SLi

[xAq]

Hey guys, it's been a couple years since I have updated my computer and a few things have caught my attention as I have been reading. First thing I noticed was SLI motherboards. The capability to run two graphics cards? At the moment I'm still running a A7N8X Deluxe with a single AGP graphics card.

So that comes to my first question. Is it worth spending the extra few dollars getting a SLI motherboard, with hopes of in the future, running two graphics cards? And the graphics cards must be PCI slot graphics cards correct?

That brings me to my next question. Currently I still have an ATI 9800 Pro. What are the main advantages of running a PCI slotted graphics card as opposed to a AGP slotted graphics card?

The motherboard I was looking forward to purchasing was the Epox 9NPA+. I liked the reviews about it, and since I haven't messed with much OC'ing I figured it was suited best for what I needed, that and that it has the potential to be a good OC'ing board. But for the AMD64 I noticed I could get the Epox 9NPA+ as one of the following:

Epox 9NPA+ NF4
Epox 9NPA+ NF4 Ultra
Epox 9NPA+ SLI

So hopefully the questions answered above will help me in my investigation into my new motherboard. I haven't had much time to research them myself, but I will continue to do so, and thank anyone in advance who answers my questions.

Thanks,
Xaq

 

[xAq]

^^

 

[Wentelteefje]

In my opinion, SLI is no viable upgrade path... It can be a performance king (at least for some 6 months), if you decide on picking up the two cards immediately...

SLI is great, don't get me wrong, but I am somewhat disturbed by the fact that, within the next 4 - 6 months, a whole new series of graphics card are available... And they will beat your SLI setup for a lesser price...

Take for example two 6800 Ultra's... An SLI setup with those costed about $ 800 - 900, on cards alone (don't take in account the costs for the mobo, and a "heavier" PSU...) Now a single 7800GTX, of about $ 500, and sometimes even a single 7800GT, of $ 300, beats them most of the time... The single cards are not as stressing for your PSU, don't make as much noise, and are a lot cooler than double cards...

About your second question... Currently there are no real advantages (at least none you will notice in gameplay) PCI-Express has over AGP... If data has to be transferred over the bus, that goes of course faster...

If you can afford it, you should take the Ultra version of those three, it's very stable and has indeed a serious overclocking potential... Another player is DFI, but if you don't like to fiddle with long lists of options in order to get your board stable, then better skip it... It has a lot of incompatiblity issues as well...

 

[otispunkmeyer]

1) i would say .... why not get an SLI mobo, you dont have to run SLI, but considering the small extra cost, it would be nice to have the oppertunity too if such an oppertunity arises. SLI isnt the best value as an upgrade path when it comes to graphics card. its awesome if your going to buy 2 hi end cards straight away, but its not as ideal if your gonna buy say a 6800GS, and then add another later. chances are there'll be one card that trounces it on its own. but still, id get an SLI board, since the price premium isnt too large

2)at the moment there isnt really any difference between AGPx8 and PCI-E x16, at least with the Nvidia GF 6 series and the ATI X8x0 series. though we cannot be sure with the newer cards (7800/X1800) since they are PCI-E only (ie no AGP equivalents to compare to). PCI-E offers alot more bandwidth than AGP, and it can provide that bandwidth in both up and down directions at full speed. as it stands the industry is heading the way of PCI-E so it would be in your best interest to get a PCI-E motherboard

3)and from your list.....id get the ultra, but more probably the SLI.

any particular reason your settled on Epox, they are a great make, but have you considered the likes of DFI, ASUS, MSI?

 

[alimoalem]

as the previous poster mentioned, SLI is only worth if you get the two cards right when they come out. take the 6600gt, for instance. it's a pretty good budget card but if you buy two of them, it costs almost as much as a 7800gt. the 7800gt would smoke it any day.

about AGP vs PCI, there is no real advantage if both cards are the same (e.g. 6600 AGP vs 6600 PCI) but it does allow for SLI later on (if you find a cheap counterpart) and it allows for future upgradability. if you want to keep your 9800 for a little longer, u can get the ASRock mobo. it has both AGP and PCI

 

[xAq]

any particular reason your settled on Epox, they are a great make, but have you considered the likes of DFI, ASUS, MSI?

Well I read through the NF4 round up and the editor said it was a good board for those who over clock, but that it was still a really good stock board and I'm pretty new to OC'ing but would like to look into it soon, so I interested in this board.

I do like Asus though but havent read much about their NF4 boards, my current board is an Asus so I will have to take a look into them.

As for MSI, seems like a few threads I have read in the motherboard forums kind of dog on them not being stable I think. And the DFI sounds good, but I mean I'm new when it comes to overclocking so I think it would probably be a little too much for me at the moment, it seems kind of like a linux newbie trying to use Gentoo.