Originally posted by: Pandamonium
Oh my god. Kid, do yourself a favor and stop posting.
I would write a lengthy argument to enlighten you, but after reading your dogged responses against SLI, I realize that such efforts are not worth my time. Instead, here's a shorter, less elegant reply.
SLI is the framework that provides people with the option to upgrade cheaper in the future. As it becomes more popular and standardized (a company with nVidia's clout & expertise shouldn't have too much difficulty establishing a good product), the costs you mention (new power supply, motherboard, etc) become moot.
So here's how it works:
You get a "mid-range" card today
12 months later, your games are sluggish
Get another card identical to the one you bought for about half the price you previously paid
Install it, get another 12 months out of your video subsystem
It's more appealing than dropping $250 on a mid-range card every 12 months.
I'm going to have to disagree here. SLI is great for linking two 6800GT or 6800U cards together, to reach performance levels that don't exist today. However, the whole argument that SLI is the bang for the buck route does not make any sense. Let's take a look at your situation.
You'd like to buy a 6600GT. It's a good card, and plays most games quite nicely. You paid $200 for it today. 12 months down the road, the new games are giving your 6600GT a hard time, so you decide to utilize your SLI ability and buy another 6600GT. Since the card has been out for over a year now, it's buying price is now $150 brand new. Your system again plays everything smoothly, for $350 total dollars, giving you two years of video enjoyment. 12 months later, newer games are making your SLI system struggle just a little. You decide to buy the newest generation's high mid-range card for $200. Your old 6600GTs are now unusable, so might as well sell them. You'll get $100 for each of them. That effectively balances out your $200 purchase. You get 12 months of enjoyment, and then decide you need to take up the SLI route again, so you do so. You purchase an identical card to SLI your system. The card has been out for a while, so it's cheaper, and will probably cost you $150. You have now effectively paid for $500 now since you started, over a 4 year period.
Now, the realisitc situation. You buy a 6800GT. It's a great card, and plays all games very nicely. You paid $350 for it today. 12 months down the road, you can still play all those games pretty well. 12 months after that, your card finally starts to show its age. You sell it for $200 and buy the next generation's similar card for $350. You enjoy 12 months of great gaming, followed by 12 months afterwards of good gaming. You have effectively paid $500 now since your first purchase, over a 4 year period.
By taking the SLI = p/p route, you will never be able to crank resolutions and max details/AF/AA. By taking the single card route, you will at times get to enjoy these higher resolutions and details, until your card starts getting older.
If you think my prices are off, they aren't for a smart shopper. If you want to compare MSRP prices, though, I'll admit my situations above give the 6800GT a slight advantage, but which I say is offset by the fact that you'll be getting an AGP card, while with the 6600GT SLI route you'll have to buy a $200 motherboard. Performance wise, a 6600GT in SLI hangs with a single 6800GT in most situations, so they are pretty close to equal, although i'd give the 6800GT a slight nod. I'd think at this point, you'd enjoy sticking with a single card route if you're debating "Single card vs. budget SLI". At this point, budget SLI is not feasible. I think it very well can be in the future. Right now, SLI should only be for those who want performance that does not exist with single cards today.