SLI with 2 types of cards...

[Caveman]

Say 6800 ultra and 6800GT... Is this possible or do thay have to be matched to work or for best performance...???

 

[RearAdmiral]

They cards have to be the same, so two ultras or two gts.

 

[scaryclownsarefun]

wait, holly crap, i thought you could SLI any two types of cards.... that makes SLI suck!

 

[Azndude51]

Originally posted by: scaryclownsarefun
wait, holly crap, i thought you could SLI any two types of cards.... that makes SLI suck!

Not really because the way SLI works, one card renders the top half and the other does the bottom half of the screen. If you had one card more powerful, the top or bottom half of your screen would look better than the other half.

My question is though, is it possible to have 2 cards from different manufacturers? Like a Chaintech and a eVGA 6800GT.

 

[ucjffj]

Originally posted by: Azndude51

Originally posted by: scaryclownsarefun
wait, holly crap, i thought you could SLI any two types of cards.... that makes SLI suck!

Not really because the way SLI works, one card renders the top half and the other does the bottom half of the screen. If you had one card more powerful, the top or bottom half of your screen would look better than the other half.

My question is though, is it possible to have 2 cards from different manufacturers? Like a Chaintech and a eVGA 6800GT.

i thought the drivers were suppose to adjust the dividing line depending on action. since bottom half usually is less active than top half, splitting the screen at 50% wouldn't maximize sli. likewise, since drivers adjust screen division, i would have thought they could pair different cards and just adjust the screen accordingly (while playing at settings supported by weaker card)

 

[ApacheChief]

Yeah, I agree with the poster above.

They should be able to change the section of the screen processed by the cards...

 

[PhattyB]

I can't remember where I read it so my info is let's say "Uncomfirmed'

Alienware SLI is where one card paints the top half and the other paints the lower half. This is done through a controller card. This allows any PCIe coupled cards to perform.. (ATI X800 being the main target but literally any matched pair should work under this system because of the controller doing the "dirty work")

Nvidia SLI has the two cards directly connected. One card paints the even numbered lines and the other card paints the odd numbered lines. Only 6600GT, 6800GT and 6800Ultra have this feature.

 

[Xatrix]

Originally posted by: PhattyB
I can't remember where I read it so my info is let's say "Uncomfirmed'

Alienware SLI is where one card paints the top half and the other paints the lower half. This is done through a controller card. This allows any PCIe coupled cards to perform.. (ATI X800 being the main target but literally any matched pair should work under this system because of the controller doing the "dirty work")

Nvidia SLI has the two cards directly connected. One card paints the even numbered lines and the other card paints the odd numbered lines. Only 6600GT, 6800GT and 6800Ultra have this feature.

I am afraid you are wrong.

The even/odd painting is how SLI worked with the old Voodoo cards.

With Nvidia it is just like Alienware's SLI, BUT the difference is, it isnt fixed for 1/2 of the screen. What they do is split the entire job in half, as sometimes there is more graphical demand for the top than the bottom or vice versa.

I think I read this on Tom's Hardware.

 

[scaryclownsarefun]

so the fact is, SLI is for the extremely stupid gaming enthusiast that will buy a $200 motherboard, and $200 CPU just so that he can buy 2 $200 or more card and run them in a scenario that will waste 20-40% of the power of the second card. stick to socket 754 people.

 

[Xatrix]

Originally posted by: scaryclownsarefun
so the fact is, SLI is for the extremely stupid gaming enthusiast that will buy a $200 motherboard, and $200 CPU just so that he can buy 2 $200 or more card and run them in a scenario that will waste 20-40% of the power of the second card. stick to socket 754 people.

you are also not thinking of the upgradeability of skt 939 SLI.

But *shrug*

 

[Gamingphreek]

Stop trolling, your being thickheaded.

The main thing that SLI will help is you buy like a top o the lin card now (6800U for this purpose) and then 2 years down the road when it is pretty dang cheap and you are running low in the performance area all you gotta do is drop another 100 bucks (exaggerating) and bam 80% performance increase. Get it?

Also why is it stupid... do tell what makes it so stupid, if you dont want it or you cant afford it fine but dont downplay it because of that.

-Kevin

 

[Azndude51]

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
Stop trolling, your being thickheaded.

The main thing that SLI will help is you buy like a top o the lin card now (6800U for this purpose) and then 2 years down the road when it is pretty dang cheap and you are running low in the performance area all you gotta do is drop another 100 bucks (exaggerating) and bam 80% performance increase. Get it?

Also why is it stupid... do tell what makes it so stupid, if you dont want it or you cant afford it fine but dont downplay it because of that.

-Kevin

Thats exactly why I am considering it. I'm gonna buy a SLI board w/one 6800GT PCI-express (when and if that ever comes out) or a 6600GT and then just buy a another card in a couple of years when its cheaper and when i feel my computer is getting too slow.

 

[imported_Woody]

Not stupid at all!

SLI will offer upgrade options that others simply won't have. Or if you can afford it (two 6800 Ultras) now SLI offers performance options that no other solution can even come close to.

It is the hands down only way to build the fastest gaming rig possible with todays technology.

 

[PhattyB]

Originally posted by: scaryclownsarefun
and run them in a scenario that will waste 20-40% of the power of the second card.

Wait, you're mad because the two cards isn't 200% the power of one?!? Talk about looking at a glass being half empty. You are the KING of Pessimists. I'd be happy with 60-80% increase....

 

[imported_IKnowNothing]

I think I will stick with the VIA chipset motherboards using the K8T890 Pro or the ATI solution coming out soon. They use SLI and I don't think it matters which video cards you use (ATI SLI . I'm not sure if they have to be the same or not. It looks promising though. The rumor mill has it ATI is looking to ALienware for a solution to SLI? Also SLI isn't really that great unless you take advantage of using the best cards out there. I believe 2 GT's in SLI are like 1 Ultra...add it up and are you really geting a deal out of this?

As far as people upgrading their system with another video card 2 years from now for the SLI solution: thats insane. I always buy a complete new system every 2 years and I'm not rich. I don't know how you guys get by if you don't. One more 6800GT added 2 years from now won't do squat for performance with all the new things coming out. Next you will want to upgrade your cpu and then your memory and then......doh...just by a new system lol.

I know the SLI boards coming out look awsome and have potential but save yourself some money and buy yesterdays hot hardware because todays is only a bit better, and save a ton of money for a huge monitor ... or wait for later revisions (like 6 months from now) before you buy a SLI motherboard. Unless of course you have a fat wallet The boards will be more stable, way better selection and other components like video cards will actually be around and cheaper too.

The price we pay to be at the top...ouch.

Anyone want to see a pic of my computer junkyard

 

[Gamingphreek]

Well some people dont upgrade their computer every two years.

Also it will alwayts matter what cards you SLI. Because then would be forced to either downlock or parts of the screen would be drawn faster than other parts. VIA's is no better than Nvidias, also ATI has already announced they will not release this.

-Kevin

 

[Azndude51]

Originally posted by: IKnowNothing
I believe 2 GT's in SLI are like 1 Ultra...add it up and are you really geting a deal out of this?

well, according to anandtech and nvidia, 2 6800gts gets about 3000 more points in 3dmark05 than a single 6800U. as i said before, I think its better to just buy a 6800GT now, then buy a 2nd 6800gt for a much lower price and a 40-80% performance increase a couple years from now when my system would need an upgrade.

 

[stelleg151]

I agree with Azndude. You guys are ignoring the performance in 3DMark 05, which I think will be a pretty good indicator of performance in future games. The 6600gt is getting better marks in SLI than the 6800ULTRA in 3dmark 05, that makes it a pretty damn good upgrade path in my mind, I spend 200 bucks now, wait a year or two, the games start getting to much for it, I get another one for 100-150 bucks without the hassle of selling my current one, and I all of a sudden I have better performance than the dudes who dropped 400-600 dollars a year or two ago. Thats a pretty sweet upgrade path in my mind.


Edit: haha azn dude im with ya on CS, and I cant even play the 20+ people games or mine craps out bigtime.

 

[imported_DangerMouse]

Since there are only few weeks before new nf4 mobos show up imho its worth to chose
'wait and see' approach. For majority of us folks who upgrade/change system once per
few years 2-3 weeks really should not matter. 6600 GT PCI-E will suffice for most
applications/games and costs half of current high end AGP cards. So actually new combo with
nf4 allows to save cash for those who interested.
Nevertheless, when you folx refer to Anand Tech and Co reviews/benchmarks its worth to
point out that it is still -reference- board, not mass production one. It is a -huge- difference.
I myself also intend to purchase whole new system but not before i read what people will
report on forums

 

[kamaboko]

it's going to be just like when people were using SLI for their voodoo cards. four or five months down the line people will be unloading their cards for next to nothing because a single card solution will arrive that will kill their coveted SLI configuration. i recall people paying a premium for their "two card" setups then took it in the bum when it was time to unload them. there was a glut of voodoo cards. it simply isn't worth the money.

for grins and giggles i just have to...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISA...=1&ssPageName=WDVW

 

[Xatrix]

Originally posted by: kamaboko
it's going to be just like when people were using SLI for their voodoo cards. four or five months down the line people will be unloading their cards for next to nothing because a single card solution will arrive that will kill their coveted SLI configuration. i recall people paying a premium for their "two card" setups then took it in the bum when it was time to unload them. there was a glut of voodoo cards. it simply isn't worth the money.

for grins and giggles i just have to...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISA...=1&ssPageName=WDVW

One thing I think you are forgetting is that it looks like nvidia is committed to making SLI a thing of the future, and not just some gimmick. But I could be wrong.

 

[Dynamix3D]

Originally posted by: stelleg151
I agree with Azndude. You guys are ignoring the performance in 3DMark 05, which I think will be a pretty good indicator of performance in future games. The 6600gt is getting better marks in SLI than the 6800ULTRA in 3dmark 05, that makes it a pretty damn good upgrade path in my mind, I spend 200 bucks now, wait a year or two, the games start getting to much for it, I get another one for 100-150 bucks without the hassle of selling my current one, and I all of a sudden I have better performance than the dudes who dropped 400-600 dollars a year or two ago. Thats a pretty sweet upgrade path in my mind.


Edit: haha azn dude im with ya on CS, and I cant even play the 20+ people games or mine craps out bigtime.

These are my exact intensions. I plan to buy an SLI mobo with only 1 6800GT for now since thats more than enough to play todays games at a great frame rate. But in the upcoming months when the games become more demanding I will just buy another 6800GT to add to the existing one instead of going through the hassle of buying the current $500 card that is out. I think the upgrade capabilities of SLI are superd, and it is definately a great idea for nVidia to be releasing it. This will most certainly draw more customers to nVidia, so ATI is going to have to figure out something to help keep up their sales, and not lose them to nVidia.

 

[Azndude51]

Originally posted by: stelleg151
Edit: haha azn dude im with ya on CS, and I cant even play the 20+ people games or mine craps out bigtime.

you're worse of then me since i got twice the RAM and a better vid card. and i can just barely play battlefield 1942 or halo. stuff like unreal 2004 are unplayable, but call of duty works pretty well.

 

[kamaboko]

i think one thing to consider with SLI is the direction of gaming and the kinds of requirements they will demand from vid cards. for instance, it's not always speed. there may be new texturing methods that simply won't be available except on a "new" card. that being the case, it doesn't matter if one has SLI or not. only a new vid card will solve the problem.