SLI Users please read
- Thread starter Merlin
- Start date
Big B
HWF Godfather
Any case that's specified for the ATX standard (which is most of them) will work.
As long as the video cards don't interfere with the other components, the case is fine.
What you should be concerned with is the Power Supply. DO NOT skimp on this if you're doing SLI. The second thing is that you can only do SLI right now with the nForce 4 SLI boards. The sole exception is the DFI NF4 Ultra-D which can be easily modded for SLI. The problem is that DFI doesn't include the SLI bridge card and that nVidia will be releasing a new nForce 4 Ultra stepping that will close this SLI loophole.
As long as the video cards don't interfere with the other components, the case is fine.
What you should be concerned with is the Power Supply. DO NOT skimp on this if you're doing SLI. The second thing is that you can only do SLI right now with the nForce 4 SLI boards. The sole exception is the DFI NF4 Ultra-D which can be easily modded for SLI. The problem is that DFI doesn't include the SLI bridge card and that nVidia will be releasing a new nForce 4 Ultra stepping that will close this SLI loophole.
ProcalX
all grown up
Good choice on powersupply, its an excellent PSU with good reviews.
Also, i really wouldn't bother with SLI yet, instead of spending all your money on 2 cards, i would buy the BEST card you can afford, and when you need the extra 1.8X performance boost, buy another one.
This way you'll last a HELL of alot longer than with 2 mediocure cards :) + no games utilise SLI to its full potential atm.
Also, i really wouldn't bother with SLI yet, instead of spending all your money on 2 cards, i would buy the BEST card you can afford, and when you need the extra 1.8X performance boost, buy another one.
This way you'll last a HELL of alot longer than with 2 mediocure cards :) + no games utilise SLI to its full potential atm.
Merlin
Geek Trainee
The main thing drawing me towards the new pentiums is that I am hopefull of a new standard of ram. I have read in some reviews that Intel may be increasing the FBS to a possible 1600Hmz (maybe just hear-say, but interested to see). If Athlon stay with the current 533 or 800 FSB's surely they would be at a disadvantage?
I wouldn't think a bump in the FSB would help at all. Intel already did this with some CPUs running at 1066MHz FSB, but that only produced a tiny increase. And again having a lower FSB or clockspeed doesn't mean that they are inferior, just look at any gaming benchmarks and you will see. Sure the P4s are great for video editing and some media encoding, but they're hopeless with gaming compared to A64s and A64s keep up with them on other benchmarks anyway. Also if you go with a64's, especially the Winchester (90nm) cores then you'll be surprised about how much easier it is to cool them while keeping them quiet than with P4s, especially Prescotts.
Big B
HWF Godfather
If you're talking about DDR2, it can be faster, but the thing is it needs to run at very high speeds to compensate for it's latency. It looks like even Intel may be backing off from pushing it as much.
Yes, Intel will have dual-core, but if they use HyperThreading, I hear that can cause trouble. AMD will also have dual-core which should be available this summer.
I'm not sure if Intel is going to a 1600MHz FSB. They've only recently gone to a 1066MHz FSB with the 925XE chipset, which uses the DDR2 only.
Furthermore, the only Intel-based SLI configuration is an Alienware exclusive and uses a different means of implementation than the nVidia nForce 4. Secondly, while there are Intel-based motherboards available, they're for the Xeon, which uses a different socket than the Pentiums.
Intel is moving toward making the core of the Pentium M the core of the Pentium D, which replaces the P4. It's a much more efficient design and even at low clock speeds, it's an awesome piece of work.
The issue here is that, right now, this stuff isn't available. While I haven't heard anything yet, Intel is known to change sockets rather often, whereas AMD doesn't. You could be talking a difference of changing to a new motherboard (and possibly new RAM and PSU---depending on what else goes with it) vs a BIOS update.
Will there be SLI for Intel? I'd find it hard to believe it wouldn't be. The nForce 5 that's coming up and ATi's Intel chipset are looking to be pretty nice. But without any reviews available at the moment, it's hard to say how things pan out.
Basically, if you want SLI now, you have to go with an AMD system. If you're willing to hang loose, you should have a better selection between AMD and Intel.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/03/10/nvidia_nforce_intel/
Well, the Reg does say we could see an Intel SLI here within a month, but they are a Tabloid, so I'd take the info with a few grains of salt. Additionally, while nVidia doesn't produce crap, you need to be aware that if you go that route, you'll be an early adopter. There's always the higher chance of issues, not to mention that SLI does have limitations which is more than likely not limited to AMD's side of the table.
Yes, Intel will have dual-core, but if they use HyperThreading, I hear that can cause trouble. AMD will also have dual-core which should be available this summer.
I'm not sure if Intel is going to a 1600MHz FSB. They've only recently gone to a 1066MHz FSB with the 925XE chipset, which uses the DDR2 only.
Furthermore, the only Intel-based SLI configuration is an Alienware exclusive and uses a different means of implementation than the nVidia nForce 4. Secondly, while there are Intel-based motherboards available, they're for the Xeon, which uses a different socket than the Pentiums.
Intel is moving toward making the core of the Pentium M the core of the Pentium D, which replaces the P4. It's a much more efficient design and even at low clock speeds, it's an awesome piece of work.
The issue here is that, right now, this stuff isn't available. While I haven't heard anything yet, Intel is known to change sockets rather often, whereas AMD doesn't. You could be talking a difference of changing to a new motherboard (and possibly new RAM and PSU---depending on what else goes with it) vs a BIOS update.
Will there be SLI for Intel? I'd find it hard to believe it wouldn't be. The nForce 5 that's coming up and ATi's Intel chipset are looking to be pretty nice. But without any reviews available at the moment, it's hard to say how things pan out.
Basically, if you want SLI now, you have to go with an AMD system. If you're willing to hang loose, you should have a better selection between AMD and Intel.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/03/10/nvidia_nforce_intel/
Well, the Reg does say we could see an Intel SLI here within a month, but they are a Tabloid, so I'd take the info with a few grains of salt. Additionally, while nVidia doesn't produce crap, you need to be aware that if you go that route, you'll be an early adopter. There's always the higher chance of issues, not to mention that SLI does have limitations which is more than likely not limited to AMD's side of the table.