Anyone got an opinion on SLI?

I'm considering an Intel Core™ 2 Duo E6400 2.13GHz Alienware system - they are pimping the 1024MB NVIDIA® GeForce™ 7950 GX2 to go with it.

This place is excited by the card:
http://www.driverheaven.net/reviews/GX2/


However, it was reviewed in this month's PC Zone and scored 82%

They talk about games needing profiles before they can utilise the card and that it is really for games that support SLI.

I found a big list of SLI games here - some 350:
http://www.slizone.com/object/slizone2_game.html


So, what's the story with SLI?

I was assuming it was now very established, yet PC Zone seem a bit negative about it.

Would you buy a SLI card like the one I want?

I'd wait, the next gen of vid cards is out next month and should offer better value for your money. That or the current gen cards will drop in price a fair bit.

I have not yet had a problem with SLI since I upgraded. And I play a lotta games. I would jump on that 7950 in a heartbeat along with a motherboard that has two PCIX slots... Then later down the road you can go QUAD.

Do it. You won't regret it.

SLI works for me, just fine.

Dont buy an alienware your wasting your money. Buy the parts yourself its much cheaper. But yeah SLI is a good option because it allows you to easily upgrade later, just chuck another graphics card in :P

Alienware is around 40-50% more expensive for the same parts I can buy in the store and build it myself. You're paying for the brand, not for a superior product.

Yeh, but people have been sticking home-made videos of their Alienware PCs on YouTube.

Like this little bragger:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge5fSIqwls0

Alienware have release new chassis and I want to pimp my bitch all over YouTube.

Putting your own PC together is a great idea if you don't value your time. Seriously, I use www.gamepc.com and have never had a single problem.

I have a 7950 gx2. Very happy with the performance and the extra slot is a bonus.

Gnu

Anyone who would pay $3,000+ for a PC that they could easily build for $1,000+ less must really value their time over their money.

I'm sure anyone that's built one and had issues with ram that's not 100% happy with the motherboard... or driver issues conflicting... or a power supply that's not up to snuff... or any other intermittent issue that's caused massive amounts of time wasted... Thinks buying one for 1000 dollars more is well worth it. And I can't disagree. If your diagnostic skills aren't top notch, it's worth it.

Me... I build my own. But I'm also a glutton for punishment sometimes. :)

Totally agree, Warren. (This is becoming a habit).

Having a one-stop-shop support agreement is a good incentive too.

Build your own - it takes no time at all...except if it's the first time that is..either way you'll end up smarter for it.

Well, it will be my first time to build a system from scratch - I wouldn't risk it with the type of components I am buying - the card alone is retailing in the UK for £300-400.

I tried to compare building the Alienware system and then doing the same with a Dell XPS gaming system as close to the Alienware as I could get.

Ever since the new Intel chips came out (and got great reviews) I've wanted one. I also wanted to return to the nVidia camp.

As an example system:
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E6600 2.40GHz 4MB Cache 1066MHz FSB
2GB DDR2 - 2 x 1024MB
1024MB NVIDIA® GeForce™ 7950 GX2
500GB HD
Creative Labs X-FI XtremeMusic 24-BIT

Alienware = £2,039.80
Dell = £1,803.00

I went to CyberPowerSystems ( www.cyberpowersystem.co.uk ) and did a custom build job to match the Alienware as closely as possible:

CBS = £1472.28

There is a big saving to be had by going to the little guy.

I matched the systems as closely as possible.

The CBS has quality components to choose from - not just cheap stuff.

Jesus!

If I add in a second 1024MB NVIDIA® GeForce™ 7950 GX2

CBS=£1857.68 - still cheaper than the Alienware

2x 7950 GX2 = 2GB of GPU memory - plus a hell of a gaming punch. I mean, there would be 2 of them working together - I mean that would be (self-touch) astonishing graphics power.

I Don't think you get it puki.

----- Dont buy branded computers -----

@puki, 4 way SLI is currently not working and will make your computer much slower in many games compared to just one GX2 card. On a norwegian hardware forum, there are loads of threads about this, and they're still waiting for nVidia to release a good driver.

Oh.

HOWEVER!!!

I could keep the single card and upgrade from:

Intel Core™ 2 Duo E6400 2.4 GHz

to

Inte® Core™ 2 Duo X6800 Extreme Edition @ 2.93GHz

and still be cheaper than the Alienware.

Attention:
Note the (self-touch) 'Extreme Edition':



Hello sailor!

Off topic - puki that movie you link to in your profile is quite catchy.....

SLI = Total Nonsense for what i would like to have as:

a) A unelegant brute force solution to increase the gfx-power.
b) Too expensive.
c) Too much noise, space, power consumption.

Sooner or later there will be multi core gfx chips - hopefully with a priority on power consumption as well. Till then i don't count SLI as a solution for my needs.

Yeh, I could just get an X-Box 360 with Fifa 2007 and save myself a fortune. I heard Fifa 2007 is surprisingly good.

Probably not...I'd buy single fastest card on earth with passive cooling and be VERY happy with that.

SLI can be troublesome because it consumes power so much (->generates heat) and although most popular games are compatible (have SLI profiles embedded in the drivers), the majority of games are not taking any advantage from the SLI. I don't think that for example Blitz games would be any faster even if you have SLI.

@puki - I would recommend you buy the E6600 @2.4Ghz and overclock it to 3Ghz, all easy with just an air cooler.
This brings its performance up to X6800 levels (unclocked ofc) for much less money.

there are already dual core cards out there, not as good as SLI in the benchies though.

GeForce 7900GT Dual Core Masterpiece

http://s93153354.onlinehome.us/imageview[2].jpg


http://www.guru3d.com/article/Videocards/382/