you need today for today" mentality. SLI = Buy today what you might use tommorow!!!!

Kristopher

 

[Eureka]

Don't buy SLI in the first place, unless you already have a card and can't get rid of it. Or if you're friggin rich.

Norm

 

[BFG10K]

I never liked SLI/Crossfire, mainly because of the noise. I prefer to upgrade single cards more often.

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: BFG10K
I never liked SLI/Crossfire, mainly because of the noise. I prefer to upgrade single cards more often.

It's all about preferences BFG.

Some of us would trade a little noise for framerates and image quality people with single cards can only dream about.

Some prefer a quieter case and lower video settings, more video hitching.

To each their own.

Personally, when I fire up FEAR, I don't like going into the console and turning things off and down. I like to max things out so it doesn't look like HL1.

 

[jiffylube1024]

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003
So is what Anandtech is saying is: Either Do SLI right up front, or don't do it at all?

Sort of. They're saying that it's not a better deal than running a single card and the only truly attractive SLI solution is two of the top-of-the-line cards for otherwise unattainable performance.

... Which is exactly what I've been saying for the past year (not to say I told you so, or anything ).