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OT: high end desktop input?

post #1 of 19
2/19/08 at 5:21pm
Thread Starter 
To SLI or Crossfire or not?

I've read that a single card is almost as good as say an 8800GT SLI unless its high resolution gaming

What do you think? Why did you do what you did on your build?

I am seriously considering the HD3870x2 as it has 4 DVI ports (want to run 4x22in LCDs), and can cross fire to 2 cards later making effective x4

Whats coming next from nividia, is there something similar at the same price point coming up ~$400 for one card

As an aside, what a price difference to go desktop rig!!!!!!!!!!
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post #2 of 19
2/19/08 at 5:45pm
well I have had Sli setup for some time with a variety of cards.

I found the second card makes about 40-45 % performance gain in bench,ark tests (FRAPS & 3DMark06), but in truth many apps still have not taken avantage of the Sli cards performance.

I am a fan of Sli as ATI lags the perfromance of NVidea, and although the latest ATI is good, once the 9800GX2 boards come out, they will blow away the ATI newest card...IMO anyways
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post #3 of 19
2/19/08 at 7:58pm
Thread Starter 
dave is there anyway to get multiple monitors with SLI setup, even by temp disabling SLI?

Thats the clincher for me with Nvidia versus Crossfire just now as 2x8800GT cards is bought the same as one of the ATIx2 cards
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post #4 of 19
2/19/08 at 10:30pm
Moving this to the desktop section.
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post #5 of 19
2/20/08 at 3:07am
Thread Starter 
thanks Tony, any Nvidia SLI users with more than one monitor. Does SLI support multiple monitors ie can you game on one and see other programs running on the other screens - looking for a 4x22" setup and I heard SLI doesnt do it but crossfire does?

cheers
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post #6 of 19
2/20/08 at 9:31am
Sli does not support multiple monitors in 3D mode. NVIDIA is working on drivers to enable this feature. I believe multiple monitors are supported if sli is disabled.

With sli enabled in 2D mode, you will have to output to both DVI sockets on the primary card. As soon as you go into 3D mode, output automatically switches to the primary DVI socket.

X-Fired ATI cards do offer multiple monitor support...including the 3870x2.
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post #7 of 19
2/20/08 at 12:18pm
Thread Starter 
thanks buck

Can you enable / disable SLI in software in the Nvidia control panel or do you have to physically remove that connector between the cards?
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post #8 of 19
2/20/08 at 1:20pm
Control panel.

I think the drivers for multiple displays will be released with the 9800gx2....I think.
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post #9 of 19
2/21/08 at 12:32am
Thread Starter 
thanks, I'll do more research. On first look it seems that the best new/affordable boards are for single card/crossfire and everyones waiting for the 9 series, plus the new nvidia SLI boards

I'd love to be able to game at near 100% of the card capability,while keeping one eye on the other screens. Damn wish the Nvidia card/driver would do that now in 3d mode, it would make it easy, and I would go for 2x8800GTs (but wait to see the proce/preformance of the upcoming 9 x2 first)
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post #10 of 19
2/21/08 at 6:33pm
Thread Starter 

SLI board revision? + some questions

Guys, couple or 3 questions:


1. When is the new SLI board designs coming out?

and

2. Considering the new Nvidia 9 series expected performance for a single card, or x2 card, would you advise P5 or X38 or X48 board for a 9 series card, and

3. For my build, I want to drive up to 4 LCD panels. So crossfire multiple monitors works for 3D on main panel and other panels displaying other programs, and Nvidia software revision is supposed to be fixed to also do this soon, but can I have one stonking 9 series card for my main display and use some (two) cheap generic 7 series cards in a motherboard to drive the other displays?
If its not possible to have 2 extra cards then I guess I could have just one additional with 2xDVI outputs in another x16PCI slot?
Would this work or would the nvidia driver have the shits?

thanks in advance

(I'm thinking: good board with 2xPCIx16 slots, one 9 series GTX and 1 7 series 7900gtx, non-SLI - just to be able to drive more LCD panels through multiple monitors)
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post #11 of 19
2/21/08 at 10:18pm
1. Areyou talking about the non-reference motherboards? Or are you talking about DDR3 nForce-chipped boards?

2. I will always recommend an Intel chipset over a nForce chipset, that is, if you don't plan on SLI. There are those that would disagree.

3. Until NVIDIA can release drivers with both SLI and multiple monitor support, I can't recommend going that route. My opinion will probably change next month if they finally release these drivers.

Nyako and Shazza both have very nice SLI'd systems. Hopefully they'll chime in with a possible solution or recommendation...but I'm not sure either of them drive multiple monitors.
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post #12 of 19
2/21/08 at 11:28pm
Thread Starter 
I guess I don't know enough yet to ask the proper question lol

Coming new into this subject its surprising to me that (apparently anyway) most of the popular boards are P5/X38 and geared to single card and crossfire. Particularly surprising given that Nvidia seem to have the lead of card design

I guess (long story short) the geek in me now wants the new 9 series card and I am trying to find out if a motherboard with more than one PCIx16 slot can run one 9 series for my main display and use another, cheaper card in the other slot to drive another couple of LCDs

maybe I should just get a D dock and drive 2 17" LCDs from my M90 and forget about the multiple desktop from tower - probably save a bunch of money too
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post #13 of 19
2/22/08 at 8:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZX81 View Post
I guess I don't know enough yet to ask the proper question lol

Coming new into this subject its surprising to me that (apparently anyway) most of the popular boards are P5/X38 and geared to single card and crossfire. Particularly surprising given that Nvidia seem to have the lead of card design

I guess (long story short) the geek in me now wants the new 9 series card and I am trying to find out if a motherboard with more than one PCIx16 slot can run one 9 series for my main display and use another, cheaper card in the other slot to drive another couple of LCDs

maybe I should just get a D dock and drive 2 17" LCDs from my M90 and forget about the multiple desktop from tower - probably save a bunch of money too
You can drive multiple monitors, but you need to decide if you want to SLI.

If you want to SLI, you have to buy a motherboard with a nForce chipset (ie. EVGA 780i SLI, ASUS Striker II Formula, etc.).

You cannot SLI on a motherboard with an Intel chipset.

You can blame NVIDIA for this problem. They manufacture their own chipsets and will not license SLI to Intel. Intel had to purchase the MCPs for their Skulltrail board in order for SLI to work.

This will work.
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post #14 of 19
2/22/08 at 11:35am
Thread Starter 
many many thanks Buck, I'll retire to the other forums and research boards etc

I'll post my build when I get it done - going to wait to see the higher 9 cards after seeing how powerful the first one was
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post #15 of 19
2/23/08 at 2:49am
You can run a Mobo with one 9800X2 and a PCI-E 1X Nvidia Quadro (PNY seems to be the only ones making these) and run 5 Monitors(6 is you use both outputs on the 9800). NVIDIA Quadro NVS 440
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post #16 of 19
2/25/08 at 3:42am
Thread Starter 
thanks guys, going to drive 2x17" with M90 thru dock and just build the desktop system with one card for gaming (ie non SLI) and expand from there later - probably not going to go more than 22" cos of cost and DPI and resolution

..waiting on 9 series, but got the rest of system more or less fleshed out:

X38 motherboard: still deciding, probably an asus
Q6600 / Thermalright ULTRA-120
9800GTX or 9800GTXx2 (single cards non-SLI)
Antec P182-Trying to get quiet and powerful
I bought a PC power & cooling for an ol' dell desktop and was impressed by how silent it was

*having fun window shopping but it'll be built within 8 weeks
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post #17 of 19
2/26/08 at 2:49pm
If you're going with the X38 - take a look at the offerings from DFI and Gigabyte as well. They have solid boards and, IMO, better PCIe/PCI layouts.
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post #18 of 19
2/26/08 at 11:18pm
I'll put in another vote for the DFI. It's an absolutely AMAZING board and is downright rock-solid. Before now, I never owned a DFI board, and always drove myself towards the more well known manufacturers (ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, etc).

I can say without any shadow of a doubt that I'm very pleased with my purchase. The layout of the board is better than ANY other X38 board out there (or any other X48 board I've seen as well) bar none. I originally wanted to go with the ASUS, but since getting this DFI board going, I haven't looked back. I'm incredibly impressed.
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post #19 of 19
2/27/08 at 2:12am
Thread Starter 
Thanks tony & buck, I'll check them out
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