Best nVidia or ATI/AMD SLI Graphics Card

[MasterBubba]

Any suggestions for the best nVidia or ATI graphics card? Im currently running a ATI All-In-Wonder and I am upgrading to a SLI motherboard. Since the board supports any SLI, I was intrested in it.
Also: I am running on PCIE and I have a 1000 Watt Power Supply.

 

[frozenrat]

How many PCI-E slots do you have?

 

[zingmars]

SLI motherboards usually have 2-3 PCI-e slots, because Nvidia Cards take a lot of space. Newest nForce motherboards have 3 and a bit older have 2 slots.

 

[frozenrat]

SLI motherboards usually have 2-3 PCI-e slots, because Nvidia Cards take a lot of space. Newest nForce motherboards have 3 and a bit older have 2 slots.

I was asking how many, because I could either tell him two 9800GTX2, or 3 280GTX's.

Depends if he has two or 3 PCI-E slots.

And the board doesn't have the number of PCI-E slots just because of it's age, some manufacturers are still pumping out boards with two PCI-E slots, because not many people even use the third

 

[Cruvenium]

The best?

Well, the best ATi card would be 4870X2, and the best NVIDIA card would be GTX 280.

 

[Rishwin]

Fastest configuration you can get is 2 4870X2's Crossfire'd. It's faster than a 3-way SLI.
Unless they have 3-way Crossfire now.

 

[Flawz]

Obviously that tells you nothing =p but it was a huge article made by sweclockers with all these different cards.

You must be registered to see links

if you want to look at the pictures, you will most likely be able to use a Google translator.

 

[MasterBubba]

Well, my motherboard has 3 pcie slots aswell as 2 AGP expansion slots.

 

[Rishwin]

Obviously that tells you nothing =p but it was a huge article made by sweclockers with all these different cards.

You must be registered to see links

if you want to look at the pictures, you will most likely be able to use a Google translator.

See how they are comparing 2x 280GT's in SLI against a single 4870X2. Yes the 4870X2 has 2 GPU's but it is still 1 card... 2x 280Gt compared to 2x 4870X2 will show you how badly It owns.

Keep in mind SLI = roughly 40% performance increase, while Crossfire = up to 80% increase.

 

[MasterBubba]

So basically, if i get two gtx 280's I would be running quad sli?
Its actully pretty cheap too, $249 for one card and $9.80 for shipping.

 

[nzrock]

i went and got a new nvidia gefore 9800, but after awhile i think making getting a ATI/AMD is better...

 

[AnDy]

i got ati's 3870 HD quad crossfire when it was released, i think there awesome

if you cant afford the newer ones...check em out, ATI are generally a better deal for your cash also.

id go intel processor, crossfire dd3 mobo w/ quad crossfire, for value and performance, well....thats me anyway

 

[Flawz]

So basically, if i get two gtx 280's I would be running quad sli?
Its actully pretty cheap too, $249 for one card and $9.80 for shipping.

Two of the same card: SLI
Three of the same card: Tri-SLI

And I believe 2x Geforce 9800GX2 would be Quad SLI

i went and got a new nvidia gefore 9800, but after awhile i think making getting a ATI/AMD is better...

If I'm not mistaken 9800 use the same chipset as an 8800 so there is hardly any performance increase between them.

 

[Cruvenium]

Uh, wrong.. 3 GTX 280 beats 2 4870X2.

 

[Flawz]

Oh btw, if you're going for SLI just make sure your CPU can handle it and wont bottleneck. A Core 2 Duo E6600 should be fine, a Q6600 \ Q8200 as well.

Uh, wrong.. 3 GTX 280 beats 2 4870X2.

ok?

 

[Rishwin]

Two of the same card: SLI
Three of the same card: Tri-SLI

And I believe 2x Geforce 9800GX2 would be Quad SLI

I am quite sure that 2x 9800GTX2's is still a normal SLI since they are technically each only 1 board still.

Uh, wrong.. 3 GTX 280 beats 2 4870X2.

In some situations only. Alot of the time the 4870X2 will beat the 3 280GT's... Keep in mind that the only difference is that 3 280GT's have more RAM, yet the 2 4870X2's have faster RAM with more shaders.

 

[MasterBubba]

Two of the same card: SLI
Three of the same card: Tri-SLI

And I believe 2x Geforce 9800GX2 would be Quad SLI



If I'm not mistaken 9800 use the same chipset as an 8800 so there is hardly any performance increase between them.

It says that it has 2 GPU's in one card, so it would be quad.

 

[Flawz]

It says that it has 2 GPU's in one card, so it would be quad.

The gtx 280? No. 9800GTX x2 On the other hand have 2x GPU's as well as HD4850 x2

 

[Intelext]

If you want 4 GPU Processors:

SLI GeForce9800GX2 (GeForce9800GX2 contains 2 processors inside so 2x2=4 gpu )

 

[nzrock]

If I'm not mistaken 9800 use the same chipset as an 8800 so there is hardly any performance increase between them.

9800 has DDR3 stuff in it and 8800 has DDR2. but yeah it doesn't really feel like it's uber