GPU's..

[jon the noob]

Can someone explain SLI's

I see its a process of pairing video cards.. does that mean you can get double the power? What exactly is SLI? Do i need a new motherboard to install it

 

[mayorredbeard]

Can someone explain SLI's

I see its a process of pairing video cards.. does that mean you can get double the power? What exactly is SLI? Do i need a new motherboard to install it

1. No you don't get double the power. But you get improved performance. Usually at its best it will perform 1.5x the original cards capabilities.
2. SLI is a standard, much like ATI's Crossfire, implemented into certain motherboards to allow two GPU's of the same model to communicate and share their processing ability towards a common goal.
3. Yes you will need a new motherboard if yours is not SLI capable. As on a SLI motherboard there is physically another PCI-Express slot for another graphics card.

In my opinion it is not worth it, as you are better off just buying a single better video card then two lesser quality video cards. For now at least. But if you have the dough to purchase two 8800gtx's and run them in SLI, more power to you!

 

[Atomic Rooster]

Here's everything you want to know about SLI: SLI Zone - FAQs

 

[hascet]

Its pretty much like a dual core cpu vs. a single core cpu. With dual core you can't take the speed and multiply it by two to get the processing power,same with dual GPU's. The difference between it though is that they aren't on the same die, except in the case of something like a 7950GX2 where there are actually two GPU's in one card.

 

[chrisdafrizz]

7950GX2 a very good card still!

oh how good would that run in SLI ;D 4gpu

 

[FlightSimBoy]

How would SLIed 7950s do you ask? Better than some brands of a single 8800

http://www23.tomshardware.com/graphics_2007.html?modelx=33&model1=708&model2=853&chart=318

 

[ohnoes]

sli iif you have a 8800 card, not worth it if lower end cards