Two 7800GT 256MB in SLI or just one 7800GTX 512MB

[Pez D Spencer]

Im building a new system for Christmas and I was just wondering what is better, two 7800GT 256MB in SLI or just one 7800GTX 512MB? My new sytem will have an Athlon 64 X2 4400+ in it and 2GB of RAM.

Tiger Direct has a combo deal of two 7800 GT's and a 600 Watt PSU for 659. Newegg has the new 7800GTX 512MB cards for 749.

Lets say that the single 7800GTX 512MB is better than the 7800GT 256MB SLI setup, would the single 7800GTX 512MB still be better than an SLI setup using 7800GTX 256MB cards?

Thanks for the info. Sorry if this has been asked before. Im sure it has but I really couldnt find anything much about it.

 

[RussianSensation]

Assuming most of the games you intend to play support SLI, 2x7800GTs are better. I cant even find 7800 512mb in retail for less than $750. A bit stiff, given that it's slower. If you are willing to spend this much money on a videocard, I dont see how 2x7800GTs wont be satisfactory.

 

[cpacini]

The two GT's will outperform the 512 in almost all cases. Go for the GT special.

 

[thegimp03]

2 7800 gts would be better. 2 7800 gtx's would be way better.

 

[a4000tdh]

512mb are 700~800 dollars overpriced as hell, stay away.

 

[Elfear]

Two GT's are faster in most cases than the 512MB 7800GTX and they're $150-200 less than the pre-order price of that thing ($400-800 less than what some of them have been selling on Ebay for).

 

[Capt Caveman]

FWIW, I was trying to make the same decision and decided to go w/ a single 7800GTX 512. If I went GT SLI. I would have gotten the eVGA COs which would cost me $640. If I went SLI, I would have had to upgrade my psu. I paid $750 for my card but w/ fatwallet cashback and a copy of COD2(came with card) to sell, overall I paid less than $700. Thus for pretty much an equal price, I also get pretty much equal performance. But, I don't have to deal w/ possible SLI issues, case cooling problems and w/ eVGA Step-up Program. Based on the price I paid, I should be able to upgrade my GTX 512 to a G71 for no money when they come out in Feb/Mar. People also talk about future games will take advantage of 512mb of video ram.

The prices on eBay have actually settled down from anywhere between $750-850(if the prices had been higher I would have ebay'd mine also). I got mine from TigerDirect which had them in stock twice over the last two weeks and you also get 3% in fat wallet cash back. My two cents and another perspective.

 

[Zebo]

two GT's are best deal in video card.. price/performance sweet spot.. what have you.. you can get them for less than $275 AR, overclocked ones even like these
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDe...roductCode=321045&affiliate=pricewatch

They lay waste to more expensive 512 or eqiv priced x1800 or GTX's.

 

[NoStateofMind]

2 7800GT's

 

[1Dark1Sharigan1]

Two GT's go for $600 on Newegg while the 512MB GTX goes for $750 and is out of stuck. The SLI GT's will beat the GTX pretty much hands down (gets closer in the highest resolutions and IQ) though will be louder and require more power. But for raw performance SLI GTs are definitely a better deal, especially considering each GT can probably overclock to be better than a GTX stock would be . . .

 

[darXoul]

This is true in terms of GPU MHz in particular although the GTX still will have an advantage of vertex and pixel shaders (8/24 vs. 7/20).

The only drawback of the GTs is that they are quite a bit louder. Other than that, it's a much better setup than one GTX 512 (a bit stronger performer plus economically way more justified).

 

[Pez D Spencer]

But of course wouldn't a 7800GTX 512MB SLI setup be the supreme? Although I don't have that amount of cash right now, Im thinking about going with the 7800GTX 512MB so that in a few months I can get another 7800GTX 512MB and have the best, most badass system out there.

What do you think?

Im going to have a Opteron 170 CPU that I plan to OC somewhat. Even though this is a good CPU would it still bottleneck a 7800GTX 512MB SLI setup?

 

[RussianSensation]

Originally posted by: Pez D Spencer
But of course wouldn't a 7800GTX 512MB SLI setup be the supreme? Although I don't have that amount of cash right now, Im thinking about going with the 7800GTX 512MB so that in a few months I can get another 7800GTX 512MB and have the best, most badass system out there.

What do you think?

Im going to have a Opteron 170 CPU that I plan to OC somewhat. Even though this is a good CPU would it still bottleneck a 7800GTX 512MB SLI setup?

Bad idea for several reasons.

1) 7800GTX is EOL (end of life), it's hard enough to find it now. It'll be discounted most surely. It's basically wha x800xt pe was for ATI - a ghost card. So don't even count on getting a 2nd one.

2) $750 for 7800GTX 512mb, then what another $400 for it if you are lucky to find it? Thats a lot of money, when 6 months down the road, basically any top card will outpeform it. Nevermind, G80 which will smoke both I bet. Plus, the resale value of 7800GTX 512mb will go into the ground, while 7800GTs will fall what maybe $150 each? Basically unless you can afford to buy top of the line EVERY generation, never buy top of the line. It makes sense to upgrade more often from mid- to high- than spend $700 on ultra high and keep that for 2 years+