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I have an sli mobo..

Discussion in 'Building a new PC' started by cldbld, Feb 10, 2008.

  1. cldbld

    cldbld Member

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    Do I need to have the same exact video cards for the SLi mode to work? Or can they be different? Im talking about companies. Not the actual hardware. Thanx
     
  2. shaffaaf

    shaffaaf Regular member

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    SLi onyl works for Nvidia firstly, crossfireX (formerly known as crossfire) for ATI. ATI let you use different GPUs, aslogn as they have the same core, (aka all the RV670, and the RV680) together in xfireX.
    so you can run one 3870 and a 3850, or a 3870x2 and a 3850. or two 3870s and two 3850s ETC.


    BUT Nvidia, can only allow the exact same hardware to run. so you would need 2x8600GTs, or 2x 8800 ULTRAs. ETC.
     
  3. cldbld

    cldbld Member

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    Sorry that is what I meant, Talking about nvidia.

    I wanted to know being it the same hardware, if lets say a BFG card and a GIGABYTE card would work together.
     
  4. dsgtrain

    dsgtrain Regular member

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    A simple Google search found this:
    Dave!
     
  5. shaffaaf

    shaffaaf Regular member

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    yeah that would work, as long as they are the same card. ie. on BFG 8800GT and one GIGABYTE 8800GT.

    but remember that if one has been OverClocked, then it will downclock to the slowest version.
     
  6. dsgtrain

    dsgtrain Regular member

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    Same with memory aswell. i.e. If one has 512mb and the other has 256mb, both will appear to have 256mb of memory.
     
  7. shaffaaf

    shaffaaf Regular member

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    exactly :D
     
  8. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    Interesting, I always thought the cards had to be identical. When did that change?
     
  9. shaffaaf

    shaffaaf Regular member

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    they do have to be identical,

    bu the company and clocks can be different. and witthe RAM, it happened with the 320 and 640 GTS.
    if you had both, then SLi, then you would only have two 320s, not a 320 and 640
     
  10. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    By identical I meant same brand, same revision etc. not just the same model. Interesting that it's been loosened up now.
     
  11. cldbld

    cldbld Member

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    Cool thanks for the info shaffaaf!
     
  12. dsgtrain

    dsgtrain Regular member

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    Found this quote from Google:
     
  13. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    Ah right, makes sense...
     

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