My SLI rig

[kd2777]

I got SLI just because I am a computer enthusiast. I wasn?t looking for 10 more FPS in games, to tell you the truth I don?t game all that much (2-4 hrs per week). But I am in utter love of computer hardware, and when SLI hit the street I knew it was for me. However to tell you the truth I don?t know how long I will be keeping it. As far as performance goes it is all it is marketed to be, but there are a couple of everyday things that bug the crap out of me. The number one thing is in SLI mode you lose the use of your second monitor (if you have dual monitors). To me this is an automatic deal killer. I have two large CRTs and I have two large CRTs because I love monitor real estate. To me it isn?t worth giving up my second monitor to get SLI. Second, if you want to use both monitors you can turn of SLI, but this requires you to boot up your computer, uncheck the SLI radial button, and reboot. Then when you want to play a game, you have to do the same backwards. That is annoying. But for the people that only have one monitor SLI maybe for you, or if you have two monitors and you don?t mind rebooting every time you want to play a game an then again after you get done fragging.

Some performance benchmarks:

CS:S torture test.
CPU: 3000+ (s939) @ 1.8GHz

Details where all set to high, AF was set to trilinear, AA was set to 2X, and Vertical sync was disabled.

With 9800pro:

1024 x 768 ?. 96.8 FPS
1280 x 1024 ?. 57.45 FPS
1600 x 1200 ?. 40.66 FPS

With Single 6600GT

1024 x 768 ?. 119.07 FPS
1280 x 1024 ?. 84.89 FPS
1600 x 1200 ?. 61.24 FPS

With Dual 6600GTs in SLI

1024 x 768 ?. 119.38 FPS
1280 x 1024 ?. 117.79 FPS
1600 x 1200 ?. 95.58 FPS

Performance increase of 6600GT over 9800pro

1024 x 768 ?. 22.27 FPS or 23.00%
1280 x 1024 ?. 27.44 FPS or 47.7 %
1600 x 1200 ?. 20.58 FPS or 50.61%
Performance increase of 2 6600GTs in SLI over a 9800pro

1024 x 768 ?. 22.58 FPS or 23.3%
1280 x 1024 ?. 60.34 FPS or 105.03%
1600 x 1200 ?. 54.92 FPS or 135.07%

Performance increase of 2 6600GTs in SLI over a Single 6600GT

1024 x 768 ?. 0.31 FPS or 0.26%
1280 x 1024 ?. 32.9 FPS or 38.7%
1600 x 1200 ?. 34.34 FPS or 56.0%


So performance wide this was a good up grade. However due to my under powered 9800pro I have only been running my games at the above levels. For the ones of you that run them higher here are a couple of benchmark that may help you out.

Setting the same as above except AA to 4X and AF to 8X:

1250 x 1024 ?. 84.38 FPS
1600 x 1200 ?. 49.50 FPS




Test beds:

6600GT and SLI setup
-ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe
-AMD 3000+ (s939) @ 1.8 GHz.
-1GB (512 x 2) Geil pc-4000 Platinum @ DDR 400
-74GB Raptor
-Leadtek PX6600GT TDH Extreme Version (550MHz stock OCed core / 1120 GDDR3 Stock OCed Memory)

9800pro
-Shuttle SB65G2
-Intel 3.0c (s478) @ 3.0GHz
-1GB Mushkin Basic pc-3200 @ DDR400
-74GB Raptor
-ATI 9800pro 128mb Memory


A few pics of the new computer. I put it in a Thermal take Shark case, powered it with a Fortron 500 watt Blue Storm PSU, and added a few other accessories (SONY dual layer 16X DVD burner, Mobile HDD rack, and 7700 Zalman HSF)


Pic 1 - case right
Pic 2 - case left
Pic 3 - door open
Pic 4 - inside pic
Pic 5 - inside pic alt. view



kd

 

[Jassi]

Whoa, that is a sweet looking case and rig. How much did it all cost?

 

[blurredvision]

Nice Kevin. Thanks for the work.

 

[imported_Nate0]

So basicly, SLI is almost useless, unless you are running and, desperatly NEED your res. to be over 1024x768, And, with my future 6600 GT, the SLI is worthless for me, I don't want my frame rate increasing by like 30% thats BS

 

[blurredvision]

Originally posted by: Nate0
So basicly, SLI is almost useless, unless you are running and, desperatly NEED your res. to be over 1024x768, And, with my future 6600 GT, the SLI is worthless for me, I don't want my frame rate increasing by like 30% thats BS

You are correct. IMO, SLI is only for those who want to game at 1600x1200 or above, WITH AA and AF. But to me, there are no games that scream for SLI like in the past with 3dfx. My 3200+A64 and 6800GT can handle any game at 16x12, 4xAA/8xAF with very playable framerates.

 

[resStealth]

but just imagine the resolution you could get with two 6800 ultras

 

[KayKay]

Originally posted by: Jassi
----------
1 - Post on AT OT for advice
2 - ?
3 - Poon

This is officially the coolest sig in the universe

 

[dgevert]

Out of curiousity, why did you SLI 2 6600GTs? I've heard that 2x6600GTs don't beat out a single 6800 GT by enough to be worth it.

 

[ponyo]

So you can't use dual monitor with SLI. That is instant deal killer for me. Thanks for the information and the warning.

 

[Demo24]

nice wiring!

 

[kd2777]

Originally posted by: Jassi
Whoa, that is a sweet looking case and rig. How much did it all cost?

Not too bad.

Case 160 w/40 MIR
PSU 90
Motherboard 199
CPU 158
HSF ~40 (Christmas gift, not for sure)
Video cards 210 each
Raptor 153 w/25 MIR
SONY 710A 82
Mobile Rack 26
HDD for mobile rack-old 120 I had
CD/rw, floppy, and cables where from a previous computer

 

[BentValve]

Originally posted by: DEMO24
nice wiring!

 

[kd2777]

Originally posted by: dgevert
Out of curiousity, why did you SLI 2 6600GTs? I've heard that 2x6600GTs don't beat out a single 6800 GT by enough to be worth it.

A good friend of mine has a 6800GT BFG and a 3200 (s754) and it beats my two 660GTs, but the reason I went with two 6600GTs was for the SLI experience not for framerates. And a couple of 6800s would have cost a sh!t load. But the two 6600GTs play the games with better than OK FPS.

kd

 

[kd2777]

Originally posted by: DEMO24
nice wiring!

Thanks for noticing It took me 3-4 hours.

kd