2500K, 8GB RAM, 460: to SLI or not to SLI?

[Emultra]

Guess the title covers most of it. It seems I might not be using my system to its full potential. I'm using a 1680x1050 monitor at 120hz so there's certainly room for more fps, and I'm a bit of an fps fanatic.

Relevant specs are Asus P8P67 EVO board, MSI Hawk (dual fan) 460 and Corsair AX750W PSU. I could get another Hawk 460 so I could run a bit higher settings and still squeeze out some more fps. Good idea? Any problems?

 

[Powermoloch]

SLI is only great if you are planning to to play on higher resolutions. Your card is tough enough already for 1680x1050 res.

 

[biostud]

Which games do you play, that does not meet your satisfactory fps?

 

[Arkadrel]

Shouldnt be any problems, and the 6xx and 7xxx series from Nvidia and AMD are still sometime off yet. *IF* you dont have any issues... the 7xxx and 6xx series are gonna be a huge jump in performance probably from going 40nm -> 28nm.

If you have issues playing games as you want, yeah a new 460 is a great way to go.
2x 460 is probably as fast as a 580, and it costs alot less to add another 460 to the mix than buying a 580.

Benchmarked 460 SLI vs 580:
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2010/12/02/geforce_gtx_580_vs_460_1gb_sli/1


@Emultra
are you doing 3D gameing? since you mentioned the 120hz monitor?
Otherwise if your only gameing at 1680x1050, a single 460 + oc should be enough.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

He can still use up to 120 fps with or without 3d.

Yes sli 460 is a good idea in your situation.

 

[Emultra]

I'm using it for the 120hz. I've recently played games like Red Faction: Guerrilla and Batman: AA. They run quite well but certainly not on max with the kind of fps I prefer. Triple digit fps at 120hz is glorious, so I'd like to get there even if I won't go to max settings even with SLI.

One question though: How good is 460 SLI at channeling its performance into high fps at my relatively low resolution? Is it capable of pumping out 50% more fps (or whatever the amount is) at the same res, rather than being locked into maintaining fps at a higher res?

 

[SolMiester]

I would be trying some 3D action on that panel!......

 

[notty22]

I'm using it for the 120hz. I've recently played games like Red Faction: Guerrilla and Batman: AA. They run quite well but certainly not on max with the kind of fps I prefer. Triple digit fps at 120hz is glorious, so I'd like to get there even if I won't go to max settings even with SLI.

One question though: How good is 460 SLI at channeling its performance into high fps at my relatively low resolution? Is it capable of pumping out 50% more fps (or whatever the amount is) at the same res, rather than being locked into maintaining fps at a higher res?

Yes, Nvidia gives decent scaling with sli at this resolution.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NVIDIA/GeForce_GTX_460_SLI/25.html

This is where 460 sli performance sits at your resolution, a big jump over a single 460 and faster than a 480 performance.

 

[Emultra]

Those are some impressive numbers. From what I remember, SLI started out way worse than that, guess it's matured quite a bit now. Hope I won't get any overheating, what kind of load temps should 460's avoid exceeding?

 

[Rifter]

SLI is worth it, i went SLI 460's because i will be going to a 120hz display soon. The temps should stay under 80c, which for me was not a problem even with the overclock. Mine stay at around 65-70c for the top card and 55-65c for the bottom card, while gaming, furmark is obviously about 5-10c hotter but is not a real world situation.

 

[notty22]

On my m/b I have a slot/space between the dual slot cards. So my top card gets about 10 degress hotter, at times. o/c never even hit 70c. Some models , in different configurations can hit in the 80's, which is still not above 'normal'.
Depends what model you select also.

 

[cocoreno]

Don't do it. Just save up for a better single card.

 

[nwo]

Don't do it. Just save up for a better single card.

I would have said the same thing... 2-3 years ago. But now, a lot of games scale pretty well with SLI so it's a viable option.

 

[tweakboy]

Why spend 450 on 460 SLI when you can just get the 580 man for maybe less, 450 to 500 bucks and FASTER!

 

[Dark Shroud]

Why spend 450 on 460 SLI when you can just get the 580 man for maybe less, 450 to 500 bucks and FASTER!

He already has a GTX 460, a good version on top of that. So no SLI is the way to go for him for now.

I would have said the same thing... 2-3 years ago. But now, a lot of games scale pretty well with SLI so it's a viable option.

Agreed, on top of that the GTX 460 is going to be EOLed pretty soon so one should be had for cheap with the GTX 560 TI on the market.

 

[nwo]

Why spend 450 on 460 SLI when you can just get the 580 man for maybe less, 450 to 500 bucks and FASTER!

450 to SLI GTX 460s? You can probably get 3 way SLI with that much.

Galaxy has a pretty hot SLI kit on newegg right now, only $255 for the 1GB GTX 460 SLI kit after MIR:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-064-_-Product

Pretty tough to beat, especially at that price.

 

[Emultra]

The 580 is about $680 in Sweden, no thanks.