Edward Dekkers wrote:
> Not a great idea, firstly, I'm not even sure whether the 6200 series CAN
> be used in SLI mode, it was my understanding it was only the 6600 +
> series which could, but correct me if I'm wrong.
To the best of my knowledge, no. (The one I've got doesn't have the port
for the SLI bridge). BUT the original poster was talking about running
two displays, presumably one each, not SLI.
In which case I'd note that these days most graphics cards (including
mine) have two graphics ports. In my case, they're a VGA port and a DVI
port. I don't know if the free drivers (or the proprietary ones, come to
that) can drive both at the same time: initial research suggests not for
the free ones, but yes for the proprietary ones.
> Even if I'm wrong though, I believe these turbo cache cards bite the big
> one. From memory, these cards only have 32Mb frame buffer memory and
> suck the rest out of your system. So you have 64Mb "Real" so to speak
> and a combined 192Mb it could suck out of your system in 3D mode.
Only if you're using them that way for 3D graphics. The Original Poster
didn't mention that he was particularly interested in 3D graphics. They
make fine cheap cards for 2D stuff.
> We go out to buy a DEDICATED card. Presumably because the integrated
> stuff isn't cutting the mustard, only to find it isn't really all that
> dedicated.
Well, there *isn't* any dedicated on one of these motherboards. You need
a separate plug-in card.
I ought to mention, too: despite the way these boards have been sold, if
you configure them for two 8x PCI Express slots ("SLI mode"), what you
have is two 8x PCI Express slots. You can use them for SLI, but you
don't have to. You can plug in two PCI Express cards and use them as
separate cards, and I think that's what the original poster was thinking
about.
http://www.nvidia.com/page/nforce4_sli.html says:
You can even use the second PCI Express slot to take advantage of
future technologies that will be designed around the PCI Express
standard.
8X PCI Express is fine for 2D. Come to that, so is 133 MB/s PCI.
James.
--
E-mail address: james | ... boxing the books up was a mistake: they are
@westexe.demon.co.uk | welded to the floor through the power of gravity.
| -- Telsa Gwynne's Diary.
