I'm getting one of these nForce4 SLI boards..which one though?

[MDesigner]

I'm having a hard time deciding on one of these. Any suggestions/comments? I'm getting an Enermax Liberty 500W PSU, if that makes a difference.. and the CPU will be an Athlon64 X2 4200+. Gfx card is a 7900GT.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813130037
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813136158
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813127232

Vote above. Comments below.
Thanks!

 

[RallyMaster]

If you only have one 7900GT, why bother with a SLi board? In most cases, once you get enough money for another 7900GT, you'll be looking at DX10 cards.

Out of those 3, depends on your OCing, case and airflow plans. If you have an inverted mobo case, don't get MSI or Abit. If you want to fit two large video card coolers, don't try the DFI.

 

[Heidfirst]

I've just setup my AN8 32X (no probs) but the MSI looks interesting too.
Shame that you weren't doing this last week as AN8 32Xs were $150 at Newegg after MIR.

 

[MDesigner]

Originally posted by: RallyMaster
If you only have one 7900GT, why bother with a SLi board? In most cases, once you get enough money for another 7900GT, you'll be looking at DX10 cards.

Out of those 3, depends on your OCing, case and airflow plans. If you have an inverted mobo case, don't get MSI or Abit. If you want to fit two large video card coolers, don't try the DFI.

Because I'd like the option of a second 7900GT card in case I decide one isn't good enough for some of the more graphically intensive games (Oblivion).

And what do you mean by "once I get enough money for another 7900GT". How do you know how much money I have, or how quickly I can have $320 available? DX10 cards won't even be available for who knows how long.. what, maybe Q1 2007? Q2? And then how long until games come out that even support it, and how long till prices come down to the low $300's?

 

[kb3edk]

Originally posted by: MDesigner

Originally posted by: RallyMaster
If you only have one 7900GT, why bother with a SLi board? In most cases, once you get enough money for another 7900GT, you'll be looking at DX10 cards.

Out of those 3, depends on your OCing, case and airflow plans. If you have an inverted mobo case, don't get MSI or Abit. If you want to fit two large video card coolers, don't try the DFI.

Because I'd like the option of a second 7900GT card in case I decide one isn't good enough for some of the more graphically intensive games (Oblivion).

And what do you mean by "once I get enough money for another 7900GT". How do you know how much money I have, or how quickly I can have $320 available? DX10 cards won't even be available for who knows how long.. what, maybe Q1 2007? Q2? And then how long until games come out that even support it, and how long till prices come down to the low $300's?

QFT... the hidden benefit of SLI is upgrading down the road. I had a plain vanilla MSI GeForce 6800 that I used for a while and was very happy with, when I saw that same card going for $75 used on eBay I snapped another one up and put it in SLI... now my framerate is almost the same as (one) 7800GTX.

When people say "Why bother with SLI, two GeForce 6800s at $200 each are only as good as one 7800 that costs $400" they are forgetting that you don't always have to buy new. And if you don't trust eBay just buy NewEgg refurbs or hit the FS/FT forums right here on AnandTech.

Anyway in response to the original post I'd go for the ABIT board, esp. if you can afford to check back every few days on NewEgg to see if they bring back the MIR. I got their first AN8 SLI for $100+MIR the other day and am really liking it so far. Even if you're not an ABIT fanboy like me, the fact that the AN8 is the only one of those three boards without an active cooling fan is worth consideration. I can't be the only one here who starts pulling my hair out when a bearing goes bad on one of those...