Quad SLI part deux: Build It Yourself

[Tim S]

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/200...y_build/1.html

[HandMadeAndroid]

introducing the XR3i pocket calculator

[Flibblebot]

I'm just shocked at the thought of a 1kW PSU......truly in the realms of electric fires!

[Tim S]

Originally Posted by Flibblebot

I'm just shocked at the thought of a 1kW PSU......truly in the realms of electric fires!

Gamers using Quad SLI are responsible for global warming.

[vacheron]

Very interesting read, thank you.

Just joined the club myself today thanks to craigey1's tipoff in the bargain bin forum a few days ago.

[EK-MDi]

Good review !

I don't care how fast they manage to get these things, and how easily I can afford it, I would still never buy a Quad SLi setup. They're just too unenvironmentally friendly, and my electricity bill will go up the roof (not that I pay for it).

[Paradigm Shifter]

Nice work.

Could I ask if you've got any results of the system with SLI disabled? Or just one 7950 in it, if disabling SLI disables the cards' internal SLI... (So just one 7950 pushing the image...)

I'm wonder exactly how much of an effect that has - whether it's still drivers that just aren't quite right yet (brings back memories of two GPU SLI in the early days...) or whether having four GPU's cracking away at lower clocks isn't as efficient as two at higher clocks...

[Tim S]

I haven't, but I may do some 2560x1600 benchmarks with a GX2 if I've got the chance over the weekend.

[Paradigm Shifter]

Ah, grand! That would be fantastic.

[Fr4nk]

2x BFG Tech GeForce 7950 GTX OC 512MB - operating at their default clock speeds of 670/1640MHz in SLI.

you sure you don't mean 7900 GTX ? ^^

Also:

on the third collumn at the bottom it says it reccomends one GPU @ 1024*768 but how the hell is 8xAA possible with one GPU ?

But enough bone picking, I'm still not quite sure about quad SLi, it still seems way too over the top, power hungry and there isn't that much differance compared to 7900 GTX's in SLi with a decent 500-600W PSU behind, 1KW just seems daft IMO... Still was a good read none the less

[yahooadam]

Originally Posted by Fr4nk

on the third collumn at the bottom it says it reccomends one GPU @ 1024*768 but how the hell is 8xAA possible with one GPU ?:eyebrow

on my x1900xt i run at 1680x1050 8x AA 16x AF and it works fine, still well over 100fps in all source games ...

[Tim S]

Fr4nk - NVIDIA supports 8xSSAA on all hardware since GeForce FX.

yahooadam - ATI supports a maximum of 6xMSAA with a single card.

[Vonpo]

I think Tim is right, Quad SLi is a little bit before its time. But still I believe that Quad-SLi could work great as a workstation, no? or maybe not?

Anyways when Quad-SLi will be using Dx 10 hardware and all the problems are solved, I'll buy it.

[Tulatin]

Eh, why did you waste time on DDR2-6400? It would have done you better to drop to CAS-4, and push for 1:2 with the FSB; that is, if the board has the ratio. Also, does that board support 1T/2T adjustments for Intel?

[yahooadam]

Originally Posted by Vonpo

I think Tim is right, Quad SLi is a little bit before its time. But still I believe that Quad-SLi could work great as a workstation, no? or maybe not?

well it depends what you are doing really

yes it could be an advantage, but ATM the cost of getting 4gfx cards is a little high ...

with some software work you could probably split the graphics work over multiple computers instead

[Firehed]

Holy lord Tim, that's a big mousepad! I suppose you'd need something that big to go with a 30" display for testing though. You make my 24" cry.

I'd say that chart nVidia made needs a bit of work. I don't imagine many single cards running well ath 2560x1600, but I've run several games at 1920x1200 4xAA 8xAF (or HDR w/ AF) quite playably on my single 7900GT.

[Simonsnet]

what I really don't understand with this article, is why you only plumped for 1gb memory? Crazyness to be honest. 2gb is the norm these days, with a system as specced as that, I'd have probably stuck 4gb in there. But to go with 1gb is just plain madness. Total bottleneck and doesn't allow for an accurate article in my book.

[Tim S]

Originally Posted by Simonsnet

what I really don't understand with this article, is why you only plumped for 1gb memory? Crazyness to be honest. 2gb is the norm these days, with a system as specced as that, I'd have probably stuck 4gb in there. But to go with 1gb is just plain madness. Total bottleneck and doesn't allow for an accurate article in my book.

There was 2GB installed - it says multiple times in the article........

Test Setup:
Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800 (operating at 3.46GHz - 13x266MHz); Asus P5N32-SLI SE motherboard (NVIDIA nForce4 SLI X16 Intel Edition); 2 x 1GB Corsair XMS2-6400C3 (operating in dual channel at DDR2-800 with 3-3-3-9-12-1T timings); Western Digital WD2500 7,200RPM SATA hard drive; PC Power & Cooling Turbo-Cool 1KW Power Supply; Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2; DirectX 9.0c; NVIDIA nForce4 SLI X16 Intel Edition standalone drivers version 6.86 WHQL; NVIDIA Forceware version 91.37 beta (Quad SLI), Forceware version 91.31 WHQL (7900 GTX SLI).

Video Cards:

* 2x XFX GeForce 7950 GX2 Extreme 1GB - operating at their default clock speeds of 520/1300MHz in Quad SLI;
* 2x BFG Tech GeForce 7900 GTX OC 512MB - operating at their default clock speeds of 670/1640MHz in SLI.

[yahooadam]

Originally Posted by Tim S

There was 2GB installed - it says multiple times in the article........

yep, it said you took OUT the 512mb sticks and replaced them with 1gb sticks so you could run in 1t mode

[[USRF]Obiwan]

Sooooo....

The final conclusion is:

- Dont buy a large powerhungry PSU.
- Dont buy quad SLI. (Infact dont buy any SLI videocard)

Your current videocart works fine, save your money for the next gen dx10 cards. This would proberly make any sli config obsolete...