Multi-GPU vs. Single-GPU

[Ben90]

This is somewhat of a lame thread. Anyone in their right mind would pick the single card over the crossfire solution if the single card gave acceptable framerates. How many of you are gaming at 2560 x 1600? That's the only situation where crossfire/SLI is warranted over a single card, as a single card at anything lower than 2560 x 1600 is plenty fast to give 50-70 FPS in any game, usually with a lot of AA and at max settings. The problem is that 2560 x 1600 is literally twice the number of pixels to push as even 1920 x 1200. .

if someone gave me a 4890 to crossfire for free, i wouldn't do it... Hell if someone gave me a 5970 and 100 bucks, yet i could only run in crossfire mode, i would stick with my 4890

 

[cbn]

The problem is that 2560 x 1600 is literally twice the number of pixels to push as even 1920 x 1200.

Close enough.

2560x1600 has 77% more pixels than 1920x1200.

What about triple 1080p monitors? $450 worth of monitors that has 50% more pixels than 2560x1600. Luckily it looks like Nvidia has this covered with their Surround View (competition for Eyefinity).

 

[palladium]

The main reason I went for GTX280 instead of 4870X2 is because I did not want to deal with multi-GPU setups at that time (first time building my own PC; granted the 4870X2 costed NZ$250 more than the GTX280). Now that I'm more experienced with PC troubleshooting, I would go for a single-card multi GPU upgrade come X'mas while using my GTX280 for physx +/- OpenCL if possible.

 

[KingstonU]

Lucid hydra is going to open endless possibilities and that question will have a lot more possible answers. I know my next motherboard will have it. Util then I voted single card - single GPU.

 

[TJ Tom]

I remember Last time I read a Lucid Hydra review it didn't scale that well...

 

[Ben90]

I remember Last time I read a Lucid Hydra review it didn't scale that well...

What I like about hydra is that there is no input delay vs SLI/Crossfire, basically its the same as only having 1 gpu. Yea it doesn't scale as well as SLI/Crossfire, but its worth it to me to not have and input delay (im still rocking a CRT!)

 

[potato28]

I'd like to try Crossfire, but otherwise no that single GPU is better IMO.

 

[Wellsoul2]

Single Card - Single GPU. Crossfire/SLI shouldn't be necessary if they are building decent
video cards. For awhile the games were better than the single cards (Crysis) but now
the cards have gotten better.

I dunno..it seems dumb to have to buy two video cards and a motherboard that takes up
two double slots just to play a game decently. What is amazing is how they got people
to think that is the best way..even Anandtech.

Next we will have to buy two sound cards for stereo..

 

[kalrith]

Single Card - Single GPU.

I'm lucky if I can afford a high-end single-gpu card (like the 5850). That card would do everything I want it to, and if it doesn't a year from now, I'll just buy a new single-gpu card and sell my old one. The only way I would consider any of the other solutions would be if I had $500+ to spend on video cards.

 

[TekDemon]

Both? Single for now until my next upgrade, at which point the video will likely be somewhat underpowered...until I drop another one in, hopefully it'll be nice and cheap at that point to get a 2nd card. The scaling is quite good on some of the newer cards, much better than the older ones.

 

[Qbah]

I will always prefer a single GPU solution over a dual one. It still won't stop me from admitting the obvious fact that the dualies are usually way faster and a lot of people will find them the better choice. However, peace of mind is what matters to me. Getting a card that relies on profiles and good scaling to work is another source of future headaches... no thank you.

That's the biggest reason I jumped on my Xbox 😛

 

[VashHT]

The drivers for my 4870 X2 never seemed to work as well as single GPU cards. So I think this will be the last time I guy a dual GPU card.

My next card will most certainly be a single GPU and single card.

I agree with this, I've had a 7950GX2 and a 4870X2 and neither of them worked totally right. As a matter of fact it's one of the reasons I "upgraded" from a 4870X2 to a 5870.

 

[Phantomaniac]

Single card single GPU always. I usually game in a window anyhow so I can multitask easily. This means I'm not even pushing my maximum monitor resolution, so I see no use for two GPUs, on the same card or not.