Adding a 2nd GPU to my GTX295

[xann27]

ive seen in very few cases people adding another video card to their rigs. i remember seeing somewhere sombody added a 8800GTS to a GTX280 or 285. i dont quite remember what for, Physx maybe?

well, my main goal is to make my system faster. play crysis, mass effect 2, and or any other game at full rip. im getting roughly $800 to play with (i wish i could use all my tax returns for my PC. imagine what $8k can do for a PC? ;) )

So, seeing my rig in my signature, and back to my topic, would it even make a difference to add another GPU? would it have to be a GTX295 dual PCB? ive never ran SLI before, or would i be better off keeping the single card, and upgrading to a i7/classified board?

[RacingTurtle]

Even with one GTX295 you're probably getting bottlenecked - your CPU cant process all that power fast enough. I reckon another card would be a waste - definitely better off going for the i7/i5 upgrade!

[zalbard]

You need to overclock that CPU.

[zanzabar]

2 things

1) u already have 2 gpus and u run sli as the 295 is 2 275 on one slot

2) u have to overclock a 266fsb is way to slow and u need atleast 400mhz fsb to make sli or xfire work. but your MB wont oc well and should lead it to a quick death


as for what to do. with $800 i would suggest getting an i7 if u oc or an am3 if u like stock or small ocs and a good heatsink, ram and a non nvidia MB to go with it

[xann27]

as for what to do. with $800 i would suggest getting an i7 if u oc or an am3 if u like stock or small ocs and a good heatsink, ram and a non nvidia MB to go with it


Why not an nVidia? im not sure i understand. you mean go with an x58? im really not much of an AMD fan even tho there is absolutly nothing wrong with AMD, i've just been more accustomed to intel and nVidia.

the board i have i sa pretty good board for what it is. no, i dont use 3-way SLI like its meant for, so, no i dont really use the NF200 chip in it.

This new eVga X58 #way SLI board is basically the better version of what i got? (i7 x58 platform) i probably wont even use the 3 way part of the board, but i still want the best possible performance i can get for my hard earned money. (I work for Pepsi, so yes, hard earned...)

[zalbard]

Nvidia motherboard chipsets are bug ridden, and not very good for overclocking. You can't do much about it.

[zanzabar]

Why not an nVidia? im not sure i understand. you mean go with an x58? im really not much of an AMD fan even tho there is absolutly nothing wrong with AMD, i've just been more accustomed to intel and nVidia.

the board i have i sa pretty good board for what it is. no, i dont use 3-way SLI like its meant for, so, no i dont really use the NF200 chip in it.

This new eVga X58 #way SLI board is basically the better version of what i got? (i7 x58 platform) i probably wont even use the 3 way part of the board, but i still want the best possible performance i can get for my hard earned money. (I work for Pepsi, so yes, hard earned...)

NV has no good chipsets (they only have 1 amd part for desktops and its not good) or MB accessories (the nf200). since u didnt get things that oc previously i would get an am3 with a 965 and a 790fx or 785gx chipset they are the best for the money and the best if u are staying stock clocks or just a small oc. if u plan to oc to 4.1ghz and tweak then the intel parts are better, if u dont plan on going for multi card (u will still have the option) and u keep your cpu for a long term then i would get a p55 (socket 1156) and an i7 860 if u are going to go for somehting now, x58 and 920 if u want multicard and know that u are going to get it.

if u are going to wait a month or 2 then i would go for an x58 and a 32nm hex core.

[RacingTurtle]

You have to go with an Intel chipset, Nvidia doesnt have an x86 license, so they werent allowed to make chipsets for Nehalem. They might make the NF200 for 4 way SLi but thats it.

[zalbard]

if u are going to wait a month or 2 then i would go for an x58 and a 32nm hex core.
Those coming out in march will be very expensive, though.

[zanzabar]

Those coming out in march will be very expensive, though.

i thought that they were going to have 1 for $400, but i guess that with a good board and some ram that would be over $800

[zalbard]

i thought that they were going to have 1 for $400, but i guess that with a good board and some ram that would be over $800
The $500 part is coming out in Q3, looks like the only 32nm Nehalem in March will cost $1000... :(

[zanzabar]

The $500 part is coming out in Q3, looks like the only 32nm Nehalem in March will cost $1000... :(

thats fail. then 1156 if u want to oc and tweak, or am3 if u want to leave it stock or get a small oc

[RoadconeTuning]

780i boards are trash, my buddy has been thru 3 trying to keep his E8400 at 4GHz, mine gets sketchy over 3.2GHz anymore... i7-920, Gigabyte mobo and 6GB of ram should be good for ya

[RacingTurtle]

I gotta go with Zanzabar here, I reckon the P55 platform is way better value for performance. Especially if you overclock it you really get great performance increase from the LGA775 platform.

[CryptiK]

Yeah, P55 is awesome until the socket melts and destroys your CPU......

Lotes sockets are apparently ok though so if you must go P55, make sure the board has one.

[cowpuppy]

I don't get it:shrug:with micro centers prices on the 920 DO 199.00 why any1 would suggest P55 for a extra 50.00 you can get the DO over the I5 750. I just did a upgrade from a E8400 and all the parts cost under 600.00. That's with MB, Ram, CPU, HS, I got the new USB3/SATA3 spec and a 4.2ghz chip to boot not bad investment I'd say. :up:

Put this combo behind your GTX295 and you'll be looking for a new monitor for some higher resolutions.

[RacingTurtle]

I suppose youre right for you guys who are US based, in the UK the D0 is £210! so it gets really expensive quickly as you buy your kit, and just seems for us the P55 is better value.

[zanzabar]

I don't get it:shrug:with micro centers prices on the 920 DO 199.00 why any1 would suggest P55 for a extra 50.00 you can get the DO over the I5 750. I just did a upgrade from a E8400 and all the parts cost under 600.00. That's with MB, Ram, CPU, HS, I got the new USB3/SATA3 spec and a 4.2ghz chip to boot not bad investment I'd say. :up:

Put this combo behind your GTX295 and you'll be looking for a new monitor for some higher resolutions.

they have the 920 for $250 and they have the 860 for the same price. the 1156 is faster clock for clock, overclocks better and it has a cheaper MB since there is no NB on it. so if u are using 1 card or 2 1 gpu cards it will be as good if not better than the 1366

[xann27]

hmm... well, what about upgradability? in 2 years will the 1366 be an active socket? or is the 1156 seem to be the socket to choose? i know they still have LGA775 processors out there, but in 2 years when its time to upgrade again (sad, i know) will i be safer with a 1366? or 1156? and isnt having the NB on the processor semi bad? more heat? more things to go wrong within 1 part?

same question with the RAM, whats gonna be ready to upgrade down the road?

as for the 32nm chips, yea, no way. not yet. holy :banana::banana::banana::banana:. $1000 for an early unit? and 9/10 times the first processor out is the bottom of the barrel. kinda like the Q6600... its not a "bad" proc, but it stinks compared to the Q9xxx's

[zanzabar]

1156 and 1366 are scheduled till 2012 and the only difference is that the 1156 wont be getting the hex this year (it might not get it). and if u keep your parts i dont see why to go with the 1366 and 1 or 2 gpus for most people. and a better point, if u arnt going to oc (or if are doing a marginal oc like 200-400mhz) the am3 is better than the 1366 or the 1156

and the q66 and the q9xxx are different architectures and the q6 is a 65nm wile the q9 is a 45nm. but for both of them the best chips from each stepping are typically the 1st few batches of the retail/oem production run.

[cowpuppy]

never mind i see they are back up to 229.00