Crossfire or SLI Recommendations

[mphartzheim]

I'm building an entirely new system, and I've got everything but the video cards figured out. To start with, here's what I'm getting so far:

Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
DFI Infinity 975x Socket 775 Crossfire Enabled
4gb G.Skill DDR3 800mhz RAM
150gb WD Raptor 10,000 RPM HDD
Antec P180 Case
Antec TruePower 550w PSU
Zalman 9500 Cooler
Running Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit (I know Vista doesn't have official SLI support yet, but it's going to be available soon enough that it's not an issue.)


The motherboard I have supports Crossfire natively, but I can use hacked drivers to get SLI support (it uses drivers from the DFI NF4 series boards). So I can go with either Crossfire or SLI.

I want to make this system last at least 2 years running new things at top performance, so I'm willing to shell out some cash on video cards, but I would like to remain reasonable.

I've been with nVidia for awhile, so those are the cards I know best right now. I'm not very familiar with the ATI brands or models.

The main consideration I'm worrying about is whether or not I need to go with a DirectX 10 video card. If that's the case, that pretty much limits me to nVidia because the ATI DX10 offerings are simply not affordable. ($450 is outside of my "reasonable" price range considering I'd be buying 2 cards.)

Thoughts? Suggestions? Recommendations?

Thanks guys.

 

[n7]

What monitor do you have?
IOW, what resolution do you game at?

Regardless of your answer to that though, i recommend neither.

I refuse to recommend the eternally buggy sh!t that is SLI/CF to anyone, & unless you're running an LCD like mine, i don't think you really need it.
I wouldn't suggest buying two uber high ends cards now, since we all know how they will hold up for two years (they won't).

Get a single HD 2900 XT or 8800 GTX/Ultra, & then trade/sell & get the next gen or next next gen card that performs better for those future games.

My suggestion would be the 8800 GTX, but be aware nVidia doesn't give a flying crap about their garbage drivers, so expect problems.

Also, Zalman 9500?

You can do A LOT better.
See here: http://www.anandtech.com/casec...ng/showdoc.aspx?i=3005
I'd suggest an Ultra 120 eXtreme.
I just got mine, & it does as well with case closed as my Big Typhoon did case open (& the Big Typhoon is better than the 9500) :Q

 

[mphartzheim]

I have 2 20" widescreen LCD's I run at 1650x1080.

I'll go read the review you linked now.

 

[n7]

It's just a cooler review; skip to the results.

That's what i meant to link you to (i'm not recommending the Big Typhoon; it just happens to be the last added cooler to their list).

The point is, assuming you want to OC (& you will if you want the CPU lasting you 2 years), that Zalman 9500 is amongst the last coolers i'd buy.

And considering you only have a 1680x1050 display, an 8800 GTX/HD 2900 XT should suit you just fine for quite a while.

My initial suggestion of going single card then upgrading in a year or so for the newer titles still stands, as you'll be better off that way than going SLI/CF & losing your second display.
(You do know you have to basically disable SLI/CF if you want to use dual displays, right?)

 

[mphartzheim]

Originally posted by: n7
(You do know you have to basically disable SLI/CF if you want to use dual displays, right?)

Actually, I wasn't aware of that at all... not a chance I want to lose my dual displays. I guess I'll go with a 8800 then. =)

Wish I wouldn't have already bought the CF motherboard. =/ Guess I shoulda done all my research up front, eh?

Thanks for the help.

 

[cm123]

Get a single HD 2900 XT or 8800 GTX/Ultra, & then trade/sell & get the next gen or next next gen card that performs better for those future games.

My suggestion would be the 8800 GTX, but be aware nVidia doesn't give a flying crap about their garbage drivers, so expect problems.



ya as nvidia fan, its shameful - but your correct - welcome to the world of little to make them care - AMD...

...Wheres Matrox? how about blind side third company to jump in the mix?

I agree too... 2900 or 8800, sell and buy up - works good if you keep current...

 

[mphartzheim]

(This is pretty off-topic for this forum... but fits with the thread =D )

Do you know if those temps on the Ultra 120 in the cooler review are with or without a 120mm fan? The cooler doesn't come with one, but has the wire brackets to attach one.

 

[JackBurton]

Originally posted by: n7
(You do know you have to basically disable SLI/CF if you want to use dual displays, right?)

Hey n7, do you still need to reboot your machine to disable/enable SLI now? I know that is how it was in the beginning but I'm not sure exactly where nVidia left off with that. Hopefully they've gotten to the point where you can enable/disable it on the fly in Windows.

 

[n7]

Originally posted by: mphartzheim
(This is pretty off-topic for this forum... but fits with the thread =D )

Do you know if those temps on the Ultra 120 in the cooler review are with or without a 120mm fan? The cooler doesn't come with one, but has the wire brackets to attach one.

In AT's review?

They use an Scythe S-Flex.
That or some nice Noctuas would be my suggestion for pairing w/ the Ultra 120.
See the 120 regular's review.
http://www.anandtech.com/casec...ng/showdoc.aspx?i=2941

On my 120 eXtreme, i use the Noctuas.

Bear in mind there are lots of 120mm fans, but only select fans have open screw posts on the corners, which means not all 120mm fans will work.
(Open post hole is how the brackets hold the fan in place.)
Closed post holes (like how the Yate Loons are) won't work unless you want to hack out the posts lol...

 

[n7]

Originally posted by: JackBurton

Originally posted by: n7
(You do know you have to basically disable SLI/CF if you want to use dual displays, right?)

Hey n7, do you still need to reboot your machine to disable/enable SLI now? I know that is how it was in the beginning but I'm not sure exactly where nVidia left off with that. Hopefully they've gotten to the point where you can enable/disable it on the fly in Windows.

AFAIK, it can be done in Windows now.
I don't personally run SLI though, sorry.

I've been very loudly outspoken against SLI & CF for a long time now, & it doesn't appear my opinion is going to change much at all anytime soon, since it still is a very poor choice overall IMHO.

 

[mphartzheim]

Thanks n7, you've been a great help. =)

 

[ND40oz]

You don't have to reboot for Crossfire. For SLI, it's kind of hit or miss if you need to reboot, depending on the driver and if I'm disabling or enabling it, sometimes it prompts me to and sometimes is doesn't. Not really sure what's going on there (this is with 7900 GS and FX 4500 SLI systems, don't have an 8800 SLI system). You can always add a thrid card to run your other monitor if you don't want to have to deal with rebooting, especially since you can really only game on one monitor anyway (except for a few games).

 

[JasonCoder]

Originally posted by: ND40oz
You don't have to reboot for Crossfire. For SLI, it's kind of hit or miss if you need to reboot, depending on the driver and if I'm disabling or enabling it, sometimes it prompts me to and sometimes is doesn't. Not really sure what's going on there (this is with 7900 GS and FX 4500 SLI systems, don't have an 8800 SLI system). You can always add a thrid card to run your other monitor if you don't want to have to deal with rebooting, especially since you can really only game on one monitor anyway (except for a few games).

I always thought it was kind of pointless to game on two monitors unless it's strategy games or an mmo like EVE Online. Otherwise you're dead ahead sight is right where the monitors meet. Now gaming on three monitors... now we're talking.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: n7
It's just a cooler review; skip to the results.

That's what i meant to link you to (i'm not recommending the Big Typhoon; it just happens to be the last added cooler to their list).

The point is, assuming you want to OC (& you will if you want the CPU lasting you 2 years), that Zalman 9500 is amongst the last coolers i'd buy.

And considering you only have a 1680x1050 display, an 8800 GTX/HD 2900 XT should suit you just fine for quite a while.

My initial suggestion of going single card then upgrading in a year or so for the newer titles still stands, as you'll be better off that way than going SLI/CF & losing your second display.
(You do know you have to basically disable SLI/CF if you want to use dual displays, right?)

from Anand's article:

Top air-cooler performance solidly belongs to the Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme (coupled with an S-Flex SFF21F fan) at 3.94GHz. Right behind and tied at 3.90 GHz are the Tuniq Tower 120, the regular Thermalright Ultra-120, the Scythe Ninja B Plus with SilenX fan, the OCZ Vindicator with SilenX, and the Scythe Infinity with dual push-pull Scythe fans. All of these coolers outperform the Thermaltake Big Typhoon VX and every other down-facing cooler in overclocking and cooling efficiency on a standard Core 2 Duo test bed. Most are also quieter than the Big Typhoon VX.

those temps on the Ultra 120 in the cooler review are with a 120mm fan ... i just completed my build in sig [this weekend] ... i DO like the Thermalright coupled with an S-Flex SFF21F fan ... the fan is BIG ... but relatively quiet .. and very easy to get 3.105Ghz out of my e43000at stock voltage ... i am quite sure i can go higher but don't even want to see 60C

i also got a Xfire board ... just "in case" .. i don't think "one card" is really all that powerful - with Crysis around the corner - and the Gigabyte P35-DSP3 is a very stable OCer MB with more options that i could have ever imagined .. i went from 2.82Ghz with my ASrock MB to over 3.0Ghz with only the MB change ... no additional voltage
--and i also intend to run dual monitors ... a 20.1" 16x10 LCD as my primary display with my current 14x9 19" LCD as secondary
[why not? ... maybe i want to watch a movie while i play a boring RPG]


i am going to test the HD2900xt in my own rig vs. a GTS 640-OC that i am getting this week ... and i will keep the overall "winner"
[--or sell both and get a GTX]

so far, very satisfied with my upgrade!