Guess what?

[housecat]

Originally posted by: McArra

thats if ATI can get the drivers working worth a damn, because we all know how great they are at that.

ATi drivers are great, don't speak about topics you don't know.

Sure. As long as they continue to make really really fast R300s, their drivers are great!

Point is, they still suck at all software support. Ever heard of that ATI HDTV Blunder? A prime example that when they don't have 4 years to perfect their drivers/software, it doesnt turn out so hot the first round out.

So we'll see whose correct when they produce a whole new core like Nvidia did with the NV40. It wont even be comparable. And it would be nice, since "ATI drivers are great" (huzza huzza!) that they could spend a few hours and figure out why they've avoided fixing their OGL for years now. Not to mention the Linux support Nvidia has, or that Nvidia put out 64bit drivers before ATI.. and even covered all their mainboard chipsets.

When you look at the big picture, its not nearly as inviting.

 

[Todd33]

I agree with housecat, the Catalyst drivers are great for Windows/D3D, but they need to get rolling on opengl (unless it dies away) and Linux. Nvidia seems to have acceptable drivers for all the various products, from chipsets to GPUs.

 

[VIAN]

As for buying "up to date features" and "next gen cards" with "twice the performance" every year, let's face it, that cannot be done.

You don't think Nvidia or ATI will release new cards every year with udated features and performance?

$40-50 more for SLI mobo... plus the ability to do a mod on the Ultra and get SLI functionality. This really is moot. As for a PSU, I would say an OCZ Powerstream 520 is sufficient for running SLI. If you look at most people that purchase that PSU, they are NOT doing SLI. Therefore, I will call that point moot as well.

Yeah, I bet many people have 520watt PSUs. and those things aren't cheap either.

So we'll see whose correct when they produce a whole new core like Nvidia did with the NV40.

Yeah, and promise a feature that doesn't work. We'll see then.

ATI drivers have great stability and haven't given me grief. That war is over anyway, because it's all based on chance as I can say the same that Nvidia drivers suck.

If you go http://www.bbspot.com/News/200...0_vs_geforce_6800.html.

scroll to google wars. as far as Nvidia and buggy drivers search in google turns up 50% more links than ATI.

 

[Acanthus]

If youve built a computer in the last couple years and think ahead at all, you bought a much more powerful PSU than you needed...

Im running an Antec Truecontrol 550w over a year ago, so im SLI ready.

 

[VIAN]

I had 350W for about 2 years and now I have 400 and still good. If I buy a new one it will be 480.

 

[ohnnyj]

It also depends upon what else ou have in the system. Even ASUS recommends a 350W w/two 6800GTs. This is most likely with less stuff in your system but still an SLI system can be done with a less powerful PSU (granted that it is from a reputable brand and not some generic piece of junk).

 

[reever]

There's no "downside" to it. (other than the cost some of us are still wrestling with)

So there is a downside?

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: JonnyBlaze
or its for people who have better monitors than you do. and who cares how about heat and power. do you sit inside your pc case? lights dimming yet?

JB

LOL- "sit inside the case" is a good one!

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: Todd33

Originally posted by: Rollo
Bottom line is anyone who wouldn't want SLI and is a gamer is lieing to themselves. You'd have to be nuts not to want this, editing configs or not. There's no "downside" to it. (other than the cost some of us are still wrestling with)

Wrong. I don't want it, even if was free, I'd sell one card.

I don't want more heat, noise and instability. My native res is 1280x1024, can you name a game in existance that I cannot play at 70Hz (I always turn vsync on) at 1280x1024 with 4x/8x AA/AF with a 6800U or X800 XT PE? Me either...

By the time I could use the extra horse power of the 6800 SLI, there will be a 512MB X950 XT out that will trounce it for half the power, noise and heat and will support DX10 and new features. SLI is for bragging rights for people who run around quoting 3dMark scores.

You don't have a gaming monitor. Your choice to use a more workstation oriented monitor, and apparent concern for things that are meaningless to people with gaming cases (heat, power) probably make you a bad candidate.

 

[jbh129]

I dont know if I would consider ATI drivers great since you have to use .net beta( which has its own issues) to use control center. Nvidia is much simpler

 

[housecat]

scroll to google wars. as far as Nvidia and buggy drivers search in google turns up 50% more links than ATI.

That must be the scientific study that we've needed to put Nvidia in their place.

You dont get it. Try one of their products that is actually new, like the HDTV "Blunder" (http://www.extremetech.com/art...0,1558,1641024,00.asp).. as you will see, Extremetech even LOWERED their original rating for this piece of ATI heaven! While that may be an extreme case, they certainly dont write software and drivers from scratch very successfully. We'll see how their SLI implementation fares, and I'll expect all of you to call it out as useless trash as well.

We will see how things go if they ever deviate drastically from the R300 architechure.

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: VIAN
Another reason why SLI is retarded.

The reason WHY not all games have a profile is because some games may not work.
When SLI first came about, I noticed this in the Anand review, and commented on it in various threads.
SLI will NOT always be active in all games, and there *may* be issues with *some* games.
That's why nVidia don't enable it for everything.
This also means that, while 2x6600GT may perform like 1x6800GT when the 6600GT's are in SLI, they may not always be in SLI, so the 6800GT is ALWAYS the better solution, because it's equal speed when 6600's are SLI, and much faster than the SLI won't work.

NOT WORTH IT FOR A MAYBE.

or its for people who have better monitors than you do. and who cares how about heat and power. do you sit inside your pc case? lights dimming yet?

Hey, people spend twice the amount of money for a monitor called LCD just for those reasons alone at times.

SLI just isn't worth the extra cost. Why would I need to buy two 400 dollar cards when one 400 dollar card a year would be better. I would be up to date on features and have more total power because next gen cards are usually twice the performance, which SLI lacks, just 80% more or so.

The heat can hinder total system overclock and the power drain may also hinder your overclock due to instability.

Oh, but it doesn't stop there. SLI mobo is more expensive and good powerful PSU will also being more expensive as well as buying another card.

So, you are wasting so much money so that you could get an 80% performance increase on some games. That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. If you got the money to buy one every year, go ahead and brag, but if you're someone like me where money doesn't grow on a tree in their backyard, SLI is horsesh|t.

No one has ever "needed" SLI, then or now.

However, any gamer would want higher resolution, higher AA/AF, smoother gameplay, and only SLI can deliver it.

I have a X800XT PE right now, and I love it, very nice card. I'd give my left nut for SLId 6800GTs.
1. I have a 22" CRT that can run 16X12 at 85Hz, so it would be nice to game at this setting with AA/AF
2. It's pretty cool just to have those two cards bolted together. Definite "gear head" factor like the MAXX, V5, 5800U, and original SLI.
3. I have a Xaser 3 case with seven 80mm fans controlled by a TT Volcano. I could care less how much heat my card generates, Xaser sends it out into basement rec room, where it's usually welcome. Power? LOL- I have a job, what do I care about a couple bucks a month to run a video card?

I don't know that I'll spring for this either, but I would rather have SLI than any other update by far.

 

[zakee00]

Originally posted by: housecat

scroll to google wars. as far as Nvidia and buggy drivers search in google turns up 50% more links than ATI.

That must be the scientific study that we've needed to put Nvidia in their place.

You dont get it. Try one of their products that is actually new, like the HDTV "Blunder" (http://www.extremetech.com/art...0,1558,1641024,00.asp).. as you will see, Extremetech even LOWERED their original rating for this piece of ATI heaven! While that may be an extreme case, they certainly dont write software and drivers from scratch very successfully. We'll see how their SLI implementation fares, and I'll expect all of you to call it out as useless trash as well.

We will see how things go if they ever deviate drastically from the R300 architechure.

but this is biased...you have Nsist on Nvidia! in your sig!!!
j/m hah

 

[Mem]

I dont know if I would consider ATI drivers great since you have to use .net beta( which has its own issues) to use control center

Just use the old control panel without CCC,most ATi users are.
CCC looks nice but is bloated,ATI need to slim it down.


Monthly driver updates by ATI is a good thing and shows great driver support,now if I was waiting for the next Nvidia driver ,it`ll be quicker to walk .

I think we are going off topic a bit guys.

 

[Shamrock]

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: Ackmed
I see the usual NV fans are out in full force trying to defend their great card maker.

And here you are, back again, downing them for it. Is your hypocritical meter broken or something?

Considering he has a BFG 6800GT sitting in his rig....yes, hypocrite

 

[VIAN]

I dont know if I would consider ATI drivers great since you have to use .net beta( which has its own issues) to use control center. Nvidia is much simpler

The control center is fine and simple and easier to access from desktop. I happen to like the CCC a lot, I can't stand the old control panel.

That must be the scientific study that we've needed to put Nvidia in their place.

Of course!

However, any gamer would want higher resolution, higher AA/AF, smoother gameplay, and only SLI can deliver it.

I am a gamer and I want all those things, but not at that price.

Monthly driver updates by ATI is a good thing and shows great driver support,now if I was waiting for the next Nvidia driver ,it`ll be quicker to walk .

Can I get a amen, brothers and sisters?

 

[zakee00]

yeah nvidias drivers have blown alot of....dust lately. makes me mad. i really hope they can fix them up, we (nvidia owners, knew i would get flamed for that) are all at their mercy.

 

[Shamrock]

the link I showed in an earlier post, is a real good set, they are beta, but they are from NVidia site, and IQ is real good, even fixed the yellow pee effect in HL2 water levels.

in case you missed it.
http://www.nzone.com/object/nz...ds_winxp_2k_67.66.html

 

[zakee00]

thx, but im using the 67.65's and ive heard that the 67.66's werent stable so im just gunna stick with these. its mainly the 7x.xx series that have sucked.

 

[Solutions]

I don't understand why some people are getting so worked up about SLI (whether they feel positive or negative about it). The way I see it the follwing applies:

- All those flaming SLI are simply mad that they bought an ATI or they simply can't afford it. I am unaware of anyone who wouldn't GLADLY use an SLI setup if it was given to them.
- All those griping about having to enable SLI for their specific game are simply lazy fools. It takes all of 5 seconds to do and it works for ANY program (that I have come across so far.)
- Issues with SLI? Where? I haven't run into a single issue yet and I am running 2 6800 Ultra's in SLI mode. It was a joke to get the whole system up and running. I put them into the PCI Express slots, jumpered them with the included Asus PCB, installed winblows, SP1, DX9, chipset drivers, video drivers, reboot a couple times and fire up CS:S or HL2. Not a single problem.... Worked like a champ. Even overclocking while in SLI mode works great.
- Marketing BS - OMG....if you think its all just a marketing gimick then you need to get out and play on one of these SLI rigs. They work, and they work well. Eye candy galore and my PC never hiccups in CS:S or HL2. Hell, there is only one test in 3DMark05 that seems a wee sluggish and that program was designed to bring video cards to there knees.

Who here has SLI and thinks it was a waste of time or $?

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: TStep
This place has to chill as of late. It just new tech in it's infancy, give it a little time. Because of this SLI issues, I don't consider two 6600GT = to a 6800GT, but from this will come new innovative technology that will ensure better products in the future.

The thing that scares me, a little, is that - with all of this infrastructure-level development-work going on to support NV's SLI feature, which was (I assume) primarily added-in as a sort of desperation benchmarking move (to bury single-GPU ATI cards in 3DMark), things like BIOS, mobo, driver, etc., changes - does this mean that "SLI is here to stay"? Does this mean that, in order to remain competitive amongst "enthusiast" rigs, not only would have to shell out mega-bucks for a pricy high-end video card, but now I have to do that for two cards now, semi-regularly? Is video-card-RAID (effectively, sort-of), now just as much a standard feature for x86 desktops as chipset/mobo-level IDE RAID is?

Holy $$$, Batman.

 

[Solutions]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry

Originally posted by: TStep...does this mean that "SLI is here to stay"? Does this mean that, in order to remain competitive amongst "enthusiast" rigs, not only would have to shell out mega-bucks for a pricy high-end video card, but now I have to do that for two cards now, semi-regularly?

Due to the nature of the beast (beast being the gaming industry) we will always have to buy the "latest and greatest" components in order to remain competitive when playing online (ask 56k users how they fare in a fragfest now that DSL and Cable are copmmon place). I went ahead and splurged on a 6800U SLI setup just to make sure that I would be competitve for atleast another 18 months (Moore's Law?) And when the dual-core GPUs in SLI mode (or whatever the Gaming Gods invent) come out next go-round I will be willing to shell out the $$$ again. My outlook is that gaming is my hobby and hobbies cost $. My gaming "habit" costs atleast $1000 every 18-24 months and thats something that I have just grown accustomed to.

Another way to look at it would be that, currently, having a new 6800 card doesn't really help your competitveness when online, UNLESS you always play with the resolution maxed out and all the eye candy on. When using my standard 1280x1048 gaming resolution I don't do any better playing SoF2 when using my 6800U SLI rig or my old 5600Ultra. Now Counter-Strike Source and HL2 are another matter, but the difference isn't that noticable when the resolution is lowered and all the special effects are toned-down.

 

[Blastman]

SLI is really a high-end enthusiast solution.

The problem with a 6600GT SLI setup that hasn?t been mentioned is that 2 x 128MB cards in a SLI setup does not = 256MB. You still only have the equivalent of a 128MB card. The ?game? has to stored twice -- once on each card. In fact, because of the extra overhead for SLI you probably have even less than a 128MB card on a 2x128MB SLI setup.

I can?t see paying ~ $400 for only a 128MB card (2x6600GT) when 256MB cards are available for the same price that perform overall better and have none of the drawbacks of SLI. Once you hit 12x10- 4AA/8AF, 128MB is not going to be enough in a lot of situations at those settings -- and you may get some texture thrashing. That seems evident in the Farcry SLI benches Rollo posted where the 6600GT-SLI frame rates dropped drastically at 12x10-4AA/8AF.

 

[Gunnman]

Goto www.3dchipset.com and download the new nforce and video drivers . Also you can download the SLI profiler and custom set all of your games.

And yes even EQ2 can work with SLI.