SLI Help

Discussion in 'Hardware Building/Buying/Usage Advice' started by mjmueller, Jan 9, 2013.

  1. mjmueller

    mjmueller Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2010
    Messages:
    64
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hi Guys:

    Quick question here. Do I have to have the same exact video card for SLI, or do I just have to have the same version?

    Example:

    Nvidia 560 ti
    Asus 560 ti

    Can I do this?

    Mike
     
  2. mjmueller

    mjmueller Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2010
    Messages:
    64
    Likes Received:
    0
    I need to run a triple screen. Can I do this with just one card?, with any of the new ones?

    Thanks,

    mj
     
  3. elbo

    elbo Registered

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2012
    Messages:
    625
    Likes Received:
    182
    I don't know the answer to your questions but I use 2 560GTX cards on a projector and I get no benefits at all from SLI, in fact I have better framerates and less stuttering just using one card.
     
  4. Abriel Nei

    Abriel Nei Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2012
    Messages:
    714
    Likes Received:
    37
    The cards don't need to be the same. They don't need to be from the same manufacturer. But they need to have the same GPU model and the same amount of memory.

    Yes you can run triple screen with one card (if it supports that).

    PS: currently rF2 works better with one card (many issues and bad performance with more than one).
     
  5. Spyder

    Spyder Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2012
    Messages:
    232
    Likes Received:
    1
    For you maybe! I get a big increase from using both my 680s, do have to turn off reflections to get rid of the stutters though.
     
  6. Abriel Nei

    Abriel Nei Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2012
    Messages:
    714
    Likes Received:
    37
    I don't use 2 cards, I'm just reporting what I saw in this forum (look at all the posts about problems with SLI/Crossfire).
     
  7. Spyder

    Spyder Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2012
    Messages:
    232
    Likes Received:
    1
    I think you'll find most of those problems are with crossfire, SLI works, currently un optimised but it does work.
     
  8. mjmueller

    mjmueller Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2010
    Messages:
    64
    Likes Received:
    0
    Well, what should I do?, should I go the SLI route, or go the One card Route?

    Does anyone have a suggestion for a good card?

    mj
     
  9. Abriel Nei

    Abriel Nei Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2012
    Messages:
    714
    Likes Received:
    37
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 10, 2013
  10. Prodigy

    Prodigy Registered

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2012
    Messages:
    949
    Likes Received:
    64
    What card do you have now?
     
  11. mjmueller

    mjmueller Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2010
    Messages:
    64
    Likes Received:
    0
    I have a 560 ti.
     
  12. Prodigy

    Prodigy Registered

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2012
    Messages:
    949
    Likes Received:
    64
    If you can run triple screen with your single card, try it and see how it works. If you have 1x DVI output and 2x HDMI (or 2xDVI and 1x HDMI) you could probably do it. Then decide if you need another card or not.
     
  13. DrR1pper

    DrR1pper Registered

    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2012
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    36
    Triple screen (called "Nvidia Surround" for Nvidia cards) only works on a single Nvidia graphics card if it's a GTX 600 series. If you choose to stick with your GTX 560, you will need two in SLI to achieve triple screen.

    I have SLI and it's great so long as it's working properly, which is usually the case and only the occasional hiccup with delays of drivers or SLI profiles whenever a new game comes out. This can be extremely frustrating at times but once it's resolved, you basically end up with 90% added performance (this figure can vary but i have found this most of the time to be the case).

    SLI has a great price-to-performance ratio over single higher end card solutions. For instance, my GTX 460's performs identically (when functioning properly) to a single GTX580. At the time of my purchasing decision, it was something like £300 for two GTX 460's or £430 for a single GTX 580....the argument was won by my wallet. :p

    However, having said all that, i must be honest and tell you that i am looking for a single GTX 680 as possible option for myself. The reason being two sides of a coin, firstly to update my gfx performance and secondly so that i don't have to worry about sli profiles and possible performance issues, which can and do occur. I would also like to have 2GB of VRAM because i know there is sometimes a bottleneck with just 1GB (and no, having 1GB on each does not mean you have an effective 2GB total to play with, it doesn't work like that for VRAM unfortunately.)
     
  14. Abriel Nei

    Abriel Nei Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2012
    Messages:
    714
    Likes Received:
    37
    That is exactly the reason I'm avoiding SLI and Crossfire. Still think it is more trouble than it's worth...and will probably continue to do so until they can ensure proper performance for every game without some custom driver fixes and profile optimizations for each game.
     
  15. DrR1pper

    DrR1pper Registered

    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2012
    Messages:
    3,294
    Likes Received:
    36
    And thanks to this thread, i think i found my new card. Back to AMD with a HD 7970 3GB.

    Not only is the HD 7970 now the same performance as a GTX 680 due to the latest drivers from both parties, but the 7970 costs £100 less!!!! WTF?!?! lol

    And i worked back the performance of a HD 7970 to a single GTX 460 and its approximately 252%. So i will get a little more performance and no more sli/multi-gpu worries. :p

    Also, from looking around, looks like AMD cards are performing better at triple screen. My advice, ask people around here for their HD 7970 triple screen performance.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 10, 2013

Share This Page