How "Future Proof" is 6600gt SLI

[imported_Rampage]

Originally posted by: yekim

Originally posted by: ender11122
Well I just bought a new x800xl for $200 so I will try that and sell it if I dont think it is worth it. I have a bad case of buying spontaneously this last week.

I find it ironic that we're discussing this topic vehemently and the OP already went out and bough an x800xl for his SLI*moddable motherboard. LMAO

Oops. Didnt even notice. LOL

 

[Malladine]

Originally posted by: Rollo

Originally posted by: Malladine

Originally posted by: dguy6789
People dislike the fact that SLI costs so much, *but it does double the performance for double the $$$

*at ridiculous resolutions

Higher resolution benefits image quality greatly. There is nothing "ridiculous" about wanting to run at 16X12>.

k

 

[deadseasquirrel]

Originally posted by: Rollo
I can tell you this- upgrading your cpu, hdd, or memory will NEVER give you the NEAR the kind of performance boost SLI will. An A64 3000+ with 6800GT SLI will outperform a FX57 or X2 with a 6800Ultra.

That is VALUE. When you can add a second $300 card and get 30-90% more frames, you are not being "ripped off".

That's a very good point. Some of the people out there that knock the value of SLi are often ones that buy expensive low-latency RAM, grab an FX processor, or use a Raptor HDD. Benchmarks show only a small single-digit increase in performance, yet the user says they experience a much snappier "feel".

When it comes down to it, those 3 things, even with their % increases added together, couldn't give you the % increase in gaming performance that an SLi'd card would.

"Value" is often in the eye of the beholder. I see no personal "value" in an LCD. I have the space, never move my machine, don't mind the higher electric bill, and love being able to adjust resolution from 1024x768 for the wife, to 2048x1536 for me when gaming. Does that make an LCD a bad value overall? Nope, just for me at the moment.

I guess I could understand if those that opposed SLi would simply say "it wouldn't be a good choice for me, but I imagine someone else might be able to see value in it" rather than pissing about it being a "waste", "bad value", or "stupid" as a general comment about the technology.

 

[qbackin]

Hey Ender Ill help you a bit.

My rig:
Vantec 470w 24Pin
CBBFD 0440 Winnie 3000+ @ 2.477
Asus A8N-E Deluxe
Corsair TwinX-3200XLPro TCCD 2x512
Asus EN6600Gt SLi / Stock Cooling No OC
2x36Gb Raptors

77.72 Drivers
3dMark01se: 21673
3dMark05: 6478

I just got this together, flipped the HTT up a bit and ran some benchies
Im pretty sure that the 6800Gt is getting around 5000 in 05, so thats not bad if you ask me, seems to excel in 05. Again, this is stock cooling and no Vcard OC

 

[ender11122]

To put an end to this:

I read several comparisons between the 6600gt SLI and x800xl. The consensus seems to be that in ATI favorable games, the X800XL OWNS!!! way over the 6600gt SLI. In nvidia favored games, the X800XL is EVEN WITH 6600gt. Now I got my x800xl for $200. 6600gt SLI will cost me roughly $300. Common sense says I will be going with X800XL at least for awhile.

 

[WaxHaX0rS]

Once again, in case you didn't catch the other 50 people asking... where did you get the x800xl for $200?

 

[WaxHaX0rS]

Nevermind, question answered.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...em&category=40158&item=5213949828&rd=1

 

[qbackin]

Originally posted by: ender11122
To put an end to this:

I read several comparisons between the 6600gt SLI and x800xl. The consensus seems to be that in ATI favorable games, the X800XL OWNS!!! way over the 6600gt SLI. In nvidia favored games, the X800XL is EVEN WITH 6600gt. Now I got my x800xl for $200. 6600gt SLI will cost me roughly $300. Common sense says I will be going with X800XL at least for awhile.

Be sure to update us with your 3dMark05 to see if you beat my puny 6600Gt (s)

 

[Munky]

Originally posted by: Rollo

Originally posted by: munky

Originally posted by: dguy6789
Running SLI is no different from running a single card really. You spend 100 bucks for a low end card, and maybe you can run at 1024 medium in games, you spend 200, you can do 1024 highest in most games, spend 400, and do 1600 highest in most games, now spend 800-1200 and run 2048 with Anti Aliasing.

People dislike the fact that SLI costs so much, but it does double the performance for double the $$$ unlike the processor market where you spend $500 for 200 more Mhz. Just because SLI costs alot of money, does not mean it doesn't deliver.

SLI only makes sence for high end cards, if you want to play at insane resolutions. There's absolutely no reason to get SLI'd 6600gt, when you can have even better performance at high resolutions with a single 6800gt. Dual 6600gt might be as fast or faster than a 6800gt at modest resolutions, but once you crank it up to 16x12 + AA/AF, they almost always lag behind a single 6800gt, and you can forget about 2048, with or without AA, 128mb vram is not gonna cut it at that resolution.

Sorry Munky, I'm goign to have to disprove what you've said.

HL2
6600GT SLI beats single 6800GT at all 16X12 benches, including the two 16X12 4X16X.

Doom3
Uhoh- 6600GT SLI faster than a 6800GT at D3DM4 16X12 4X16X too!

Halo
Nooooo! 6600GT SLI way faster at Halo 16X12 4X8X.

HL2, Far Cry, and IL2 at 20X15!
Waaassssssupppp Munky?!?!? 6800GT beat by 6600GT SLI, at a resolution you said it couldn't even run!

Last but not least:
People who'actually USED a 6600GT SLI (like me) say different

Almost across the board, the 6600 GT SLI delivered a better quality gaming experience than did a Radeon X800Pro or a GeForce 6800 GT. There is more bang for the buck value in a GeForce 6600 GT SLI configuration than anything comparable.

The point? 6600GT SLI gets a bad reputation from people who've never used it and largely don't know what they're talking about. USUALLY the settings where a single 6800GT beats a 6600GT SLI are ones neither can run, the rest of the time if you run the 6600GT at 2X AA instead of 4X, it will be faster. (on SLI supported games)

That is the TRUTH about 6600GT SLI. I have a 6600GT SLI set, as well as a 6800GT set, and can/have back up anything I say with benches.

Before you feverishly put together benches that contradict me with other games/settings, I realize this can be done. The point is that it's not a case of "6600GT SLI suxorz at all high res gaming".

Ok, now try running at 2048 with AF AND AA enabled. I dont even see scores for 6600gt sli for Riddick or Chaos Theory, and these games are newer and more demanding than HL2 or D3. Also, if you have to drop AA to 2x, you lose IQ, so it's not as good as 4x. Since you apparently have a 6600gt sli and a 6800gt, how about running some 2048 benches yourself and post the results.

 

[HDTVMan]

Id would say pretty good. As I figure it X-mas time games and early next year games the single 6600Gt will probably be the base minimum.

Last year and I think it was the Radeon 9600xt was the base card needed to play most games. I think this card is a bit dated now.

 

[qbackin]

All I know is that my 6600Gt sli KICKS ASS!

 

[HDTVMan]

Yea depending on prices in the next 2 months I will probably get the 6600Gt to replace my 9800. Hoping I can hold off till ATI releases its R520 so I can hopefully get a 6800Gt instead just to get a little longer life from upgrading again.

 

[hans007]

its probably cheaper and easier to just sell what you have and get a new one. SLI is really only useful for the extreme high end. thats how SLI has always been even back in the voodoo2 days.

 

[HDTVMan]

I like having 2 machines that can game this way if someone stops by we can frag together. So I keep my old hardware most of the time.

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: munky
Ok, now try running at 2048 with AF AND AA enabled. I dont even see scores for 6600gt sli for Riddick or Chaos Theory, and these games are newer and more demanding than HL2 or D3. Also, if you have to drop AA to 2x, you lose IQ, so it's not as good as 4x. Since you apparently have a 6600gt sli and a 6800gt, how about running some 2048 benches yourself and post the results.

Munky- the 7800GTX sli is not leaving my box right now, it is much loved. I am building my son an SLI box, parts arrive tomorrow.


Here are my original benches in regard to this subject:
http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=881152

I didn't say I couldn't make an argument for 6800GT also, I just said the 6600GT SLI deserves WAY better than you give it, as usual.

How would you like it if I came on here and said your computer sucks and wasn't worth considering? I could do it to you, someone else could do it to me.

You should strive toward accuracy when you're giving advice about computer hardware, it costs enough that the people asking for it deserve accuracy. (not blanket "meh that rig sux" statements)

 

[johnnqq]

it's more future proof than it is now proof. most games don't take advantage of sli the way it does for a faster card. future games will make sli worth the money.

 

[Pete]

I think the only way to satisfy everyone here is for the OP to buy a master X800XL for some Crossfire action.

 

[hans030390]

6600gts in SLI should do fine in next gen games....dont expect 6800ultra performance though (maybe not even 6800gt)

 

[yekim]

Originally posted by: Rollo
You should strive toward accuracy when you're giving advice about computer hardware, it costs enough that the people asking for it deserve accuracy.

A-fvcking-men.

But Rollo, I find your linkage-proof that the 6600SLI is faster than a single 6800GT very interesting, considering in most cases its within 6fps - like who notices 6 fps.

Just reinforcing my position that SLI is an EXCELLENT upgrade path for

1) People want a certain level of performance (i.e. 6800GT) but can only affor 1/2 the price. Get one 6600GT now and one later, when you have the cash. Mow lawns.

2) People who can get a great deal on two cards for SLI, provided the two combined are cheaper than the next gen up. Example: Isn't $450 for dual 6800GT cards a better deal than a single 7800GTX? Keep watching eBay...

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: yekim

Originally posted by: Rollo
You should strive toward accuracy when you're giving advice about computer hardware, it costs enough that the people asking for it deserve accuracy.

A-fvcking-men.

But Rollo, I find your linkage-proof that the 6600SLI is faster than a single 6800GT very interesting, considering in most cases its within 6fps - like who notices 6 fps.

The thing is I wasn't try to prove 6600 GT SLI faster, onlydisprove that it's much slower at high res AA/AF.

People generalize too much about the 6600GT SLI, it is much misunderstood by people who haven't used it.

 

[Todd33]

Buying two 6600GT in SLI instead of one 6800GT is insane, no matter what Rollo says. Twice the heat, twice the noise, twice the failure rate, driver or "profile" headaches and lower resale value. What do you gain?

If you bought one 6600GT and then wanted a boost later and bought another, it is a feasable upgrade, but I personaly would still sell the 6600GT and buy a new faster card. SLI is less a real upgrade path and more for bragging.

Back in the day Voodoo2 SLI was a real upgrade path. You didn't need a special MB, video cards were in a much slower dev cycle and Voodoo2s were all over the place for purchasing used.

 

[fstime]

I dont mind loosing 3 fps to loose the hassle of SLI.

 

[ender11122]

why are you guys still arguing?? I already bought a x800xl. I dont really know what I'm going to do with my SLI mobo now, but thats beside the point. I got it ultra cheap so no worries. BTW, anyone wanna buy a 6600gt?

 

[Mountaindew Man]

I'll might upgrade my single 6600gt to sli if the price is right and your card is this one: Leadtek PX6600GT TDH

How much you asking?