NVIDIA nForce4 SLI

ID:277017
 
Jul 22 2006, 8:29 am
Ok, I was wondering that exactly does NVIDIA nForce4 SLI do?
because im debateing on rather to get a motherboard that has it or one that doesnt for a bit cheaper.
Jul 22 2006, 8:39 am
An SLI-supported motherboard allows you to use 2 NVIDIA video cards.

~~> Unknown Person
Jul 22 2006, 9:22 am
In response to Unknown Person
the nForce4 SLI is the chipset, I believe.
As Unknown Person said, it supports SLI, which allows you to use 2 nVidia Graphics cards simultaneously.
Jul 22 2006, 9:32 am
In response to D4RK3 54B3R
So unless im planing on haveing two NVIDIA video cards no use in getting a mother board with it?
Jul 22 2006, 9:39 am
In response to National Guardsmen
They have to be the same exacty one, and if your arn't going to get SLI(2xa NVIDIA video card) than just buy the normal nForce 4(or w/e the lastest one is.).
Jul 22 2006, 4:26 pm
In response to National Guardsmen
There's no point right now, but adding a second graphics card could be a good (and cheap) way to upgrade your system down the track, so don't pass it off immediately. (In several years time, your current graphics card will be a lot cheaper, so it might be more economical to get one and run it in SLI rather than buy a whole new graphics card.)

I guess it depends how much more the SLI version costs as to whether it's worth it.
Jul 22 2006, 4:37 pm
In response to Crispy
Yes but so will the card that it will be equivlent to. Plus last time I checked SLI capable mobo are 100 dollars more than the normal one. That second PCIEx16 really pushes the price up. The problem with SLI is that it's genrally cheaper to just but the better video card. Espically since if you don't get the same EXACT card.(I belive it has to also be SLI compatable, both of them and made by the same company.)
Jul 22 2006, 4:57 pm
In response to Dark_Shadow_Ninja
Well, like I said, it depends if you think it's worth it after looking at all the tradeoffs. I didn't think the price gap was that big, but I can't be bothered checking so I'll take your word for it. =)
Jul 22 2006, 5:07 pm
In response to Crispy
Err, it must of went down last time I checked...The differnces is now 40 bucks. Though the problem like I said is that if the card he buys and than 2 or 3 years down the road they stop producing the card he is pretty screwed and can't get SLI anyways.
Jul 22 2006, 5:27 pm
In response to Dark_Shadow_Ninja
So get it second-hand... If you get a popular card then there shouldn't be a problem.
Jul 22 2006, 5:47 pm
In response to Crispy
I suppose he could do that as long as it used. I would never trust a used PC part since it's realively hard to tell if it works or not.
Jul 23 2006, 4:07 am
In response to Crispy
Crispy wrote:
I guess it depends how much more the SLI version costs as to whether it's worth it.

The real problem I noticed with SLI cards is that the next graphics card that gets released always beats two of the previous-latest cards. For example, when the GeForce 6800 GT was released, it was benchmarked faster than two GeForce 6600 GTs in SLI, while two of the 6600 GT's costed more. I also read that SLI starts to really improve performance on higher resolutions.

~~> Unknown Person
Jul 23 2006, 6:50 am
In response to Dark_Shadow_Ninja
Dark_Shadow_Ninja wrote:
I suppose he could do that as long as it used. I would never trust a used PC part since it's realively hard to tell if it works or not.

thats why you goto sites with trusted warrenties like tiger direct and other things, and about this so if i put 2 cards in i can make it as powerful as one

example:

2 256 mb gfx cards

would = 1 512

or would it be 2 256s that help each other to make a super 256 that doesnt overheat or slow the comp down
Jul 23 2006, 7:44 am
In response to Duelingblades
Duelingblades wrote:
Dark_Shadow_Ninja wrote:
I suppose he could do that as long as it used. I would never trust a used PC part since it's realively hard to tell if it works or not.

thats why you goto sites with trusted warrenties like tiger direct and other things, and about this so if i put 2 cards in i can make it as powerful as one

example:

2 256 mb gfx cards

would = 1 512

or would it be 2 256s that help each other to make a super 256 that doesnt overheat or slow the comp down

You have it all wrong. First off, the 256 mb part is just onboard ram. Doesn't make too much of a difference as long as there's enough for the board's Bus Width. I could have a 512MB Radeon X1600Pro, and a 256MB Radeon X1800GTO would outperform it.

I think it was around 50% performance boost with SLI than running with one card. I don't remember.
Jul 23 2006, 8:25 am
In response to D4RK3 54B3R
Well the Graphics card i wad thinking about getting is a ATI 100-437601 Radeon X1300PRO 256MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 Video Card, and what you saying is that in a few years when that card is out datted i could go get another one and it would make my graphics better for something. Im a bit lost.
Jul 23 2006, 8:26 am
In response to National Guardsmen
the X1300 pro is crap. It's like a Radeon 9200pro that supports Dx9 and SM3. That's it.
Jul 23 2006, 12:20 pm
In response to Duelingblades
Tiger Direct is crap. Sure you could go to a store like them and get a refurbished part. I have a problem with buying "used" parts off of eBay.
Jul 23 2006, 3:27 pm
In response to Duelingblades
Duelingblades wrote:
Dark_Shadow_Ninja wrote:
I suppose he could do that as long as it used. I would never trust a used PC part since it's realively hard to tell if it works or not.

thats why you goto sites with trusted warrenties like tiger direct and other things, and about this so if i put 2 cards in i can make it as powerful as one

example:

2 256 mb gfx cards

would = 1 512
Chances are 2 gfx cards would = 1.5-1.75 of their combined power. I dont know how SLI is implemeted so I cant tell you if it uses the ram one both cards if its running in SLI.

or would it be 2 256s that help each other to make a super 256 that doesnt overheat or slow the comp down

No chances are it would make 512 instead of sending the same data to both cards. And no it would help overheating purely because you have an extra card at 60+ degrees in your system pumping out more heat than if you only had 1 card. I guess it could stop slow downs with the extra ram or something like that though
Jul 23 2006, 4:55 pm
In response to Critical
The ram isn't what's imporant! It makes it so it can process more things quicker. All the information goes to the same card before SLI. So it is doing all the work. SLI splits the work in half across to cards. Now the cards together can process more quickly. Resulting in being able to turn up the graphics and get better frame rates(in the case of a game.) Or something rendering and what not more quickly. (This is how I understand SLI to work). So you also probably need a pretty good processor too =)
Jul 23 2006, 10:03 pm
In response to Critical
Critical wrote:
Duelingblades wrote:
Dark_Shadow_Ninja wrote:
I suppose he could do that as long as it used. I would never trust a used PC part since it's realively hard to tell if it works or not.

thats why you goto sites with trusted warrenties like tiger direct and other things, and about this so if i put 2 cards in i can make it as powerful as one

example:

2 256 mb gfx cards

would = 1 512
Chances are 2 gfx cards would = 1.5-1.75 of their combined power. I dont know how SLI is implemeted so I cant tell you if it uses the ram one both cards if its running in SLI.

or would it be 2 256s that help each other to make a super 256 that doesnt overheat or slow the comp down

No chances are it would make 512 instead of sending the same data to both cards. And no it would help overheating purely because you have an extra card at 60+ degrees in your system pumping out more heat than if you only had 1 card. I guess it could stop slow downs with the extra ram or something like that though


thanks for the info critical