Nforce4: some thoughts (and some AT criticism)

[flexy]

ok,

i am feeling kinda in a rant-mode today....but i need to give some comments, and also about recent articles in general.

) I had to laugh seeeing NV advertizing their "hardware firewall security" feature which "only uses 10% of CPU power"....you can get a good (linksys etc.) router w/ wireless for a mere $50 everywhere which doesn't use any CPU....so i really dont know whom NV is targetting there. I really hope i can SWITCH THAT OFF ?

) Will we have motherboard manufactures building upon Nforce4 which might offer better onboard-sound ? Eg. Cmedia chip etc ? How *good* is that builtin realtek solution anyway ?
Is it basicaly worthless ? (I am using onboard cmedia for years on my recent board and i do not own a Audigy etc..never needed one since my cmedia h/w solution always was sufficient....)

) SLI....
How many will buy two $500 cards, totalling to $1000 *JUST* for their graphics card ?

) recent reviews..... this is the first time i actually have to criticise anandtech....but it looks that some of the recent reviews are asomewhat ABOVE "Joe Average" user's head.....you recommend memory sticks where ONE 512MB stick is $190....if i were to read your recent two memory-reviews i would end up with spending almost $400 JUST for 1gig of RAM.

) You run benches with FX55 and FX 53 (WHO HAS 'EM ?????)

I am missing some more reasonable reviews of products which people can actually afford and might buy, NOT the cheap junk..just the reasonable middle and NOT the ultra high-high end on extremely overprized components.

Dont run your reviews and benches on FX55 equipped machines running SLI and $400 memory sticks - otherwise you risk losing touch with a lot of people because you're flying too high 🙂

Greetings

 

[Markfw]

I started a similar thread, but not about anandtech, just the nforce4, who needs it ? I wouldn;t care that they used the FX-55 to bench, as if I WERE to buy 2 $500 or even $600 cards, I would be buying an nforce4 SLI. My point is most people won't, so what does nforce4 buy me ? I have a router, and a firewayy, so who cares about that.

 

[Childs]

And why the hell would GM release a new Corvette? Most people drive Hondas. It also has a cup holder, which is silly cause I have my own that I bought for $.99 at WalMart. 😛

Cmon fellas. Its a preview of a new chipset with features that are interesting to some people. Have a local firewall in addition to a cheapy DSL router's firewall is nice, because its a extra level of security for the paranoid. Not every one will run SLI, but I bet there are those in the AT crowd that will. And since this is really a NF3-250 chipset with SLI, why not bench with the fastest CPU out there? Would you rather have him use a Sempron and Dual 6800Us? I guess the rain makes everyone crabby.

 

[Mrvile]

I think the new nForce is great. Supports dual GPUs, PCIe, and 939 and 940. I myself plan on getting 2x X700PROs (or XTs if they are cheap enough when they come out) for 200 bucks apiece, and a 939 3200+ CPU. Cost just as much as if I got an 800PRO, but runs faster.

 

[Childs]

Originally posted by: Mrvile
I think the new nForce is great. Supports dual GPUs, PCIe, and 939 and 940. I myself plan on getting 2x X700PROs (or XTs if they are cheap enough when they come out) for 200 bucks apiece, and a 939 3200+ CPU. Cost just as much as if I got an 800PRO, but runs faster.

I think you are out of luck on the ATI SLi.

 

[Mrvile]

Oh? Explain...

 

[Mrvile]

Crap just looked it up and found out that SLI is nvidia only. Crap crap.

 

[Yolner]

I agree ATI needs to do their own sli thing. I like their cards a LOT better than crapvidia

 

[JaRb0y]

Originally posted by: Markfw900
... I have a router, and a firewayy, so who cares about that.

how did you get a "Y" when reaching for the "L", they're not even close 😛

as for the nforce4, there will always be someone with enough money to buy the best stuff even in twofold i.e. graphics cards. I like what they've done with the new chipset, itll probably be in my next rig.

 

[jdogg707]

It's a fair improvement, but there is too much marketing BS for my taste. SLI is a waste of money, period. In its current form, it is too expensive, and unless it looks like you put the 6800GT+ in there, it will not perform much better (Price/Performance) than a single card.

 

[SonicIce]

SLI is good because you can buy a single card now, then later when prices have dropped on the same card you can just buy another one for cheap because there will be new stuff by then. Imagine if a 9800pro had SLI, it was expensive at one time, but 6600GT is about to take the $200 price point and 9800pro will be really cheap and your performace could be increased by 75% for like $150 (less?) I agree, buying dual $500 cards right now would be insane. How much did Voodoo 2's cost back in the day? 😛

 

[GTaudiophile]

Rumor has it that ATi is working on SLI with the Alienware folks...then again, they may go the MAXX route again. But I think it's certain they will do something!

 

[element]

voodoo2 sli was 300 a piece back then so the total was 600 for those that took the plunge, and some did (not me though)

what a rip off in 3 years it's all obsolete, no matter what you get now. And you're stuck with the old processor/mobo/mem combo if you choose sli.

 

[Auric]

Alienware is dead in the water. No one wants analog pass-through. At least no one that cares as much or more about quality than speed. Those days are long gone. I guess that ATI could make consumer-level dual VPU cards any time they want since they and their partners like Evans & Sutherland have long had the technology, with perhaps only drivers being the stumbling block. But from public statements it is not deemed necessary or in the plan. Tandem cards definitely make planning performance and price points more difficult so it ain't an obvious advantage.