SLI for HTPC?

[randreas]

I'm planning on building a HTPC/gaming comp and have been waiting for the SLI boards to come down in price. I figured SLI would future proof my comp but the highest resolution I'm ever going to run it at is 1280 x 720 (native resolution of my LCD big screen). You think SLI is overkill for that resolution? i.e. will I have to upgrade my cpu/mobo before I need to get dual 6800GTs? Newegg now has Ultras in stock for a good price and I'm tired of waiting...

 

[DaveSimmons]

Yes, SLI is massive overkill for that resolution for the next couple of years since games will be using the current D3, HL2 engines for awhile. At the point your Ultra stops being fast enough you'll want a dual-core A64 4000x2 CPU anyway.

 

[Mik3y]

sli is waaaaaay overkill. it's a waste of money. sli is ONLY made for gaming (perhaps workstation also). any other use is technicaly a waste.

 

[Edward Lee]

future proof? no such thing.

 

[Dug]

Not only is it overkill for a htpc, but it will be way too loud.
Don't no if you can fit silencers on an sli rig or not.

 

[randreas]

Cool... I'll spend the money I save on a bigger HD to rip all my DVds to.

 

[pjwinkler]

i think it would be a good idea to get the ASUS A8N-SLI w/ a 6800 GT now and then and then go SLI when you need an upgrade

 

[mrgoblin]

Originally posted by: randreas
I'm planning on building a HTPC/gaming comp and have been waiting for the SLI boards to come down in price. I figured SLI would future proof my comp but the highest resolution I'm ever going to run it at is 1280 x 720 (native resolution of my LCD big screen). You think SLI is overkill for that resolution? i.e. will I have to upgrade my cpu/mobo before I need to get dual 6800GTs? Newegg now has Ultras in stock for a good price and I'm tired of waiting...

SLI wont future proof ure machine. In 6 months your machine will be 2x slower than the fastest one out there because the new cards are gonna be 2x faster than the current generation and sli will be alot more popular by then. if you have the scrilla to get 2 6800gts then do yourself a favor and head over to www.flatscreenmania.com and buy something that will actually come in handy. a 52 inch plasma. Cheers

 

[randreas]

Originally posted by: mrgoblin
SLI wont future proof ure machine. In 6 months your machine will be 2x slower than the fastest one out there because the new cards are gonna be 2x faster than the current generation and sli will be alot more popular by then. if you have the scrilla to get 2 6800gts then do yourself a favor and head over to www.flatscreenmania.com and buy something that will actually come in handy. a 52 inch plasma. Cheers

Well I already have a 50" LCD HDTV... I was going to get just one 6800GT for now and a second some time in the future, but by that time as people have pointed out, my processor will probably be the bottleneck. If my TV could do 1600 x 1200 it would be a different story but its fixed at 720P.

 

[Blain]

Why?

 

[ngray]

I have a SLI setup, and I'm running MCE2005.

Pros:
I can run dvi to an hdtv, and still have 3 left over for monitors when SLI is off (I'm a developer, I do the multi-monitor thing)
I can take advantage of having multiple cards when I play games.
I don't have to use an old pci video card for the aux monitors
I want my PC to do everything. SLI and MCE is taking that to the N'th degreee.

Cons:
2 6800GT's are very, very loud. You don't want them in the living room. I have mine in the office, and a short dvi run to the living room. I can do this because they're adjacent.
SLI is is way overkill for a machine you'll mostly watch tv on. If you want the performance of two 6600's, by a 6800gt. If you want the performance of two 6800's, well, stand tall, I'm right there with you.
MOST 6800/6600 cards do NOT come with component out cables. Only a few cards do. That means you'll have to tie up a DVI/HDMI on your HDTV. ATI cards frequently allow for the component 'dongle'.

HTH