Two video cards

**MorseLady** · January 31st, 2008, 05:52 AM

What does 2x256MB video card in SLI configuration mean? Is this as good as having one 512MB card?

Please keep the replies simple as my brain is in hibernation, thanks.

**NooNoo** · January 31st, 2008, 07:04 AM

Technically two cards working together in a dual configuration are better than one. Having said that, there are other things to consider such as what are you going to use the graphics card for?

SLI is nvidia based and ATI's offering is called Xfire or CrossFire. The motherboards require two pci-e x16 graphics slots and must be SLI or CrossFire ready. Obviously this is going to push up the price of the motherboard against a similar spec without SLI or Xfire.

I would suggest that unless you are doing very very heavy processing that you don't need (and will never need) SLI or XFire. By heaving processing, I mean rendering very high resolution animation or playing certain recent games.

**MorseLady** · January 31st, 2008, 08:00 AM

Thank you for explaining about SLI Noo. Obviously a new techology I had not until now caught up with and as you say don't need.

I just thought 256MB would not be enough for Vista but obviously I was wrong.

The only processing I do is photo editing in PSP8. I don't play big games except Microsoft Train Sim and as yet I do not edit videos.

**BOB IROC** · January 31st, 2008, 09:22 AM

I have Run Vista and it's Areo effects on low end 256MB cards like a $30 GeForce 6200. It also runs well on newer integrated graphic chipsets from Intel, Nvidia, or ATI. Its not as power hungry as some have made it out to be.

**NooNoo** · January 31st, 2008, 09:34 AM

256mb is fine, however the difference in price is not that great so I would go for a 512 card... however, the available video ram on the card is not the only thing to look at.

You should make sure that it is fully directX 10 compatible first and foremost.

You then have the speed of the graphics processor and now they are producing cards with dual graphics processors (like SLI but all on the one board).

Then you have the speed of the bus between the graphics processor and the graphics RAM.

there is article here which briefly explains the options.

**NooNoo** · January 31st, 2008, 01:04 PM

Not in this country, there are loads of DDR3 512mb ATI and NVidia cards available here.

**NooNoo** · January 31st, 2008, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by OMGmissinglink

256MB vs 512mb difference you will find often times the 512 model cards use ddr2 vs most 256mb cards use ddr3.

I said "not in this country". DDR3 512mb are as common as 256mb cards.

**NooNoo** · January 31st, 2008, 01:47 PM

The person that asked the question does not live in the USA. I think people are capable of seeing the words "this country" in my answer and look at the country listed under my avatar.

Consider your use of the word "you" in your statement. The implication is that you were talking to the thread author, who is lives in the UK. Your answer was specific to your experience and not anyone elses. I answered you to show you that your statement does not hold true in the UK.

**NooNoo** · January 31st, 2008, 01:59 PM

I can't do that. I know of no online shop that stocks EVERY Video card. You only posted one link which ONLY showed nVidia cards. ATI also make video cards.

there are 217 cards in 22 pages of video cards at this one supplier

**NooNoo** · January 31st, 2008, 02:54 PM

Would you mind using some punctuation? I cannot work out exactly what you are saying.

**NooNoo** · January 31st, 2008, 03:35 PM

huh?
Of course DDR3 is better. That wasn't the issue. The issue was that you thought that 512mb cards with DDR3 were not as available 256mb cards with DDR3.