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Rollo's 6800NU SLI vs 6800GT SLI vs 6800GT Benches

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You can open a museum, or better yet an online ebay store! unlike you, most people care about the performance and functionality, and not how it feels to be the first one to own something. And do try to stop twisting around what people are saying - no one is saying sli is slow (not even 2x6600gt), it's just not worth it compared to the alternatives which are cheaper and better performance wise (except for sli of two high end cards, for which there is no faster alternative).
 
Originally posted by: user1234
You can open a museum, or better yet an online ebay store! unlike you, most people care about the performance and functionality, and not how it feels to be the first one to own something. And do try to stop twisting around what people are saying - no one is saying sli is slow (not even 2x6600gt), it's just not worth it compared to the alternatives which are cheaper and better performance wise (except for sli of two high end cards, for which there is no faster alternative).
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That's an interesting opinion User1234. As we apparently agree there's nothing as good as 6800GT/U SLI, I still disagree with your assessment of 6800NU and 6600GT SLI.

You're not considering the benchmarks those cards win, the huge OCing potential of the 6800NUs, the fun of using two cards vs 1, or the fact that some people can't afford one high end card or may not desire that level of gaming performance.

No, you're just saying "The cheapest way to a general performance area is ALWAYS best". Life isn't like that for everyone. Some of us care about the equipment as well and will pay a little extra to try new or unusual technology. 😉
 
Don't concern yourself with User1234 Rollo (I know you actually do not, but).
Some people just prefer to be followers rather than leaders. User1234 prefer's to have others people form opinions for him to follow. You chose to take the bull by the horns and see for yourself, and generously share your findings with the rest of us. Thank you.
Granted, I currently do not have the extra resources to play as you do, but if I did, you can bet I would be owning a buffet of SLI hardware.

User1234: If you choose to view SLI negatively, by all means go on your merry way and do so. Other people who can think for themselves usually have the talent of seeing both pro's and con's. I would like to see what tune you will be whistling to when ATI finally gets there "SLI" answer to market.

Your quote: "most people care about the performance and functionality, and not how it feels to be the first one to own something."

Well, if your most people, your not an enthusiast are you? Are you an enthusiast? Or an general run of the mill search for the best bargain average guy. SLI is the most powerful graphics solution on the planet right now. It has its merits and it's demerits. You should choose to see both.

This thread is not for the bargain hunter. And that is my opinion.
 
Originally posted by: Rollo
Originally posted by: leedog2007
Yeah, sli is a really cool technology, and it problably feels really cool to have two cards instead of one, and one side note, can you list all the graphics cards you've had since 2004 so I can keep them straight. thanks man
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9800Pro
5800Ultra
6800NU
6800GT
X800XT PE
6600GT SLI
6800NU SLI
6800GT SLI

This is in my primary box, I had some others in my five year olds box that I can't remember.
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Time to toss an XGi in there.
You can get a Volari V8 at Provantage.com for $80.
Get to work, Rollo 😉
 
Originally posted by: Rollo
This thread is not for the bargain hunter. And that is my opinion.
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As the cheapest solution benchmarked here is >$400, I would agree with that! 🙂
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Lets not forget you have to add the price of a premium sli mobo 😉 That sends you over 500 (just the extra, not full price)
 
Originally posted by: keysplayr2003
User1234: If you choose to view SLI negatively, by all means go on your merry way and do so.
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Keys, he doesn't appear to be viewing SLI negatively as a whole, rather just the 6800NU and 6600GT SLI configs. His quote here:

Originally posted by: user1234
I hope this thread has finally made it clear that SLI of two midrange cards (6600GT/6800NU) is not a very good investment... [snip] When I get my 21" LCD 1600x1200, I will probably also get 2x6800GT, but it's defintely not going to be cheap.
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My take on it is that, while he is a fan of SLI and good graphics performance in general, he thinks the 6800NU and 6600GT SLI configurations aren't worth it from a price/performance measurement.

Personally, I think that's up to each individual consumer. Rollo's opinion proves that. For me, as soon as I was ready to build, there was only 1 solution I was interested in-- 2x 6800GTs. Anything else wasn't "worth it" to me... no upgrade-to-another-later-path or anything either, I wanted both now. But, I'd never tell anyone else that SLI-6600GT is a waste. That's where I gotta disagree with ya User1234. To each his own.
 
Originally posted by: Rollo
System:
A64 3800+/Asus A8N SLI/ 1GB Geil PC3500/2 Leadtek 6800 256MB or 2 reference nVidia 6800GT 256MB or 1 reference 6800GT/SB Audigy 2
Drivers: 71.80, High Quality

3DMark 05 6800NU SLI vs. 6800GT SLI vs. 6800GT
6761......8555........4813

3DMark 03 6800NU SLI vs 6800GT SLI vs. 6800GT
14275......18799......11257


All I can say is "Wow". Those who say SLI isn't worth it, haven't seen it. The 6800GT SLI roxored my boxors. I was also fairly surprised/impressed by how well the much less expensive 6800NU SLI held it's own, especially at Half Life 2.
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Can you provide the compare links to your 3dmark05?

I'm curious why your score is so low. I got 9379 in 3dmark05 on my SLI 6800GTs. As you can see that was on the 71.84 betas.. havent ran with the WHQL'd ones.. but prob only gets a bit better if anything.

I'd like to get the link and see if something possibly is wrong, you must represent SLI appropriately!!
I know SLI is the sh!t, but theres quite a difference between your results and mine.

I dont know what I'm getting in the rest of your benchmarks. But the numbers looks roundabout what I'm getting. Tho I do believe I'm hitting 100+ FPS in HL2@1680x1050 4xAA/8xAF.
 
Originally posted by: housecat
I know SLI is the sh!t, but theres quite a difference between your results and mine.

I dont know what I'm getting in the rest of your benchmarks. But the numbers looks roundabout what I'm getting. Tho I do believe I'm hitting 100+ FPS in HL2@1680x1050 4xAA/8xAF.
Click to expand...

SLI results, from what I've seen, seem to have a bit of variance (though, I suppose, like any benchmark result amongst several people).

Here are my results, side-by-side with Rollo's. My specs are a tad different, and I've noted where I've tested differently:

A64 3000+ (313* 8x /133 divider pc3200 2.5-3-3-7)
2x BFG 6800GT
XG 75.90a Quality
DFI NF4 SLI-D (onboard sound)

3DMark05 Rollo 6800GT SLI vs. mine
8555...... 8351

3DMark03 Rollo vs. mine
18799...... 16712

Half Life 2

16x12 4xAA 8xAF, all High "reflect all" Rollo vs. mine

at_c17_12
58...... 65

at_canals_08
87..... 80

at_coast_05
91..... 100

at_prison_05
89..... 87

Far Cry v1.3 build 1337

Used HardwareOC Far Cry Benchmark Utility
Settings: Ultra details 16x12 4xAA 8xAF

Ubisoft- Regulator Rollo vs. mine
48..... 42

Ubisoft Research
72..... 63

Ubisoft Training
54..... 57

Ubisoft Volcano
71..... 61

I've also got some UT2k4 using the Umark Utility.

I would have done Doom3 also, but for some reason, I cannot get it to run using SLI. It constantly comes back with 30fps, though it gets 37fps in non-SLI. So, something's not quite right there and I can't figure it out.
 
Originally posted by: christopherzombie
My next upgrade will be dual MSI 6800NUs and a MSI NF4 SLI. It looks like the MSI PCI-E 6800NUs are clocked a bit higher - 325/700, rather than 325/600 for Leadtek and Asus.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-127-149&depa=1
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The 6800NU SLI setup is nice, and a blast to play with, but I have to tell you those MSI numbers are a typo on newegg. Firing Squad and another review I can't remember noted this, so unless the MSI bundle is worth extra to you, I'd go with the Leadteks for $30 less per card.

Personally, I think the games bundled with the Leadtek are better.
 
have you ever heard of anyone who has a top of the line graphics card, buying a slower one just to try it out ? what do you do with all the graphics cards if you don't have computers for them ? maybe after you try them out, you try to sell them on hit-where or flea-bay, having to spend countless hours dealing with private party transactions, and then buy the next lower end card, like the 6200 just to try it as well ? eventually you have to ask yourself if you really need to use a graphics card, like for gaming applications for example, or you're just looking to spend time looking at hardware, because if that's the case, you hardly have anything in common with video card buyers. High end video card buyers are looking to use their cards in gaming applications. I wouldn't be surprised if next you go and get a 6600NU just to get fun feeling of playing around with it (hardware wise), since it's not really capable of running high end graphics software.
 
Originally posted by: user1234
have you ever heard of anyone who has a top of the line graphics card, buying a slower one just to try it out ? what do you do with all the graphics cards if you don't have computers for them ? maybe after you try them out, you try to sell them on hit-where or flea-bay, having to spend countless hours dealing with private party transactions, and then buy the next lower end card, like the 6200 just to try it as well ? eventually you have to ask yourself if you really need to use a graphics card, like for gaming applications for example, or you're just looking to spend time looking at hardware, because if that's the case, you hardly have anything in common with video card buyers. High end video card buyers are looking to use their cards in gaming applications. I wouldn't be surprised if next you go and get a 6600NU just to get fun feeling of playing around with it (hardware wise), since it's not really capable of running high end graphics software.
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Do you know what a "hobby" is?

I game every day, but long ago realized it's fun to try out more than one video card every year or two.

If you buy a new card more often than when they won't play the games at all, the only difference between us is the frequency.

I don't see the point of your post.
 
Even with the over clocked AMD some of the levels in HL2 are CPU limited. Amazing.

D3 and Far Cry are a lot more GPU bound. Good benchmarks Rollo.
 
Originally posted by: Regs
Even with the over clocked AMD some of the levels in HL2 are CPU limited. Amazing.

D3 and Far Cry are a lot more GPU bound. Good benchmarks Rollo.
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Thanks Regs.

I don't know what you mean by "overclocked AMD" though? My cpu isn't OCd? It's a retail 3800+, stock HSF.

 
Originally posted by: Rollo
TTT
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wtf ?

do you work for nvidia or something ? that would explain why you have so many "reference" cards and why you keep finding reasons why it's a good idea for people to buy just about any card that exists.
 
Originally posted by: user1234
Originally posted by: Rollo
TTT
Click to expand...


wtf ?

do you work for nvidia or something ? that would explain why you have so many "reference" cards and why you keep finding reasons why it's a good idea for people to buy just about any card that exists.
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Don't be hatin 😀. Some people like to have a well rounded knowledge (first hand) about computer hardware rather than relying on "Hearsay". Your anti-enthusiast attitude goes above and beyond. If you can't
understand it, either try harder, or leave it alone. Pretty simple.

As of now, you don't deserve a "reason" or "justification" for anything. We will see if your
attitude improves over time. Some folks are just born without the ability to change, or at least a fear of change. Don't mean to put you down, but, your just over zealous about it and it appears borderline ridiculous. (ouch)

 
Originally posted by: user1234
Originally posted by: Rollo
TTT
Click to expand...


wtf ?

do you work for nvidia or something ? that would explain why you have so many "reference" cards and why you keep finding reasons why it's a good idea for people to buy just about any card that exists.
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You caught me chief. I am thee eenveedia haxorz OMFG !!!!111111!!!!

:roll:

I bumped the thread because one I was replying to
Topic Title: SLI = why?
Topic Summary: just a gimmick?
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seemed to warrant it.

BTW- if anyone wants to see my complete set of 6600GT SLI vs 6800GT vs 6800NU SLI vs 6800GT SLI, they can find it here on a nice spread sheet. I didn't see any way to post the spread sheet here.

AFAIK, this and the Firing Squad benches comparing the same are the only reliable 6800NU SLI benches on the net. (the B3d ones are greatly flawed)

This alone makes this post worth bumping once IMO.
 
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