Curse

Dex · Jul 21, 2007, 12:08 AM // 00:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azagoth

No it's not! SLi is the use of two cards connected by the SLi bridge. The 7950GX2 is just two GPU's on the same card.

If you're getting that bad a performance from a GX2 then I suggest you take it back and get a replacement. I can run GW at full settings and get back at least 150+ fps from my 512Mb 7900GS (600/1500), so in theory you should be getting at least the same.

Actually, the 7950GX2 is SLI. I know it's using only one PCI-E slot, but it uses SLI internally. You even get all of the SLI options in the nVidia drivers and you can switch between the various types of SLI rendering. It really is two GPUs in SLI with an internal bridge using a single 16x PCI-E lane.

That being said, what has already been said about SLI is applicable. Certain types of SLI rendering work better with certain games, and some games don't benefit from it much at all. Personally, I see SLI as a waste of GPU power unless you need ultra-high resolutions. Other than that SLI doesn't offer the types of speed increases at "normal" resolutions that would warrant all that extra hardware. It's just plain inefficient.

Zodiak · Jul 21, 2007, 02:42 AM // 02:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dex

That being said, what has already been said about SLI is applicable. Certain types of SLI rendering work better with certain games, and some games don't benefit from it much at all. Personally, I see SLI as a waste of GPU power unless you need ultra-high resolutions. Other than that SLI doesn't offer the types of speed increases at "normal" resolutions that would warrant all that extra hardware. It's just plain inefficient.

Ok lets shut this guy down.

http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=1024&pageID=2907
http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=1024&pageID=2908

SLI results in a visual performance increase from 30%-60% up to 100% percent.

Read any review

Dex · Jul 21, 2007, 05:09 AM // 05:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zodiak

Ok lets shut this guy down.

http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=1024&pageID=2907
http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=1024&pageID=2908

SLI results in a visual performance increase from 30%-60% up to 100% percent.

Read any review

Lol. "Shut me down"?

"Visual performance increase"? Hiliarious. SLI provides so little performance gain for the dollar I'd rather save my money and upgrade my GPU more often. You're entitled to your opinion, though. In my 22 years of gaming I've found that maintaining a single high-end GPU is FAR more cost-effective. 0% - 60% (under IDEAL circumstances, and typically not in framerate, so the gain is subjective) is not great for 100% more cost IMHO, especially when you can wait a bit and simply upgrade to the next generation of GPUs 6 months later for what that second card cost you and reap better benefits. I'm not telling you what to spend your money on, so no need to "shut me down".

However, the "bang for your buck" with SLI is pathetic (from my perspective), so I guess it's all a matter of how much you care about what you're getting for your money. If you want to buy two video cards just to get insane AA (which I can hardly tell is there, honestly), that's your choice. That's just my opinion, although I am a computer engineer that's been gaming for 22 years (and yes, I do read plenty of reviews), so I do have SOME knowledge on the subject.

No need to get aggresive, though, I'm not attacking your glorious video cards.

Zodiak · Jul 21, 2007, 06:10 AM // 06:10

22 years of gaming and you call SLI pathetic?

I would re-examine those 22 years sir. 30%, 60% to 100% performance increase not worth your dollar? ideal conditions? You better tell that to the hundreds of hardware reviewing website that they were wrong and to go back to bed.

Just because your wrong doesnt mean you have to be grouchy about it

Dex · Jul 21, 2007, 07:29 AM // 07:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zodiak

22 years of gaming and you call SLI pathetic?

I would re-examine those 22 years sir. 30%, 60% to 100% performance increase not worth your dollar? ideal conditions? You better tell that to the hundreds of hardware reviewing website that they were wrong and to go back to bed.

Just because your wrong doesnt mean you have to be grouchy about it

I'm not "wrong" because my opinion differs from yours. Paying 200% price for 130-160% performance under ideal conditions (I know exactly what the increases are like, thanks) I don't consider a good value, especially since what you're actually getting over a single high-end card is often hardly noticible until next-generation games come out, at which time a superior single-GPU solution will be available for the price you would have paid for that second card. You're just not getting what I'm saying. I own a 7900 SLI setup (along with a few other systems including a single-GPU x1950xtx, which is far nicer than the SLI setup for several reasons), and I regret it. I can tell you first-hand that a significant number of games hardly take advantage of it and some even have major problems if it's enabled, you don't have the right drivers, etc. I've done the math plenty of times, and for my money it's more cost-effective to simply upgrade your single-GPU solution more often than it is to run SLI. Yes, SLI is a little faster, but you don't see those fabled 60% - 100% gains in most games until you get up into +2000x2000 resolutions. I know the facts, and I simply don't think it's worth it. It's my opinion, and I'm not alone (just Google, "is sli worth it" and start reading if you don't believe me). Just because it differs from yours (in that I don't care to spend 200% to get 30-60% gains when they don't make a hugely noticable difference in current games) doesn't make me wrong. I simply prefer to make the most of my upgrade dollars. The hardware sites don't contradict what I'm saying. It's our interpretation of the numbers that differs. Sorry, but I just disagree with you on the practical value of it.

I don't think it's worthwhile to pay $800 for 140fps when I'm already getting 100fps on max settings for $400. Guild Wars is a great example for this. Nobody is going to notice the difference in how well an SLI dual-8800GTX system runs GW over a single 8800GTX. Conversely, if I'm only getting 30fps in a "bleeding edge" game, getting 42fps isn't going to be an enormous coup considering it costs double the price. I'll hold onto my $400 for a few months until I can get my next-gen card and get 70fps, and perhaps the next generation of shader/GPU features. Get what I'm saying? In my personal experience, Oblivion was hardly a better gaming experience with dual 7900's than it was with one 7900. My $350 purchase of the seconds card was pretty much a waste of money.

By the way, 60-100% gains are extremely few and far-between. The huge 100% gain people expect is largely nVidia marketing. You're only going to get those numbers in mainstream games with good SLI support under ideal conditions (higher resolutions, excellent SLI support in the game, the newest drivers, you've set the SLI rendering mode for the game properly, etc). Any hardare review that covers more than the same old suite of games nVidia uses in their own marketing will support that statement. We don't disagree on the numbers, we disagree on the practical real-world benefits of them and what they're worth in terms of price. Yes, the bang-for-the-buck you get from SLI and Crossfire is pretty pathetic, IMO. It's not a good value. You pay a lot for little significant NOTICABLE effect. I understand what the numbers mean. My opinion that it's not worth the cash is my own (and well-founded from my perspective).

Seriously, though, you bought a nice high-end SLI setup, so I understand your stance, and I'm not going to argue with you about it. All I'm saying is that for many people it's not a wise investment, ok? Sorry if I came off as harsh, but implying that I don't know what I'm talking about simply because I disagree with you is silly.

Zodiak · Jul 21, 2007, 02:17 PM // 14:17

Quote:

Seriously, though, you bought a nice high-end SLI setup, so I understand your stance, and I'm not going to argue with you about it. All I'm saying is that for many people it's not a wise investment.

I can seriously agree that SLI is not for everyone, all I'm saying is that the increased performance is there. I do agree though that to get that increased performance, you must be running the most high end demanding games and that yes Guildwars is not one of them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dex

I'm not "wrong" because my opinion differs from yours. Paying 200% price for 130-160% performance under ideal conditions
By the way, 60-100% gains are extremely few and far-between. The huge 100% gain people expect is largely nVidia marketing.

However, this statement is the exact same thing as buying a new CPU. Very often you WILL end up paying almost 200% the price of the old and end up getting less then stellar performance from it, just thought I would point out the comparisson.

I am also done argueing, I think we both had good points, I just had to let people know that yes SLI can be a great thing, its just not for everyone and you must know how and where to take full advantage of it.