My current setup (EVGA 460 SC) is capable of playing all current games at 1920x1200 very nicely, but I wanted to go even further and see if I can add another 460 SC and setup a SLI system. Since I have never done a SLI system before, I wanted to ask you couple of questions:

Do games automatically "detect" this SLI configuration?

I have a DELL 24" 2405FPW LCD, so obviously any resolution higher than 1920x1200 is out of question, therefore the reason that I am adding another 460 SC is to gain extra FPS or more eye candy.

Would you recommend adding another 460SC just for this purpose? (the upcoming Crysis2 and other DX11 are definitely going to benefit from this)

Initially I wanted to upgrade my CPU to a Phenom II X6 1090T Black Edition, but I figured, adding another EVGA 460SC might be more beneficial.

What do you recommend, think?

So essentially I am going to keep everything that I have, (except swap my MoBo with a dual 16X SLI slot version), meaning keeping my CPU, amount of RAM (4GB DDR3) and just get another 460SC.

Thanks in advance!

p.s. obviously I have to upgrade my current Mobo (only 2 months old!) since it only has one 16X SLI slot.

Thanks!
 
My current setup
 
AMD Phenom II X3 720 (4th Core unlocked) - ASUS M4A87TD/USB3 - 4GB DDR3 Corsair XMS3 (CMX4GX3M2A1600C9) - EVGA 460 1024MB (EVGA | 01G-P3-1365-TR) -Enermax 620W PSU 'Liberty' -74GB WD Raptor Hdd (revision 00FLC0) -Pioneer DVR-A09-XLB -DELL 24" 2405FPW LCD - Chenbro Gaming Bomb II Case (Black)

I really like AMD and please remember that I mentioned that I am planning to keep my AMD platform (CPU, RAM, etc.)
Thanks!

c0dehunter

My current setup (EVGA 460 SC) is capable of playing all current games at 1920x1200 very nicely, but I wanted to go even further and see if I can add another 460 SC and setup a SLI system. Since I have never done a SLI system before, I wanted to ask you couple of questions:

Do games automatically "detect" this SLI configuration? No. This is the job of the Nvidia software and the settings you select in the Nvidia Control Panel. All the games see is the settings you tell the games to run at. The FPS seen on the screen is the result of these settings and the abilities of the GPU power.

I have a DELL 24" 2405FPW LCD, so obviously any resolution higher than 1920x1200 is out of question, therefore the reason that I am adding another 460 SC is to gain extra FPS or more eye candy. Yes

Would you recommend adding another 460SC just for this purpose? (the upcoming Crysis2 and other DX11 are definitely going to benefit from this) Yes without any doubt at all. Granted your system will hold you back from the top end performance that 460's would be able to crank out if you are not overclocking that AMD CPU beyond about 3.82Ghz... That said... The difference is really only seen in benchmarks and high stress points of the GPU in game needs.

Initially I wanted to upgrade my CPU to a Phenom II X6 1090T Black Edition, but I figured, adding another EVGA 460SC might be more beneficial. This is 100% correct. Please note... Others mentioning i7's are because they themselves (Myself included) "Visually" saw the difference it made going to the i7's from 950 AMD's and even 9650 Intels... It is not night and day difference so to speak, but it was not as drastic as going from non SLI to SLI. That IS a big difference...

What do you recommend, think? Another 460SC. Also it looks like the PSU you have will NOT make it in SLI according to Nvidia (Link). The lowest SLI unit is the Enermax Infinity 650... 

So essentially I am going to keep everything that I have, (except swap my MoBo with a dual 16X SLI slot version), meaning keeping my CPU, amount of RAM (4GB DDR3) and just get another 460SC.

Thanks in advance!

p.s. obviously I have to upgrade my current Mobo (only 2 months old!) since it only has one 16X SLI slot.

Thanks!

My current setup

AMD Phenom II X3 720 (4th Core unlocked) - ASUS M4A87TD/USB3 - 4GB DDR3 Corsair XMS3 (CMX4GX3M2A1600C9) - EVGA 460 1024MB (EVGA | 01G-P3-1365-TR) -Enermax 620W PSU 'Liberty' -74GB WD Raptor Hdd (revision 00FLC0) -Pioneer DVR-A09-XLB -DELL 24" 2405FPW LCD - Chenbro Gaming Bomb II Case (Black)

Good luck with your choice!! My responses are in red....

I'd really just get a Phenom II X6.  Save yourself lots of money, still a good performer.

Keep in mind though, the performance "Bang" for your dollar is to go SLI. Then once you feel the need for your next fix, then go for a new foundation. Heck a few of the newer AMD chips are as good as the i7's, but also require a new MOBO and RAM in most cases when compared to the i7's...
 
That's what I was thinking. All I asked was to get another 460SC, and I am now being offered to get a whole new platform! :) I am not sure I will see that much of a WOW! if I go Intel, versus just get another GPU and SLI.

SLi is not supported on the chipset of that board.

You don't need 2 x PCIex16 for SLI, one x16 and one x8 slot will work as well, with little to no performance hit as far as those cards are concerned.

kram36

SLi is not supported on the chipset of that board.

Well that makes it easy! New foundation first! Thanks for finding that. When I looked for some reason it changed the model # to include the SLI in it.. FAIL on my part...

i7 950 is a nice buy especially if you're not planning to oc since it has a nice 3.06Ghz stock speed. If you do plan to oc it's still great, but you will want a nice cpu cooler.
 
I got an email from Micro Center the other day for i7 950 ASUS bundles. Have you looked at those?

Seems I deleted that email. I think someone posted it on the forums somewhere. I'll see if i can find it.
 
EDIT: Here it is, but looks like the deals may be over.
 
http://forums.evga.com/tm.aspx?m=647140

Wow! Is that so? I mean what did you notice? Faster, smoother gameplay?
 
Update: I like to get ASUS new Sabertooth mobo
http://www.microcenter.co...tml?product_id=0347337

In this era of **** console ports,any SLI setup is mostly wasted especially since most of these games are DX9.

crusheddream

much smoother much more responsive and seem everything just flowed a lot better windows 7  seemed a ton more responsive the cpu and RAM load is a lot lower now also GPU usage increased and best of all i put a 300 mhz overclock on my 950 without a vcore increase make sure you get an after market cooler the stock intel one sucks. whoever at intel got the bright idea to blow hot air right back down at the board and CPU needs to be kicked.
granted i went all out on my board and RAM
i recommend the classified3 if you can swing it awesome board.

I never noticed any difference between Intel or AMD as far as windows running or even games.If anything I have had alot less trouble with games running with an AMD platform than I ever did with an Intel.Unless you run synthetic benchmarks all day and do nothing else,you will never notice the difference.

 
I went from Intel to Intel...Q6600/XP 32-bit to i5-750/7 64-bit...and the difference felt like night and day to me...not nessessarily faster, but smoother and more trouble-free.
 
My broad and random thoughts further on this subject leads me to believe that Microsoft went the extra distance to work with CPU, GPU, and Memory designers and manufacturers, to fine-tune better standards for Vista and Windows 7 to be designed around.
 
My gut tells me it's more than probable that Microsoft has a cozier relationship with Intel than it does with AMD...but, I could be completely wrong about this.

My 2 cents on what mb and cpu you should get...
 
If your goal is to have a capable platform for running 2 x GTX 460's, or for that matter 2 x GTX 480's, then I would recommend the EVGA P55 SLI FTW, or something like it, and either an i5 or i7. I have seen some good deals, but prices seem a little high at the moment. The FTW is designed a little better than mine...full space between the two primary PCIe slots, plus a few other things. With the i7 you get Multi-Threading, and it overclocks a little better than my i5, but 4 cores have done me just fine.
 
...anyway, I'm biased.
 
P.S. A high quality 750W PSU would be fine for 2 x GTX 460's. Nvidia rates my PSU up to 2 x GTX 470's, but that's cutting it close. If you would like to be futureproofed, something around 1000W might be a wise investment.