GTX 760 SLI worth it?

Deathwing777

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I'm in the process of doing my first DIY computer and I'm trying to pick out a motherboard. However, I need to figure out if I plan to do SLI or not. This is where I need help! I'm looking to get a EVGA GTX 760 SC 2gb video card.

What is the difference between just one of these cards and two and three of them?

How much does a new card add on?

I know that using more than one card does not stack the VRAM. However, do I have to use 2 of the exact same cards to do SLI? Or can use one 2gb and one 4gb and thus save money?


I plan to use this computer for gaming (Skyrim 2k graphics)
 
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I keep hearing folks say that SLI has lots of problems. That may have been true in years past, but most of those problems are all history now. I have been using SLI and CF for many many years, and I have no issues with either one. Zero. CF had a micro stutter issue with mid and low end cards until they developed Frame Pacing in their newest beta driver. Nvidia doesn't seem to suffer much from that malady. At least I never experienced it. (I did however experience M-S in the past with CF, tho. That was with a pair of HD 6850s)

Be aware that the thread I posted above was started in 2007. All but the most obscure games now have SLI profiles. Every game I've run has done SLI. Most seem to get near the 80% frame rate...

goku1234567890

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Well if you are buying a good motherboard have atleast i5 processor and good RAM GTX 760 is more than enough and you might not need another one. While SLI difference of VRAM is a bad idea as higher VRAM graphic card will reduce itself to make itself equal to the graphic card is couping or doing SLI.
 

Deathwing777

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Thanks guys for the answers. That helps out!

I'm most likely going to have an i5-4670 for my CPU. I don't plan on buying two cards now. However, I would like the option to upgrade to SLI in the future.
 

Deathwing777

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I'm basically wondering the question that is brought up in the link cluthc provided. Is it better to have two mid-grade cards or one high grade card. Ultimately, I'm not going to buy a high end card now. I can only afford a mid-grade, such as the GTX 760.

Would it be better to spend $20 or so extra and get a motherboard that can do SLI so in the future I can get another GTX760?
Or
Would it be better to save the 20 on the motherboard, just get the GTX 760, now and upgrade to a better video card in the future?
 

Deathwing777

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Thanks for the link, I'll check it out. The reason I want to get the GTX760 sooner, instead of waiting a couple months is NVIDIA is doing a promotion for the month of January. If you buy and GTX cards on a list they have you get Assassin's Creed IV as a free gift, and the GTX 760 is on that list. So, in my mind I'm saving roughly $60 by getting the card now.
 

clutchc

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I keep hearing folks say that SLI has lots of problems. That may have been true in years past, but most of those problems are all history now. I have been using SLI and CF for many many years, and I have no issues with either one. Zero. CF had a micro stutter issue with mid and low end cards until they developed Frame Pacing in their newest beta driver. Nvidia doesn't seem to suffer much from that malady. At least I never experienced it. (I did however experience M-S in the past with CF, tho. That was with a pair of HD 6850s)

Be aware that the thread I posted above was started in 2007. All but the most obscure games now have SLI profiles. Every game I've run has done SLI. Most seem to get near the 80% frame rate improvement. But not all. Keep your drivers up to date and your system clean of registry errors and bloatware and there won't be any issues.
 
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clutchc

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That's a good choice. Asrock has come a long way over the years from being Asus's OEM board manufacturer. They make good stuff. My only complaint is that they seem to use thinner laminate than their competitors. Easily warped. I had to send one new Asrock board back because the laminate was so badly warped I was afraid of breaking a solder trace by forcing it down to the standoffs. But in all honesty, that was one of their low-end boards from several years ago. I've never had that issue with any of them since. And I've done several builds with them lately.

That MB is slightly narrower than most ATX boards. It doesn't quite reach the last row of standoffs, and as a result only uses 7 standoffs leaving the edge where you press down to plug in/remove the 24 pin cable and your memory sticks floating. You might want to pick up some of these: http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-Plastic-Motherboard-Standoffs-Computer/dp/B00032Q33S/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1390161982&sr=8-3&keywords=plastic+standoffs
...to put in the corner holes to relieve some of the stress.
 

Deathwing777

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Good to hear. I've heard a couple of people on here claiming AsRock aren't good but they haven't really explained why. So, thanks for your insight and the link to those items.

If I decided to get a different AsRock board, are there any that you would recommend?