OC3D Review: XFX 8800 Ultra Extreme Edition

[!TIMMY!]

Good review Kemp, i agree this is a bit pricy as you highlighted. im sure it will come down in price as the 8800gt is released.

[Hatman]

In the case of a 8800gt, where a card that is 1/2 the price of the GTX yet is within 20% of its performance.

I'm afraid you're wrong on this one mate, dead wrong

8800gt SLI FTW!

[FarFarAway]

SLI is a total waste of time mate. I've tested a LOT of cards in SLI and non SLI configuration (and crossfire), and SLI is 100% a waste of money

[darkorb]

SLI is a waste?

i can buy a 2nd 8800GTS for $120, would that be worth it?

[nrage]

Good question.

What you want to do is measure frames per sec against pounds spent.

If you look at reviews and benchmarks and take the figures for a particular game, with a particular card and compare that to the SLI of the same card in the same game you can calculate how many extra frames that 2nd card gives you.

From what I have seen you get anywhere between a 20% to 80% increase depending on the card, the game and the rest of the system (which has to be powerful enough to make use of the extra card).

Note that you never get a 100% increase, which means the 2nd card (which may have cost the same as the first card) never adds the same number of frames as the 1st card produced by itself.

So, if you measure frames per pound for each card you will always end up spending more per frame for the 2nd card.

Also remember that the performance increase varies depending on the game, the cards, drivers, ... it's not a constant.

[FarFarAway]

Exactly, all of which reasons as to why I say SLI is a waste of time and money

[nrage]

Originally Posted by name='Kempez'

Exactly, all of which reasons as to why I say SLI is a waste of time and money

Given that you're spending the same amount on the 2nd card and getting less for it you could say you have "wasted" some money there, especially when there is usually a single card which gives the same performance for less.

However, I think the argument changes when you're talking about performance above and beyond existing single card setups.

In that case there is no single card that can give the performance of SLI, so the SLI setup can be thought of as roughly the same as a single card which fits in at the top of the price curve.

If you graph the power/price curve of single cards adding the SLI options which give more performance than the top single card I suspect you'll find that SLI fits in about the right place in the curve.

Of course, when each next gen card comes out (I suspect) it usually gives more performance for less money than that SLI option. Once that happens the original argument of waste suddenly applies again.

[Hatman]

Wait wait, so, 8800gt for about £140, 2 of them for £280, comaped to £300 for a 8800gtx. Where a single 8800gt is within 20% of the performance of a 8800gtx.

So, lets say we add 40% boost for SLI. its going to beat the 8800gtx isnt it, by theoretically 20% with that boost. For £20 less. And let's face it games like crysis UT3 bioshock none of them are going to give just a 40% boost from SLI once the drivers are all sorted. SLI shows better under rmoe strain too so when you're in the 20 - 40fps area theres usually a better % boost then when your in the 60 - 70fps area, Ill see if I can find the review I saw of that.

But with the price of this new 8800gt and its performance theres no reason to not go SLI, 2x 8800GT's and you can kiss the 8800GTX goodbye..

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Imo SLI isnt a waste aslong as you use it right, its great for smoothing out those min framerates when playing a game even if the max doesnt go up by tons.

The whole 20% to 80% thing is true yes, but not for the newer games, all games starting to come out now after nvidia gets their drivers in gear have shown great boosts in SLI, its just mainly older games that dont like it that much.

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Aside from all taht its good for upgrading, say one high end card rom next gen is 2x one high end card from this gen, well you can buy thsi gen's high end card, tehn when next one comes out, simply purchase another one of your cards to get simular performance. Rather hten buying a new £300 high end then it costs like £150.

[FarFarAway]

Trouble is, every time I've upgraded from the fastest card to the new fastest card, I've paid MAX £40. Sold my old and bought the new. And when I did that I got a raft of new features and a card that flies. Nuff said

Agreed SLI is good is you want the fastest setup ever, but for VFM you may as well stick with single mid-high range cards. I'm not going to argue any more: I've experienced the speed SLI gives...and the issues it gives also. I just don't think it's the way anyone should go as an upgrade path