Multi-GPU vs. Single-GPU

[Tempered81]

Which do you prefer? With multiple GPUs you get more raw power and performance with increased frame-rates. However, on the flip-side, you get some drawbacks related to price, drivers, scaling, profiles, stuttering, support, power-draw, temperatures, headaches, etc...

What is your GPU setup of choice?

Examples of the Poll choices:

1. Single Card Single GPUs - [GTX480, HD5870, GTX285, HD4890]

2. Single Card Multiple GPUs - [HD5970, GTX295, HD4870x2, 9800GX2]

3. Single Card Crossfire/SLI - [HD5870 Quadfire, GTX480 Tri-sli, HD5850 Crossfire, GTX470 SLI]

4. Single Card Multi GPU Quadfire/Quad SLI - [HD5970 Quadfire, GTX295 Quad-SLI]

 

[dguy6789]

No preference. Whatever the best solution that I want and am willing to pay for is at the time of purchase. If I had unlimited money right now I'd buy a 5970.

 

[PingviN]

No preference. Whatever the best solution that I want and am willing to pay for is at the time of purchase. If I had unlimited money right now I'd buy a 5970.

^This

 

[ScorcherDarkly]

Agreed, what I prefer and what I can afford are two very different things.

 

[cbn]

I think more people in the future will like SLI now that Nvidia is offering triple monitor support if the user has two video cards.

From what I have read triple monitors are the #1 bang for the buck gaming expenditure.

 

[fffblackmage]

I don't have an SLI/xfire mobo. =(

 

[Ravynmagi]

The drivers for my 4870 X2 never seemed to work as well as single GPU cards. So I think this will be the last time I guy a dual GPU card.

My next card will most certainly be a single GPU and single card.

 

[Udgnim]

haven't had a 2+ GPU setup yet, so can't comment on pros & cons of such a setup. certainly read positive and negative forum posts about them though.

might eventually try Crossfire since I have a crossfire mobo, but that was because it was 10-20 dollars more than the single 16X PCIE mobo version. so I figured what the hell.

 

[lsv]

I have a single 5750 but I will most likely get another one in about 12 months~ and go Xfire.

 

[happy medium]

I have a single 5750 but I will most likely get another one in about 12 months~ and go Xfire.

I'll grab another one when they go down in price when Nvidia ships its cards.

 

[alcoholbob]

Went from SLI GTX285 to single 5870. Some games had stuttering issues and that pissed me off to no end. Also the computer ran a hell of a lot cooler and the power bill goes down.

 

[zerocool84]

Multiple GPU cards or SLI/Xfire will still have different types of scaling issues and other things with games so I'm always going to go single GPU even if it means paying a little more cus of stability in all games.

 

[mhouck]

prefer the single 5870. For now I'm stoked w/ my performance and not having to deal with the stuttering I had back with the 9800x2. However, since scaling looks to be getting better, I might xfire it in the future.

 

[Kuzi]

Definitely prefer a fast single GPU solution over multi

 

[v8envy]

Input lag, microstutter, relying on profiles for performance, more power, heat & noise, multi-display and windowed mode issues, no Linux support... Why on earth would anyone prefer that?

Oh yeah, best performing single GPUs are far more expensive. So while I'd prefer a 5870 I'd settle for a 2x8800GT -- that is if NV didn't play restickering games to make sure I can't just by another cheap 9800 (read: 8800) and SLI it with my existing card.

 

[aclim]

I only have and probably only will go with single cards. I just dont like fussing with xfire/sli. I just get as good a single card I can afford and roll with that. At my res (1920x1200) I can run anything max minus AA

 

[WildW]

Those people that do have SLI/Crossfire setups - did you get that when you built the computer, or added a second card later? Are you running giant resolutions or just demand massive framerates?

I've never had more than a single card, and the 5850 I have now runs basically anything (except the odd GTA4 kind of oddity) with awesome performance at my monitor's 1920x1200. Heck, even my old GTS250 was plenty for almost any game at the res.

Is it just something done for the hell of it? An opportunist upgrade, throwing in a second card later when you had the spare cash? Or did you demand GPU overkill from the beginning?

 

[boran]

I prefer single cards mainly to prevent config profile hassles.
Also by the time I need more performance it is often more economically sound to buy a single card upgrade that beats my current rather than try and get a second card to work.

 

[MrK6]

I'll always prefer single GPU over any multi-GPU configuration, even if I have to pay extra.

 

[gorobei]

multi card or even multi gpu single has never scaled linearly. and there are still many games that dont benefit from it. Single gpu is less headaches and gives you more flexibility when it comes to purchase sellection.

 

[cbn]

Input lag, microstutter, relying on profiles for performance, more power, heat & noise, multi-display and windowed mode issues, no Linux support... Why on earth would anyone prefer that?

Why do you say multi-display issues?

 

[0roo0roo]

preference? its how much you can afford.
sli'ing two low end cards doesn't exactly work in any economical way.

more than one card is simply to have more power than is currently possible with one.

 

[uclaLabrat]

This is somewhat of a lame thread. Anyone in their right mind would pick the single card over the crossfire solution if the single card gave acceptable framerates. How many of you are gaming at 2560 x 1600? That's the only situation where crossfire/SLI is warranted over a single card, as a single card at anything lower than 2560 x 1600 is plenty fast to give 50-70 FPS in any game, usually with a lot of AA and at max settings. The problem is that 2560 x 1600 is literally twice the number of pixels to push as even 1920 x 1200.

Right now, my 4870X2 destroys everything I play, completely maxed out. With the exception of the new BC2 beta, much to my chagrin. We'll see how much of a difference it makes when the full game comes out, since I can't really afford a new card. A 5870 is tempting, but it would be a tad slower overall (possibly) and a 5970 is much more expensive, although more than enough horsepower. I may see what comes out next gen and try to scrape some cash together.

 

[hclarkjr]

well since my last 3 video cards have been the following - diamond radeon 3870x2, geforce GTX 260-216 and my current visiontek 4870x2 i would say i prefer the single card with dual GPU. never will own single GPU card again

 

[CraigRT]

I've only ever run a single card/single GPU setup... It just works.