Would a pair of 6800GS in SLI outperform a single 7800gt

[videopho]

A friend who is building a gaming rig asks me that question and I'm not sure how to answer. He said he can buy a pair of 6800gs for ~ $320 (After Rebate) which is about in line with 7800gt prices nowadays.

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: videopho
A friend who is building a gaming rig asks me that question and I'm not sure how to answer. He said he can buy a pair of 6800gs for ~ $320 (After Rebate) which is about in line with 7800gt prices nowadays.

Yes, at 16X12 4X16X it would sometimes.

 

[Ricemarine]

Yes it would in most cases...

But as you can see 7800gt prices are decreasing, along with you don't need an sli motherboard... So if you want to spend more, go for it.

 

[Mrvile]

Your friend should just get a regular NF4 mobo, a single 7800GT, and upgrade to better single cards as he sees fit.

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: Mrvile
Your friend should just get a regular NF4 mobo, a single 7800GT, and upgrade to better single cards as he sees fit.

Why should he do that? SLI motherboard is a more flexible motherboard.

 

[kpb]

Depends on the resolution you play at but if you look at http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2607 it has everything from a 6800gs to a 7800 gtx 512 in single and sli modes and 1600x1200 the sli gs usually wins but they are typically pretty close.

 

[Lord Banshee]

Get the single 7800GT..

it is cheaper, cosumes less power, works 100% in all applications, in performance in 90% of the time.

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: kpb
Depends on the resolution you play at but if you look at http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2607 it has everything from a 6800gs to a 7800 gtx 512 in single and sli modes and 1600x1200 the sli gs usually wins but they are typically pretty close.

The thing is they're always close, but the 6800GS SLI dominates in SC:CT, Doom3, and Quake4. There are other D3 engine games on the way, and I'm guessing Riddick will be the same.

Also, even where averages are the same, minimums are often higher with SLI.

 

[TriggerHappy101]

It all depends on the game. Many games do not have SLI supprt, so you will actully see a REDUCTION in fps (lower FPS than using just 6800GS card.) You can get a 7800GT for 275 on newegg.

 

[MDE]

If anything I'd go with a single 7800GT now and add another later.

 

[xtx4u]

Originally posted by: videopho
A friend who is building a gaming rig asks me that question and I'm not sure how to answer. He said he can buy a pair of 6800gs for ~ $320 (After Rebate) which is about in line with 7800gt prices nowadays.

um lol no, my two 7800 gt only cost $250 each, retail new too. And 6800 gs has hard time keeping up at high resolutions during some scenes and in some games.

 

[Todd33]

Originally posted by: Rollo

Originally posted by: Mrvile
Your friend should just get a regular NF4 mobo, a single 7800GT, and upgrade to better single cards as he sees fit.

Why should he do that? SLI motherboard is a more flexible motherboard.

if by more flexable you mean one less PCI slot for things like TV tuners, wi-fi cards, sounds cards, etc.

 

[nRollo]

Originally posted by: Todd33

Originally posted by: Rollo

Originally posted by: Mrvile
Your friend should just get a regular NF4 mobo, a single 7800GT, and upgrade to better single cards as he sees fit.

Why should he do that? SLI motherboard is a more flexible motherboard.

if by more flexable you mean one less PCI slot for things like TV tuners, wi-fi cards, sounds cards, etc.

No, I mean more flexible for things that actually matter to gamers like being able to run double video cards when needed and not suffer the indignities single card owners suffer playing FEAR and COD2.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Rollo

Originally posted by: Todd33

Originally posted by: Rollo

Originally posted by: Mrvile
Your friend should just get a regular NF4 mobo, a single 7800GT, and upgrade to better single cards as he sees fit.

Why should he do that? SLI motherboard is a more flexible motherboard.

if by more flexable you mean one less PCI slot for things like TV tuners, wi-fi cards, sounds cards, etc.

No, I mean more flexible for things that actually matter to gamers like being able to run double video cards when needed and not suffer the indignities single card owners suffer playing FEAR and COD2.

of course it depends on your gaming resolutions . . . mine is generally 11x8 @ 85 hz and i don't "suffer" with FEAR [anymore]
[pun intended]

if i were upgrading today i'd get a SLI MB . . . there is nothing wrong with having more options.

And SLi'd GSes are powerful and cheap . . .

or just get one 7800gt now . . . you can always add a 2nd one OR sell it and buy another single card.

toss a coin

 

[duragezic]

Evga 7800GT + Evga Nforce4 SLI mobo for $370 or less is a better value IMO. While you wait for the rebate you have those two video cards compared to one that is about the same speed overall plus a mobo. Then you have the option for adding another 7800GT later.

 

[Munky]

Getting dual 6800gs now is like getting dual 6600gt a year ago. Yeah, it does win some benches, but it also loses in others, and when a single high-end card can offer similar performance for the same money then what's the point of getting 2 older cards, a more expensive mobo, more expensive PSU, and a year later have 2 cards that are worth only half of what you paid for em.

 

[1Dark1Sharigan1]

Basically, SLI is really only a good/smart option when you're getting a pair of relatively high-end cards (7800GT, GTX, etc.) since getting a pair of mid-end cards may give you greater performance than a single high-end card but makes your system less future-proof and likely . . . in other words getting one high card is almost always a better idea than getting two mid-end cards . . .

 

[GOREGRINDER]

look to the 7800 series for guidence to your gaming zen grasshopper,...


(hell ,...transparency and gamma anti aliasing is reason enough to pass on 6800's imo)

 

[alimoalem]

the gs is a good solution but depending on what you play, i would advise on getting a 7800gt. if you really want sli, you can always get a second 7800

 

[Liver]

Originally posted by: Rollo

Originally posted by: Mrvile
Your friend should just get a regular NF4 mobo, a single 7800GT, and upgrade to better single cards as he sees fit.

Why should he do that? SLI motherboard is a more flexible motherboard.

I agree. The question is if your friend is going to SLI or not. I think that should be the first question. Then, either way (6800/7800), he always has the opportunity to SLI.

I decided that I would not have 2 graphics cards in the foreseeable future, so I went (of course) with a single card solution with a single card motherboard. It suits me.

 

[imported_Rampage]

Get a SLI mobo and a single 7800GT.

Can always add a second 7800GT later, and you'll get dual GS performance with 1 card, +transAA+lower power consumption of the GF7 series+dual link DVI (on select gf7 models such as the Evga).
Not to mention you get an upgrade path (SLI) and it will hold its value longer being a Geforce7.

I think this is a no brainer. But do as you will.

 

[tfcmasta97]

Originally posted by: Rampage
Get a SLI mobo and a single 7800GT.

Can always add a second 7800GT later, and you'll get dual GS performance with 1 card, +transAA+lower power consumption of the GF7 series+dual link DVI (on select gf7 models such as the Evga).
Not to mention you get an upgrade path (SLI) and it will hold its value longer being a Geforce7.

I think this is a no brainer. But do as you will.

^^what he said

 

[Matt2]

FEAR and COD2 were completely different games after I added a second GT.

Always nice to play with all the goodies plus some extras (transperency AA, gamma AA, MSAA, SSAA) and not have you minimum FPS drop below 40fps where my single GT got around 30fps average with the same settings (FEAR)