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MoboCop
Drunken Master
Joined: 18 Jan 2000
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Location: Fresno
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tonycarr
Black Belt 2nd Degree
Joined: 28 Dec 2001
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Location: SouthEastern , USA
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 Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2004 1:08 pm Post subject: |
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Great article , was glad to read it , dual video cards , wow .
I think my next upgrade will be the NF4 series now .
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Sabrewings
Mobo-fu Master
Joined: 15 Jan 2004
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Location: Barksdale AFB, LA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2004 1:14 pm Post subject: |
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I know my next upgrade will be NF4, but I don't know about the SLI. The part about only using half the pipelines on each card distresses me...
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snap355
Black Belt 5th Degree
Joined: 13 Sep 2004
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| Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2004 1:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Sabrewings wrote: | | I know my next upgrade will be NF4, but I don't know about the SLI. The part about only using half the pipelines on each card distresses me... |
please edumacate me on the pipelines if you can. Does it means that card won't be fully utilized on its potential and therefore wasted space? |
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Sabrewings
Mobo-fu Master
Joined: 15 Jan 2004
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Location: Barksdale AFB, LA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2004 1:31 pm Post subject: |
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A processor (whether it be graphical or primary) uses pipelines. These are "tunnels" if you will. They're pretty much a processor on their own and operate simlutaneously with the rest. 6800GTs and Ultras have 16 pixel pipelines. This means that (in theory) they can draw 16 pixels for every clock cycle because you have 16 pipelines running along side each other.
Now, in full theory, SLI should produce 32 pixels per clock with 32 total pipelines between the two cards. Nvidia is saying that they shut down half the pipelines on each card bringing it back down to a total of 16. Now, it is indeed faster than a single card. I think a single GT will benchmark between 11k and 12k on 3dMark03 (at 1024x768x32). Dual cards benchmarked about the same at 1600x1200x32. So, there is a significant performance increase, but I don't see how running 16 total pipes beats 32. In that type of setup, half of your two cards' cores are sitting there dormant.
Sounds wasteful to me.
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MoboCop
Drunken Master
Joined: 18 Jan 2000
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| Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2004 5:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Sabrewings wrote: | A processor (whether it be graphical or primary) uses pipelines. These are "tunnels" if you will. They're pretty much a processor on their own and operate simlutaneously with the rest. 6800GTs and Ultras have 16 pixel pipelines. This means that (in theory) they can draw 16 pixels for every clock cycle because you have 16 pipelines running along side each other.
Now, in full theory, SLI should produce 32 pixels per clock with 32 total pipelines between the two cards. Nvidia is saying that they shut down half the pipelines on each card bringing it back down to a total of 16. Now, it is indeed faster than a single card. I think a single GT will benchmark between 11k and 12k on 3dMark03 (at 1024x768x32). Dual cards benchmarked about the same at 1600x1200x32. So, there is a significant performance increase, but I don't see how running 16 total pipes beats 32. In that type of setup, half of your two cards' cores are sitting there dormant.
Sounds wasteful to me. |
Well if it performs better who cares about the waste. Mine goes up to 11! 
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Sabrewings
Mobo-fu Master
Joined: 15 Jan 2004
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Location: Barksdale AFB, LA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2004 7:11 pm Post subject: |
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I see your point, Mobocop, but I still think this isn't information they should let out.
I was perfectly willing to spend that kind of money on two cards for this. Now, knowing that half of the cards won't be used, I don't think I can shell out nearly $800 for a couple of video cards. The price/performance just doesn't seem to be there anymore... 
I wonder if this will affect others too...
If they could give me a solid explanation, I might be inclined to reconsider. 
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kjartan
Green Belt
Joined: 30 Oct 2004
Posts: 160
Location: Iowa
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| Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2004 5:09 pm Post subject: |
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Is this the answer for running Doom 3 to it's full potential? I sure as $%^!@# hope so!
--Matthew |
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EmilyB
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| Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2004 3:38 am Post subject: |
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| kjartan wrote: | Is this the answer for running Doom 3 to it's full potential? I sure as $%^!@# hope so!
--Matthew |
If you want "perfection" at Ultra settings, the recommendation is to use a card with 512MB as well as all the pipeline technology. |
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kjartan
Green Belt
Joined: 30 Oct 2004
Posts: 160
Location: Iowa
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| Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2004 10:37 pm Post subject: |
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Then what 512 MB cards are available now?
--Matthew |
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