Clarification on PCI express

vichu15 · 07-08-2008, 06:01 AM

I am building a new computer... i will use 3d softwares like maya, max, etc.... my budjet is around Rs.60,000

My planned main config:
Intel D975
Intel Q9450
2*2gb trancend 800 DDR2
XFX 8800 GT 512mb
Cooler master extreme power duo 600W
cooler master CM690 casing
Seagate 500GB SATA

i hav a doubt that wen i try to upgrade my comp(above config) in future will i be able to add one more graphic card.... if i add the same 'XFX 8800GT 512mb' card will my grapic perfomance will be doubled....

can any one give me sugg regarding this......

thanks.......

patriothntr · 07-08-2008, 07:40 AM

Your performance will not be doubled. A couple of things preventing that: The first thing is that SLI will not have much of an impact on rendering apps...and if it did, you would not have the benefit of being able to use it, as the chipset you have picked out is an Intel set...and intel does not support SLI.

Now if CUDA implementations come out for your different types of software, then you may have some benefit if the rendering is offloaded to the graphics cards.

I would check with the websites of the software you are going to use to see if there is any work to offload work to graphics or not...I am not up on the software enough to babble on any more...

**manic** · 07-08-2008, 03:36 PM

For the future idea, the 600watt psu, is not great..
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139006
You really have to be careful with the psu nowadays. Say in the future
with that cpu, which is good, and you get another video card that
needs a 6 pin pci e pinout and a 8 pin pci e pinout, you have to be
careful....For future proofing you need a kick a$$ psu with a six pin
and a 8 pin pci e psu...way of the future, I think...
Just read around about this issue, Im going through it now.....

patriothntr · 07-08-2008, 04:33 PM

Or you need a PCI 2.0 board that has the full spec'd power coming thru it.

While I'm not the hugest fan of the cooler master PSU you have OP, the 750w monster that manic has picked out might be a bit much for you. Seasonic and FSP have a couple lower wattage PSUs that would probably handle your needs quite well. I would look in the 500-650w range for your needs.

**manic** · 07-08-2008, 04:43 PM

I thought there was a sentence,,"upgrade in the future".
maybe Im missing something....600watt psu's are marginal at best
with todays pc's, unless we are talking about your lesser p4's,
and you rocket powered p3's...maybe Im wrong,,,

patriothntr · 07-08-2008, 06:28 PM

no offense mean manic...

Quality 600w PSUs will pull almost any single card system, and would definitely hold up using two 8800gt cards.

The rest of the components in a computer will run nicely on smaller PSUs...with integrated graphics I have no issue using a 250-350w PSU...with room to throw in a low end card.

vichu15 · 07-09-2008, 01:54 AM

thanks patriothntr & manic.....

I too had several doubt while thinking abt my power supply..... at last end up with this 650w..... AND also i think 750W would cost me more.....

and also patriothntr told that intel wont support SLI....... am bit confused in this point.....

i also checked with Intel Desktop Board DX38BT but it supports only DDR3 which would cost me more......... but in this board there is two full-speed PCIe 2.0 slots..... unlike D975 board which has only one PCIe 2.0 slots.......

........vichu

patriothntr · 07-09-2008, 07:22 AM

If you want to go SLI, I would be looking at a 700 series chipset board...like evga 750i or 780i. These boards will use DDR2 and have PCI 2.0 slots.

Intel chipsets (that's the northbridge and southbridge) do not support SLI...they support crossfire (2 or possibly more ATI cards). If you want SLI you have to look at Nvidia chipsets...

I wouldn't recommend using DDR3 quite yet...it's speed doesn't really justify the cost...stick with DDR2 for now.

vichu15 · 07-10-2008, 02:42 AM

thanks patriothntr.......

am clear now..... one of my friend recommended XFX motherboard..... so i planned to take XFX nForce 680i SLI or XFX nforce 780i 3way SLI.... i didnt get the correct price of those.... so am waiting for the price of it from my local vendor here...

i would be happy if get sugg from u ppl......

..........vichu

07-08-2008, 06:01 AM	#1 (permalink)
vichu15 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 3 OS: xp sp2	Clarification on PCI express I am building a new computer... i will use 3d softwares like maya, max, etc.... my budjet is around Rs.60,000 My planned main config: Intel D975 Intel Q9450 2*2gb trancend 800 DDR2 XFX 8800 GT 512mb Cooler master extreme power duo 600W cooler master CM690 casing Seagate 500GB SATA i hav a doubt that wen i try to upgrade my comp(above config) in future will i be able to add one more graphic card.... if i add the same 'XFX 8800GT 512mb' card will my grapic perfomance will be doubled.... can any one give me sugg regarding this...... thanks.......

07-08-2008, 07:40 AM	#2 (permalink)
patriothntr Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 321 OS: XPsp3, PCLOS, other	Re: Clarification on PCI express Your performance will not be doubled. A couple of things preventing that: The first thing is that SLI will not have much of an impact on rendering apps...and if it did, you would not have the benefit of being able to use it, as the chipset you have picked out is an Intel set...and intel does not support SLI. Now if CUDA implementations come out for your different types of software, then you may have some benefit if the rendering is offloaded to the graphics cards. I would check with the websites of the software you are going to use to see if there is any work to offload work to graphics or not...I am not up on the software enough to babble on any more...

07-08-2008, 03:36 PM	#3 (permalink)
manic Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 5,236 OS: xp	Re: Clarification on PCI express For the future idea, the 600watt psu, is not great.. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139006 You really have to be careful with the psu nowadays. Say in the future with that cpu, which is good, and you get another video card that needs a 6 pin pci e pinout and a 8 pin pci e pinout, you have to be careful....For future proofing you need a kick a$$ psu with a six pin and a 8 pin pci e psu...way of the future, I think... Just read around about this issue, Im going through it now..... __________________

07-08-2008, 04:33 PM	#4 (permalink)
patriothntr Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 321 OS: XPsp3, PCLOS, other	Re: Clarification on PCI express Or you need a PCI 2.0 board that has the full spec'd power coming thru it. While I'm not the hugest fan of the cooler master PSU you have OP, the 750w monster that manic has picked out might be a bit much for you. Seasonic and FSP have a couple lower wattage PSUs that would probably handle your needs quite well. I would look in the 500-650w range for your needs.

07-08-2008, 04:43 PM	#5 (permalink)
manic Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 5,236 OS: xp	Re: Clarification on PCI express I thought there was a sentence,,"upgrade in the future". maybe Im missing something....600watt psu's are marginal at best with todays pc's, unless we are talking about your lesser p4's, and you rocket powered p3's...maybe Im wrong,,, __________________

07-08-2008, 06:28 PM	#6 (permalink)
patriothntr Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 321 OS: XPsp3, PCLOS, other	Re: Clarification on PCI express no offense mean manic... Quality 600w PSUs will pull almost any single card system, and would definitely hold up using two 8800gt cards. The rest of the components in a computer will run nicely on smaller PSUs...with integrated graphics I have no issue using a 250-350w PSU...with room to throw in a low end card.

07-09-2008, 01:54 AM	#7 (permalink)
vichu15 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 3 OS: xp sp2	Re: Clarification on PCI express thanks patriothntr & manic..... I too had several doubt while thinking abt my power supply..... at last end up with this 650w..... AND also i think 750W would cost me more..... and also patriothntr told that intel wont support SLI....... am bit confused in this point..... i also checked with Intel Desktop Board DX38BT but it supports only DDR3 which would cost me more......... but in this board there is two full-speed PCIe 2.0 slots..... unlike D975 board which has only one PCIe 2.0 slots....... ........vichu

07-09-2008, 07:22 AM	#8 (permalink)
patriothntr Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 321 OS: XPsp3, PCLOS, other	Re: Clarification on PCI express If you want to go SLI, I would be looking at a 700 series chipset board...like evga 750i or 780i. These boards will use DDR2 and have PCI 2.0 slots. Intel chipsets (that's the northbridge and southbridge) do not support SLI...they support crossfire (2 or possibly more ATI cards). If you want SLI you have to look at Nvidia chipsets... I wouldn't recommend using DDR3 quite yet...it's speed doesn't really justify the cost...stick with DDR2 for now.

07-10-2008, 02:42 AM	#9 (permalink)
vichu15 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 3 OS: xp sp2	Re: Clarification on PCI express thanks patriothntr....... am clear now..... one of my friend recommended XFX motherboard..... so i planned to take XFX nForce 680i SLI or XFX nforce 780i 3way SLI.... i didnt get the correct price of those.... so am waiting for the price of it from my local vendor here... i would be happy if get sugg from u ppl...... ..........vichu