Which is faster?

[Brianj123]

I'm customizing a new AMD system based on an ASUS "A8N-SLI Deluxe" NVIDIA nForce4 Chipset Motherboard. I'm leaning towards the Athlon 3800.

For the same price I can get two Geforce 6600 GT cards each with 128 ram or one Geforce 6800 GT w/256 ram.

I'm getting a 19 inch LCD monitor with a resolution of 1280 x 1024. I'm wondering what differnces in 3D gaming I could expect between the two configurations.

 

[The Green Bean]

a single 6800GT should be faster

 

[mwmorph]

1 geforce6800gt with 256mb ram will be faster at resolutions you play at(12x10). also gains a huge lead when aa/af is turned on. also, you gain the ability to upgrade later to 2x6800gt in a year for cheap.

 

[nanaki333]

look on ebay and FS threads. you can find dell 6800s with 256MB for $200 or less. i've sold 3 for like $180 each already.

 

[mwmorph]

Originally posted by: nanaki333
look on ebay and FS threads. you can find dell 6800s with 256MB for $200 or less. i've sold 3 for like $180 each already.

dell 6800s are gtos. they are 12pp 5xs 6800nu cores instead of 6800gt cores that run at 16pp 6vs.

 

[RussianSensation]

6800Gt should be faster most of the time because some games dont even support SLI.

Even x800xl pci $260 is a better valeu than 2 6600GTs. At least you can later get another 6800GT and have really good performance yet 2 6600GTs are nothign special for the price.

Perhaps 2 6800nu if unlocked would be the best SLI gem out there but you can't unlock PCIe versions of these cards...bummer.

 

[ssvegeta1010]

The 6800GT will lag behind a tiny bit, but shine at higher resolutions (such as 1280 X 1024), and destroy the 6600GT with AA/AF.

The 6800GT generally performs better, and makes more sense (price-wise and upgrade-wise).

 

[Brianj123]

Thanks for the quick replies!

It?s amazing to me how fast I got answers. I can't stomach following each release of the latest video cards out there. And with SLI, well shoot. Thanks for helping me make an informed purchase.

Although I wonder when it comes time to upgrade (when a game I want to play looks terrible) if a second 6800GT will be the best value. As opposed to purchasing a next generation card. Which solution would give more bang for the buck? Anyone have an opinion on this?

 

[SVT Cobra]

Originally posted by: mwmorph
1 geforce6800gt with 256mb ram will be faster at resolutions you play at(12x10). also gains a huge lead when aa/af is turned on. also, you gain the ability to upgrade later to 2x6800gt in a year for cheap.

:thumbsup:

 

[BobDaMenkey]

Originally posted by: Brianj123
Thanks for the quick replies!

It?s amazing to me how fast I got answers. I can't stomach following each release of the latest video cards out there. And with SLI, well shoot. Thanks for helping me make an informed purchase.

Although I wonder when it comes time to upgrade (when a game I want to play looks terrible) if a second 6800GT will be the best value. As opposed to purchasing a next generation card. Which solution would give more bang for the buck? Anyone have an opinion on this?

Near impossible to tell this far out. New generation would probably be the better choice, but we don't know what the games of tomorrow are going to need for system specs.

 

[nRollo]

At 12X10, the 6800GT is usually a little faster. The 6600GT SLI's strength is high res (19X14, 20X15) 0X16X. At those settings, the 6600GTs own the 6800GT.

 

[darkswordsman17]

Originally posted by: Rollo
At 12X10, the 6800GT is usually a little faster. The 6600GT SLI's strength is high res (19X14, 20X15) 0X16X. At those settings, the 6600GTs own the 6800GT.

At those resolutions, the game owns just about any card setup you could use.

 

[ddogg]

the 6800GT would beat the SLIed 6600GT in most games xcept Doom3 where the 6600GT's performance is exceptional

 

[ddogg]

Originally posted by: darkswordsman17

Originally posted by: Rollo
At 12X10, the 6800GT is usually a little faster. The 6600GT SLI's strength is high res (19X14, 20X15) 0X16X. At those settings, the 6600GTs own the 6800GT.

At those resolutions, the game owns just about any card setup you could use.

probably just an SLIed 6800U or 6800GT, but fps would still be under 30 i guess

 

[Munky]

A single 6800gt is a way better choice. It will be fast even if a game doesn't support sli, and with 256mb mem it should handle new games way better, especially if you use AA. The dual 6600gts will still only have 128mb, because the mem doesn' add up in sli.

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: ddogg

Originally posted by: darkswordsman17

Originally posted by: Rollo
At 12X10, the 6800GT is usually a little faster. The 6600GT SLI's strength is high res (19X14, 20X15) 0X16X. At those settings, the 6600GTs own the 6800GT.

At those resolutions, the game owns just about any card setup you could use.

probably just an SLIed 6800U or 6800GT, but fps would still be under 30 i guess

Au contraire mon frere- this is the power of SLI-

http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/nvidia_nforce4_intel_edition/page18.asp

HL2 20X15 0X16X
6800GT 31fps
6600GT SLI 37fps
6800GT SLI 53fps

Far Cry 20X15 0X16X
6800GT 34fps
6600GT SLI 39fps
6800GT SLI 57fps

IL2 Sturmovik 20X15 0X16X
6800GT 37fps
6600GT SLI 44fps
6800GT SLI 51fps

Note how the 6800GT SLI is over 50fps on all three.
<hugs 6800GT SLI>

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: ssvegeta1010
The 6800GT will lag behind a tiny bit, but shine at higher resolutions (such as 1280 X 1024), and destroy the 6600GT with AA/AF.

The 6800GT generally performs better, and makes more sense (price-wise and upgrade-wise).

Depends on the game and setting. At Doom3, Halo, and Half Life 2 6600GT SLI beats 6800GT at high res, AA/AF. Here's your links:

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/gf6800u-sli_19.html
6600GT SLI wins almost all the HL2 benches, including both 16X12 4X16X

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/gf6800u-sli_16.html
6600GT SLI wins d3dm4 demo at 16x12 4x16x

http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/msi_nx6800/page7.asp
6600GT SLI crushes 6800GT at Halo 16X12 4X8X


In general, you're right though, 6800GTs higher memory bandwidth usually starts to give it an edge at 12X10 4X8X>.