Getting Back into it - need advice

[LarryJoe]

Hello all, first post in many years. I recently bought a Dell XPS 720 gaming system with a Quad Core Q6600 CPU in it and one Geforce 8800 GTX card. I do miss building systems, but this was the easier route for me. I have gotten the bug again and am thinking about SLI'ing with a second card. I am looking high and low for a good deal used or new.

Do you think this upgrade is worth it? Secondly, what are these Physics cards all about? It was offered by Dell, by I didn't do it. Hype? Do I need one?

Thanks in advance for your patience with me. It should not take me too long to get back up to speed.

Joe

 

[nerp]

If your machine is SLI capable and the PSU included supports it, why not? You can find good prices for 8800GTX cards probably.

Ignore PhysX. You made the right choice by not buying one. Not only are they pointless to buy, nvidia bought Agiea, the company behind PhysX, and the physics operations are now being put into the drivers. Standard cards will be able to handle the physx operations now.

 

[LarryJoe]

Thanks. I have a 750w PSU, am I ok? Do I need to enable SLI in the BIOS? Also, will the second card recognize the current nvidia drivers I already have installed or do I need something else? I looked around the nvidia properties and didn't see anything on SLI, even something greyed out. One more question, I remember the nvidia drivers from years ago used to have an overclocking utility, is this hidden somewhere? I am using the latest drivers with Vista Premium 32-bit.

Edit - only a 750w power supply.

 

[adlep]

Originally posted by: LarryJoe
Thanks. I have a 750w PSU, am I ok? Do I need to enable SLI in the BIOS? Also, will the second card recognize the current nvidia drivers I already have installed or do I need something else? I looked around the nvidia properties and didn't see anything on SLI, even something greyed out. One more question, I remember the nvidia drivers from years ago used to have an overclocking utility, is this hidden somewhere? I am using the latest drivers with Vista Premium 32-bit.

Edit - only a 750w power supply.

I say this:

Sell your 8800GTX as it is really power hungry and get maybe a single, stronger card such us the GeForce GTX 260 Core 216

Your system will consume less power and you will gain the frame rates...

Also, the 750W PSU should be OK even for 2 8800GTX cards

 

[qbfx]

I thought 2 8800GTXs will beat the sh!t out of the GTX260 216 (where they're scaling)

 

[Face2Face]

They do!!! I know Tiger direct was selling The XFX 8800 Ultra for $199.00. Not sure about the 8800 GTX though. Ebay or craigslist maybe??

 

[LarryJoe]

Thanks everyone. I am hunting high and low on ebay and the FS/FT forum here for a GTX. I understand they have to be the same card to SLI, so I can only put in another GTX right, not the ultra?

 

[qbfx]

I think you might as well make 8800GTX/8800Ultra SLI configuration (not 100% sure) as they're essentially the same card, the Ultra being an overclocked GTX (correct me if I'm wrong)