NVIDIA's GeForce 6 SLI: Demolishing Performance Barriers

jmke · 23rd November 2004, 23:32

you've got the money, SLI is definitely worth it. But how does it fare as an upgrade path?

ASUS and NVIDIA have been working very closely with each other on the nForce4 SLI project. NVIDIA took ASUS’ A8N-SLI Deluxe on tour with them, doing demonstrations to reviewers all over the world based on this one motherboard. Obviously the partnership has irritated a few of ASUS’ competitors, and thus it looks like Gigabyte and MSI are doing their best to get their competing boards out as soon as possible. But ASUS was the first to get us a final board and thus we have them in our review today.

The very first A8N-SLI Deluxe motherboard we received was horribly unstable and we spent the majority of our time just trying to get the thing to work. Our sample was one of 10 in the world and fortunately not a mass production sample. ASUS managed to get us another board in time for the publication of this review, and the updated board fixed all of our issues. We will be sure to do a full review on ASUS’ SLI motherboard featured here, but for now here’s some brief information about the board.

The A8N-SLI Deluxe is a very interesting solution from ASUS as it will be targeted at both the high end and mainstream Socket-939 markets. With a price point of around $180, ASUS is hoping that all types of users, from casual to hardcore gamers will flock to the A8N-SLI Deluxe to either take advantage of SLI immediately or have the security of a SLI upgrade path.

The board itself is as feature filled as you could possibly imagine. Featuring 3 x 32-bit PCI, 2 PCI Express x1 and 2 PCI Express x8 slots, the board is pretty balanced when it comes to add-in card expansion.

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2284

The Senile Doctor · 24th November 2004, 10:10

it's not as good as I expected...I'm not to say it's bad, but my rig plays alll the games on the maximum my tft can handle : 1280*1024*4*fsaa and 16*af, and all are played very fluidly...
there's nothing sli can offer me now...

and I don't want to be cranking out 1000 watts

vapo ls+ overclocked fx + dual sli 6800 ultra = 600 watts or sth

jmke · 24th November 2004, 10:18

get a 21" TFT, then you need 1600x1200

The Senile Doctor · 24th November 2004, 11:24

that's inverse reasoning. I don't do inverse reasoning any more

jmke · 24th November 2004, 11:53

inverse reasoning will give you a better gaming experience

The Senile Doctor · 27th November 2004, 07:03

http://www.overclockers.com/tips00695/

what is my problem is that under 1600*1200 with all detail, there really is NO playing difference...
we need new ways of enhancing the eyecandy...
we're at maximums of eyecandy and we have nowhere to go except one resolutionincrease...
is there much difference if we were to play at 2048?
can any dual ultra 6800ultra with a 3 ghz fx processor check if
there's a lot of difference.

btw, how's the OC on sli cards?
nobody seems to mention that...

23rd November 2004, 23:32	#1
jmke Madshrimp Join Date: May 2002 Location: 7090/Belgium Posts: 79,021	NVIDIA's GeForce 6 SLI: Demolishing Performance Barriers you've got the money, SLI is definitely worth it. But how does it fare as an upgrade path? ASUS and NVIDIA have been working very closely with each other on the nForce4 SLI project. NVIDIA took ASUS’ A8N-SLI Deluxe on tour with them, doing demonstrations to reviewers all over the world based on this one motherboard. Obviously the partnership has irritated a few of ASUS’ competitors, and thus it looks like Gigabyte and MSI are doing their best to get their competing boards out as soon as possible. But ASUS was the first to get us a final board and thus we have them in our review today. The very first A8N-SLI Deluxe motherboard we received was horribly unstable and we spent the majority of our time just trying to get the thing to work. Our sample was one of 10 in the world and fortunately not a mass production sample. ASUS managed to get us another board in time for the publication of this review, and the updated board fixed all of our issues. We will be sure to do a full review on ASUS’ SLI motherboard featured here, but for now here’s some brief information about the board. The A8N-SLI Deluxe is a very interesting solution from ASUS as it will be targeted at both the high end and mainstream Socket-939 markets. With a price point of around $180, ASUS is hoping that all types of users, from casual to hardcore gamers will flock to the A8N-SLI Deluxe to either take advantage of SLI immediately or have the security of a SLI upgrade path. The board itself is as feature filled as you could possibly imagine. Featuring 3 x 32-bit PCI, 2 PCI Express x1 and 2 PCI Express x8 slots, the board is pretty balanced when it comes to add-in card expansion. http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2284 __________________

24th November 2004, 10:10	#2
The Senile Doctor Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: wherever the doom is Posts: 3,171	it's not as good as I expected...I'm not to say it's bad, but my rig plays alll the games on the maximum my tft can handle : 128010244fsaa and 16af, and all are played very fluidly... there's nothing sli can offer me now... and I don't want to be cranking out 1000 watts vapo ls+ overclocked fx + dual sli 6800 ultra = 600 watts or sth __________________ OC-2-the-death Where the Reverend is doing his Magick, all mortals be silent Doom over the world

24th November 2004, 10:18	#3
jmke Madshrimp Join Date: May 2002 Location: 7090/Belgium Posts: 79,021	get a 21" TFT, then you need 1600x1200 __________________

24th November 2004, 11:24	#4
The Senile Doctor Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: wherever the doom is Posts: 3,171	that's inverse reasoning. I don't do inverse reasoning any more __________________ OC-2-the-death Where the Reverend is doing his Magick, all mortals be silent Doom over the world

24th November 2004, 11:53	#5
jmke Madshrimp Join Date: May 2002 Location: 7090/Belgium Posts: 79,021	inverse reasoning will give you a better gaming experience __________________

27th November 2004, 07:03	#6
The Senile Doctor Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: wherever the doom is Posts: 3,171	http://www.overclockers.com/tips00695/ what is my problem is that under 1600*1200 with all detail, there really is NO playing difference... we need new ways of enhancing the eyecandy... we're at maximums of eyecandy and we have nowhere to go except one resolutionincrease... is there much difference if we were to play at 2048? can any dual ultra 6800ultra with a 3 ghz fx processor check if there's a lot of difference. btw, how's the OC on sli cards? nobody seems to mention that... __________________ OC-2-the-death Where the Reverend is doing his Magick, all mortals be silent Doom over the world

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