To SLI or not to SLI

[jvmongoose]

Hi guys,

I'm building a new PC and I can't afford top of the line hardware all around. I'm already set on the following motherboard so I can use dual core and SLI: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131540

As far as the video card is concerned I was planning on getting two of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130267

BUT, my question is... will I get better performance with these 2 video cards in SLI mode or would I be better off spending the combined money on a single (more up to date) video card?

Thanks for the help. I appreciate it!

If you do not know the answer, maybe you can provide some links to articles that compare what I'm asking..?

 

[Lan]

Since money is an issue, forget about using SLI right now. I say buy one 7900GT if you can find one. It will blow any 6800 away in terms of performance, and later when you can afford it, you can get another one.

But out of stock or not, don't bother with 6800 SLI right now. Get a 7900GT. Personally I say get one by evga for their warrenty (OC & Modding), as well as their step up program.

 

[angry_ducky]

Since money is an issue, forget about using SLI right now. I say buy one 7900GT if you can find one. It will blow any 6800 away in terms of performance, and later when you can afford it, you can get another one.

But out of stock or not, don't bother with 6800 SLI right now. Get a 7900GT. Personally I say get one by evga for their warrenty (OC & Modding), as well as their step up program.

Good point. One 7900GT will cost the same and perform as well as two 6800GS's.

 

[smedlin]

Personally I say get one by evga for their warrenty (OC & Modding), as well as their step up program.

What is their "step up program"?

 

[Lan]

Here is eVGA's Step Up FAQ. In a nutshell, if you buy an eVGA card within 90 days of your purchase date you have the option to "Step Up" your card to one of greater value, for only the cost of the difference in price.

For example, I recently bought a couple of eVGA 7800 GT's from newegg not long before the 7900 came out. I paid around $280 for each card (all numbers are rounded to make this easy). When the 7900's came out their 7900 GT CO Superclocked was $349. So I turned my cards in for the value of what I paid for them ($280), paid the difference $69 per card plus shipping, and get a system that will arguably outperform almost any single graphics card platform currently on the market.

The drawback is that you need to send your card to them first, so you are stuck without a computer for a little while. But from a price stand point, it is a good deal.

 

[smedlin]

Interesting. I read the link you provided. I did not know that. Any of the other big brand (like bfg) do that?

To bad you can't keep "stepping up", they only allow it once.

I wonder when the next "up grade" will be.

 

[ijsco]

I think you should debate motherboards with SLI instead of videocards cause we all know that only a few motherboards support full duplex true PCI-E X16 in SLI mode (like the Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe) and other SLI based motherboards divide the port speed to PCI-E X8 per port.
So why bother buying two 7800 if you don't have the motherboard to back this up with and uses the cards full potential?