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Geek Culture / Monitors (I'm such a purist)

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Allanon Shadeslayer
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Posted: 1st May 2008 18:47
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Ok, I bought this gaming computer that has two SLI nVidia GeForce 8400 512mb graphics cards and I was wondering if the monitor I bought was a good investment?

The graphics cards are incredible, they can sustain 75hz refresh rates and resolutions as high as 2000 x whatever

The monitor I got, is an LCD with a 1680 x 1050 max resolution, 60hz refresh rate, and updates at 5ms.

I bought the computer so that I could play high end games. Was the monitor that I got a good choice?

Uh. . . What?!
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Silvester
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Posted: 1st May 2008 19:04
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Wait a second, the 8400 does not support SLI mode... I had it myself and even the manual said it did not.

Anyway, that PC won't play high end games. You need a better graphica card. the Screen is fine, it can do more then mine.(1280*1024 Max, any larger and I won't be able to read the icon text anymore anyway.)
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Allanon Shadeslayer
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Posted: 1st May 2008 19:45
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kool, thx. hmmm. on my computer both graphics cards CAN work with sli.

that's the first option you get when you go to the nvidia control panel. weird.

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GatorHex
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Posted: 2nd May 2008 11:26
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For future proof anything 1080 (because of HD TV) should be future proof for a few years.

If your in the UK I've got 2x 8600gts silent gigabytes for sale for £100 I for sure know they are SLI http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=370048063067&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=024

DinoHunter (still no nVidia compo voucher!), CPU/GPU Benchmark, DarkFish Encryption DLL, War MMOG (WIP), 3D Model Viewer
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Allanon Shadeslayer
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Posted: 2nd May 2008 16:38
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nah, i don't wanna buy anything.

I don't know, maybe my graphics cards were specialized. if the option is on the nvidia control panel doesn't that mean that it's sli compatible

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Silvester
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Posted: 2nd May 2008 18:00
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The drivers are not specificly for the card, my manual says it does not support SLI, but my control panel says it is possible, odd thing though.
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Allanon Shadeslayer
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Posted: 2nd May 2008 19:12
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well, both of my graphics cards are of the same chipset. maybe that enables it to use sli?

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GatorHex
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Posted: 2nd May 2008 21:25 Edited at: 2nd May 2008 21:31
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This page from nvidia says the lowest certified SLI is 8500GT
http://www.slizone.com/object/slizone_build_gpu.html

SLI cards have a connector on the top of them as shown in the image below, do your 8400s have this?



DinoHunter (still no nVidia compo voucher!), CPU/GPU Benchmark, DarkFish Encryption DLL, War MMOG (WIP), 3D Model Viewer
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Allanon Shadeslayer
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Posted: 3rd May 2008 19:40
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no, but my computer came with one of those

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Silvester
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Posted: 3rd May 2008 20:53
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I doubt it, since the 8400 has no SLI connector points on it.
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hessiess
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Posted: 3rd May 2008 23:23
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Quote: "no, but my computer came with one of those"


take the side off your computer, dose it actuality have 2 gfx cards? take a photo and photo and post it if posable.

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Allanon Shadeslayer
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Posted: 4th May 2008 01:11
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yes, it has two graphics cards

hang on, my monitor would not display if I had it plugged into the bottom graphics card.

But the default behavior for the cards was not sli. Say I enabled sli through the nvidia control panel and then plugged my monitor into the bottom graphics card

if it displayed, wouldn't that mean that sli works for my graphics cards?

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Allanon Shadeslayer
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Posted: 4th May 2008 02:21
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it also might be good to note that my mother board has an sli chipset on itself

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Mr Makealotofsmoke
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Posted: 4th May 2008 03:45 Edited at: 4th May 2008 03:47
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http://www.tomsguide.com/us/slideshow/MSI-8400-GS-SLI,0101-49862-2249----jpg-.html

waist of money for 8400 SLI when you could get a single 8600 for cheaper (or the same price, there abouts)

http://images.tigerdirect.com/skuimages/large/XFX-GeForce-8400-GS-P450-7.jpg
BFG 8400

says it SLI but no bridge connector in sight. Maybe it's performance means it doesnt send much though the PCI-e port so it uses the PCI-e ports as the bridge....


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Silvester
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Posted: 4th May 2008 12:33
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I have that exact same card over here, and its box says its not SLI, and its manual says so too... odd...
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Allanon Shadeslayer
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Posted: 5th May 2008 22:08
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ok, I've pretty much decided that I'm gonna buy an nvidia geforce 8800 gts with 640mb

and I recently purchased the game: crysis

with the graphics card that I'm fixing to buy I meet every specification of the RECOMMENDED system requirements for the game
except...

they recommend an Intel Core 2 DUO E6600 processor @ 2.2ghz

I have an Intel Core 2 DUO E6550 processor @ 2.33ghz

is the lower E6550 going to affect me much?

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GatorHex
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Posted: 6th May 2008 03:21 Edited at: 6th May 2008 04:08
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Beware there are now 2 kinds of 8800GTS

the old one is slower than a 8800GT, require much power, and has 320,640,768 memory

the new one is faster than an 8800GTX, requires less power, and has 512,1024 memory.

I hear of people buying an old model based on new model reviews and being dissaponted and feeling ripped off because Nvidia gave it the same model name.



DinoHunter (still no nVidia compo voucher!), CPU/GPU Benchmark, DarkFish Encryption DLL, War MMOG (WIP), 3D Model Viewer
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Hybrid
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Posted: 6th May 2008 04:17 Edited at: 6th May 2008 04:17
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please note that the nvidia drivers are generic and only chage slightly with each series and direct x level. I got the wrong driver for my graphics card by mistake, and it still recognized it as the right one (8800 GTX 512 MB_. If the box as well as the manual says that it isn't, and if the card has no port even for the SLI Bridge, than it is definitely not SLI. I hope I am clear i stating the obvious.

[img]"YOUR IMAGE"[/img]
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Mr Makealotofsmoke
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Posted: 6th May 2008 07:18
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@GatorHex its changed a bit more

8800GT is now the 512mb G92 chip one. I have one of these.

8800GTS is the newest 8xxx card. It is just a slightly faster GT

the old GT's are the 320,640,768, and the GTX is the 768 but faster again (i believe).

The 8800Ultra is still the best, but its based on the old chip.

If the Video ram is 320, 640 or 768 its the old hotter chip. If its 256,512 its the new G92 or G94 chip.

Do the new GTS's have the G94 or is it the G92?


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Allanon Shadeslayer
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Posted: 6th May 2008 16:45
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ok, that's really helpful and all, but could someone answer my question?

and since we're already on this subject, how do i tell the difference between the new and the old gts graphics card. there were two listed on the sight. one was 512 and the one above it was 3xx up to 640.

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Hybrid
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Posted: 6th May 2008 23:33
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to answer your question, yes, your monitor was a good choice

[img]"YOUR IMAGE"[/img]
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GatorHex
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Posted: 7th May 2008 04:32
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Quote: "how do i tell the difference between the new and the old gts graphics card. there were two listed on the sight. one was 512 and the one above it was 3xx up to 640.
"


yes you can tell by the memory, the 640 will be the old core the 512 will be the new core.

DinoHunter (still no nVidia compo voucher!), CPU/GPU Benchmark, DarkFish Encryption DLL, War MMOG (WIP), 3D Model Viewer
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Torsten Sorensen
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Posted: 7th May 2008 08:21
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Quote: "the new one is faster than an 8800GTX, requires less power, and has 512,1024 memory."


Actually, it's only faster in some tests. Once you have AA on and/or go to a higher resolution, the GTX beats the GTS by quite a bit.


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Dazzag
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Posted: 7th May 2008 11:35
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Personally I say go for the highest number of pixels you can get (I have 1600x1200 and 1920x1200 amongst other not so good ones). Plus spending a bit more on a quality panel makes quite a bit of difference. For example I'm currently on a 1600x1200 Dell Ultrasharp. I've used the non-ultrasharp version and you can really tell the difference. It's, um, a lot sharper... Something to do with higher bit panels blah blah blah, but all I know is it's about 2 years old now and still knocks the spots off most monitors I've seen. Then again it cost a bomb at the time, and my cheapo alternative monitor (poxy 1200 res or somesuch) isn't too bad for the price.

Cheers

I am 99% probably lying in bed right now... so don't blame me for crappy typing
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JerBil
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Posted: 7th May 2008 16:42
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I think your monitor is fine for games.

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GatorHex
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Posted: 7th May 2008 17:36
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I don't see the point of AA at high resolutions I prefer my monitor image to be sharp!

DinoHunter (still no nVidia compo voucher!), CPU/GPU Benchmark, DarkFish Encryption DLL, War MMOG (WIP), 3D Model Viewer
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Allanon Shadeslayer
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Posted: 8th May 2008 17:59
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thanks!

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