Which do you feel is the more efficient solution?

***Zardon*** · Apr 17, 2006, 10:18 AM

Vote and Discuss!

pr0digal jenius · Apr 17, 2006, 10:22 AM

crossfire....yes, SLi works better at the moment, but it's been around longer.

Remember all the pitfalls when it was released? How it only supported, like, 15-20 games? How it crashed doing this and that and only supported monitors if they were configred just so?

ATi had a MUCH smoother launch, even if you take the "availability" issue into account, which seems to be getting much better now.

Props to ATi for being remotely competitive with an idea nVidia has had what, 2 years now, to master.

Judas · Apr 17, 2006, 10:32 AM

Efficient? I'd have to say SLI to start with, being able to combine any 2 cards, from different manufactures... into a system in any order, and just hooking up a little connector between the 2 to get it is imo, much much more efficient. With ati's Mastercard and slave card solution, it's quite troublesome, people just consider that alone and run to nvidia.

Also, there appears to be more problems with crossfire then with sli. I don't blame ati specifically for it, as they are still working on this whole idea. SLI's been around for years, nvidia aquired 3dfx the orginal creators, and finally adapted it to nvidias own designs. So they've got a serious head start.

IF ATI can get things arranged that there is no master cards, no slaves and no special cable to hook everything up. ATI has a damn good chance.

[hobo]eclipse · Apr 17, 2006, 10:44 AM

i dont believe anyone building a crossfire or SLI rig even considers effiency. could be wrong though as using the lower end cards is gaining popularity and catching on.

Sandok · Apr 17, 2006, 11:12 AM

SLI.... more support, easier install method (no dongle) and very easy to implement (no need for a special card).

NV really played well in this domain

And it's also cheaper than Xfire

CDsDontBurn · Apr 17, 2006, 02:50 PM

As far as efficiency, I believe that nVidia's SLI solution is much more efficient than ATI's crossfire. The reason why i believe so, was stated above by what Judas had to say about there needing to be a master and slave card. In a single card solution, I would definately choose an ATI over nVidia card, but that's a different story to be told.

Richie-b · Apr 17, 2006, 04:07 PM

SLI seems to me to be the more efficient solution.
An SLI setup has 2 cards sharing the work load where as a crossfire setup has a master and slave card, the master card doing the majority of the workload.

blackdog · Apr 17, 2006, 05:23 PM

First lets remember SLI is a borrowed (hijacked) solution from 3dfx(r.i.p) so the head start was there. IMO quality of image reigns above speed

calidan · Apr 17, 2006, 06:12 PM

Wow! This poll is pretty close.

LeanWolf · Apr 17, 2006, 07:37 PM

close indeed! Didn't it used to be possible to see how individuals voted?

IamLakota · Apr 17, 2006, 07:56 PM

SLI,.....Simple Logical Intellgent,...Cudos to NV on this,..Ati has a lot of catching up to do.

Judas · Apr 17, 2006, 07:59 PM

only if that option is enabled when the poll is made....

Lowfat · Apr 17, 2006, 09:30 PM

SLI. Likely because its being around longer.

BiGBrOwNPimpsta · Apr 17, 2006, 10:07 PM

at this point SLi is more effective IMO. crossfire is coming along, but in its first gen it hasn't displayed good results and was more tricky to setup. a master card, a secondary card then dongle. SLI was more straight foward 2 cards and a connector and your set.

but BOTH were a bitch to setup i hated it....

Judas · Apr 17, 2006, 10:42 PM

i never had troubles setting up... just knowing more can go wrong quite easily....