SLI thoughts with a POLL

[Killrose]

I myself will probably never own an SLI system if and when it becomes available, however envious I may get. Since we have no real reveiws of an SLI based systems, only PR marketing FUDD, I thought I would start a poll.

If any of you have some real and new information on SLI tech, post it here so others may check it out.

 

[nitromullet]

What about another choice, "Yes, I will buy one of the fast cards now, and another one when the prices drop"?

 

[Creig]

That's my idea for the future as well. PCI-E mobo and a single fast card, then a 2nd card later on down the road when I need the extra horsepower.

 

[BW86]

Originally posted by: Creig
That's my idea for the future as well. PCI-E mobo and a single fast card, then a 2nd card later on down the road when I need the extra horsepower.

exactly what he said

 

[Lonyo]

Remember you need a PCI-E mobo with 2 PCI-E x16 slots, which may come at an additional premium.

However, if you buy a PCI-E mobo with 1xPCI-E 16 now, then want to upgrade with a limited budget (and CPU sockets change), you could buy a new mobo with 2 PCI-E 16 slots, a new (now cheaper) graphics card and new processor.
That way you save some money on upgrading the graphics card.

 

[SickBeast]

I plan to upgrade my graphics card as I normally do. If I needed something faster I would sell my current card and upgrade. SLI is silly IMO unless you want to have the highest video performance known to mankind.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

Right now it seems as if its up to nVidia to push SLI, while I would most likely be one to use it as an upgrade path, such a thing is precisely what a company like nVidia wouldn't necessarily want. If SLI does increase performance anywhere from 50-100%, then that could prove to be too competitive for any future flagships unless SLI is practically made too expensive to be realistic (ie the motherboards might cost an arm and a leg if not more).

Some people always upgrade to the fastest there is, even if that means spending $500 a year on a video card. Now with SLI you could spend $500 one year, and then $200 or so to upgrade and double up your performance instead of paying $500 for the new part. Now unless the new part packs a ton of features you absolutley have to have, then there's not much reason you wouldn't do SLI unless there is some downfall.

SLI just seems too good to be true for your average consumer although I sure as hell would like to see it but as it is I don't see it happening with ease. I mean as it is two $200 MSRP 6600GTs would most likely easily best the $400 MSRP 6800GT, so why go with the single card solution if you have $400 to spend unless you're planning on upgrading in the future? You could always go with the 6600GTs and wait for the 6800GTs to come down to $400 for the pair.

Alienware's solution seems like a sure thing in the sense that it will actually come to market, but at the same time their 800W system will probably cost a good $5000-6000 if not more which would make sense. I guess nVidia's SLI will depend upon the price of dual 16x PCI-e motherboards as well as the SLI connector that might be sold separately, who knows, they might charge a ton of money for that "simple" connector.

 

[Avalon]

I'd like an option on the poll to choose that I will buy one high midrange card now, and SLI a second one 6-12 months later. Like a 6600GT now, and buy another later down the road.

This is a bit off topic, but what does FUDD stand for?

 

[SickBeast]

Originally posted by: Avalon
This is a bit off topic, but what does FUDD stand for?

Here's the definition.

I think he meant this though.

:beer:

 

[Creig]

DFI recently released their 939 A64 LanParty board which is equipped with the usual 1 AGP, 6 PCI configuration. Their NEXT 939 A64 LanParty board is supposed to be SLI compatible with all PCI-E slots, one of which can be set at either 16x or 8x, the next one capable of 8x or 1x. That way you can run either a single PCI-E video card at 16x, or an SLI setup with each card receiving/transmitting at 8x.

Posted by Angry_Games at DFI-Street -939 NF3 will be what you expect, AGP etc

939 NF4 will be SLI PCI-E



Angry_Games is an official U.S. DFI rep in charge of forums and some RMAing.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: Creig
That's my idea for the future as well. PCI-E mobo and a single fast card, then a 2nd card later on down the road when I need the extra horsepower.

 

[Corporate Thug]

too much $$$ for me

 

[Killrose]

Originally posted by: SickBeast

Originally posted by: Avalon
This is a bit off topic, but what does FUDD stand for?

Here's the definition.

I think he meant this though.

:beer:

OOPs, was'nt sure if it was two D's or one. You are correct with the one D (Although two aren't bad when they come in cups!! )

Myself, i'm wondering why we have heard all this great stuff, but have not seen one benchmark or mention of a game running artifact/corruption free while SLI is in use.

And I guess I should have posted origionally the "buy one now get one later", which I think most people would have opted to vote on. But I was after what teir of performance people were maybe going to opt for.

 

[ronnn]

I saw bigfoot. :sun:

 

[jm0ris0n]

Edit the Poll.

I for one plan on buying a dual PCIe motherboard, and buy 1 pcie sli capable card. This way I can add in another card later for cheap !!!

 

[caz67]

Drool..!! As soon as its available im upgrading..

 

[ZobarStyl]

Another option that wasn't there; the presence of dual-PCI-E motherboards allows us to finally get decent game performance out of a multi-monitor (>2) system. Up until this point, it was Matrox or some worthless PCI card as your second set of outs, and that meant gaming was out of the question. I'd love to see what two 6800GT's or even 6600GT's are capable of doing across that much desktop. /drool

 

[bunnyfubbles]

2 monitor gaming but just stretching the game over 2 screens isn't exactly appealing because you'll be split down the middle, having a monitor to extend your FOV to the left and right (3 total like with the Parhelia's surround gaming) would be ideal but most likely gimmick in the end (just as it was with Parhelia, only with better performance). Although I think too much money and not enough reward in the end, I'd think most players would heavily prefer the boosted performance.

 

[Creig]

I've been hoping that LCD makers would eventually come out with a borderless monitor (at least on the sides). That way you COULD just simply stick a pair of them side-by-side and run desktop spanning with no break in the middle.

 

[imported_kouch]

I am personally waiting for all these things to come togather:

Windows Longhorn
Maturation of dual core
Maturation of PCI-E
Maturation of SLI

and more importantly me graduating Medical School and having some money in 3-4 years

At that time it's time for a big upgrade, hopefully till then my current rig in the sig and HL2 will hold me up.

 

[ZobarStyl]

Originally posted by: bunnyfubbles
2 monitor gaming but just stretching the game over 2 screens isn't exactly appealing because you'll be split down the middle, having a monitor to extend your FOV to the left and right (3 total like with the Parhelia's surround gaming) would be ideal but most likely gimmick in the end (just as it was with Parhelia, only with better performance). Although I think too much money and not enough reward in the end, I'd think most players would heavily prefer the boosted performance.

I know, I can't play things over my duals cause it splits my crosshairs...gotta have 3 to do that =). Just trying to do it quickly before the gf notices...

 

[MegaWorks]

A single card is way enough for me.

 

[Killrose]

SLI could take some of the heat off of a company having to design a new GPU to compete with the competitions next gen GPU by giving an esisting GPU design a longer life-cycle. This would allow them to have a smaller design team, a lower new-technology developement budget, and really make money because once a GPU design is developed and refined, becomes much more profitable.

However, would'nt a mutiple chip solution on one PCB with a large amount of ram accomplish the same thing? Though it might have the dissadvantage of being more expensive to buy up-front then buying one expensive SLI capable card today, one cheaper card months later (look at your prices boy's, we maybe talking a year or more BETWEEN PURCHASES before SLI would be a cost advantage).

I think a good multi-chip solution today (especillay using AGP) would kill PCI-e's real advantage. I garantee it would absolutely piss-off the motherboard manufactures who are hopeing for all us drones to aimlessly walk out and buy a PCI-e dual slot card tommorrow.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

Originally posted by: KillroseHowever, would'nt a mutiple chip solution on one PCB with a large amount of ram accomplish the same thing?

In terms of performance for the user, it would potentially be more efficient and thus faster, in terms of expense for the manufacture, it wouldn't work, just remember the Voodoo 5 and Rage Maxx for an example.

Though it might have the dissadvantage of being more expensive to buy up-front then buying one expensive SLI capable card today, one cheaper card months later (look at your prices boy's, we maybe talking a year or more BETWEEN PURCHASES before SLI would be a cost advantage).

But that's precisely the beauty of SLI, last year people with 9800 Pros were enjoying top notch performance, this year they could throw in another 9800 Pro and have $400+ performance for $200 or less. People who have money and want it all at once can go ahead and buy two cards at once.

I think a good multi-chip solution today (especillay using AGP) would kill PCI-e's real advantage.

I dunno about that, such a card would never run off of AGP power alone (and people were upset about 2 or even 1 external power supply connector)

I garantee it would absolutely piss-off the motherboard manufactures who are hopeing for all us drones to aimlessly walk out and buy a PCI-e dual slot card tommorrow.

PCI-e is the slot of the future, I wouldn't be suprised if future motherboards would let you plug in a top end video card into every PCI-e slot on the motherboard (giving you an insane ammount of possible configurations - to drive several monitors and/or massively increase your game performance or rendering productivity.

AGP is a dying breed, certainly not inferior but there is little reason to hold onto it

 

[kylebisme]

Originally posted by: Killrose
However, would'nt a mutiple chip solution on one PCB with a large amount of ram accomplish the same thing?

Do you realise how big the 6800 PCBs already are?