Can I go for cheap video cards in SLI or are expensive single GPU the only way?

[sinekonata]

It seems that SLI is not working properly under Linux at the moment, At all!
I haven't tested, but in recent forum posts, people deem it unusable and suggest instead single GPUs for the time being. How true is that assessment?

But furthermore, I really really want to get 2 of the cheap new GTX 650Ti Boost in SLI on a new build as the coupled performance is that of the much much pricier GTX 680. How could I expect to use them both in the future? I'm designing my build to hold for the 5 years to come and I fear that without a proper future SLI support (restricted to use only one card), I will have the same/worse limitations than I know now with my single 5 years old GTX 260.

So could a single 650Ti Boost (SLI activated only in Windows) be enough for all my future (5 years) Ubuntu needs? To withstand all the new foreseeable web/video/UI/Desktop-Manager technologies or maybe even a (4k?) monitor upgrade? Or do I need a better GPU (GTX 660Ti) to handle of those basic non-gaming needs?

CPU wise I am covered since I'm getting the FX-8350 so maybe I'm paranoid and shouldn't worry?
Maybe good Linux SLI is only a matter of months thanks to Steam?
Maybe the performance problems I currently have graphic wise are only software/CPU related and not the GTX 260?
Maybe the 650Ti is a much better card than the 260 was 5 years ago and will be super ok in 5 years?

So many questions, yes, but I don't even know which one is the most important to ask/answer, cause I have no idea at all. Complete darkness < blind man...
So thank you for throwing me ANY clue you have, thanks for helping a noob.


PS: the new build would be mainly for daily use and a little productivity, gaming is very secondary. E.g. Last time I boot my windows7 partition was a year ago and now it sits there...
Also, so that you understand my dilemma, here is the link to the benchmarks for he 650Ti Boost SLI compared to the BEST cards : http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/N...st_SLI/21.html

[sinekonata]

If you could point me in the correct direction or towards the forum that would be able to help, I would be grateful because I am clueless.

[Yellow Pasque]

The GTX260 should still be performing well. Why is it not working for you?

Or do I need a better GPU (GTX 660Ti) to handle of those basic non-gaming needs?

A 660Ti is gross overkill for desktop effects and such.

I'm designing my build to hold for the 5 years to come

I think you're approaching it the wrong way. Asking any GPU intended for performance/gaming to last 5 years is asking a bit much, and since it's pretty easy to swap in a graphics card, why expect every component to last you 5 years?

If it was me, I'd just get a GTX660, and if I needed more performance in 2-3 years, I'd get a new GPU.

[sinekonata]

Asking any GPU intended for performance/gaming to last 5 years is asking a bit much.

seems to be contradiction with

The GTX260 should still be performing well. Why is it not working for you?

However, if you say the 650Ti Boost is overkill for daily use, I think I will go for it. Cause if Linux is to catch up gaming, SLI will probably enjoy better support as well.
This question had Ubuntu/Linux in mind. For Windows, I'd actually already made my choice.

Also the question of this post stemmed from my perception that my GTX 260 is a bit laggy in the 1080 video department. But maybe it's only the rest of my system as your answer indicates me.

If it was me, I'd just get a GTX660, and if I needed more performance in 2-3 years, I'd get a new GPU.

The 660Ti is nearly double the price and the 660 is just not worth it, so I'll rather buy a 650Ti boost and upgrade to a second if I need it for some game. I don't have the money to upgrade every 2-3 years.

Thanks for the answer. Just to make sure I didn't misinterpret it, the 650Ti Boost should be enough for the next 4-5 years of daily use? Including, say, 4k or other non-gaming tech?

[DanglingPointer]

Hi There sinekonata! Did you ever end up experimenting with SLI and gaming? How did you go?

[sinekonata]

Hi There sinekonata! Did you ever end up experimenting with SLI and gaming? How did you go?

No I still haven't, I was too busy with life to build a computer. But SLI seems like a good idea in general if you're thinking of dual-booting for games, otherwise, for a plain linux use, it's pretty terrible and not moving fast enough towards any solution.

[DanglingPointer]

A bit lamentable as I've got my eye on the Radeon 7990 (dual gpu but crossfire instead of SLI) which has dropped $300+ in price and faster than a Titan.

[sinekonata]

Yeah I can feel your pain I really thought Linux was on top of things hardware-wise.

[Yellow Pasque]

Yeah I can feel your pain I really thought Linux was on top of things hardware-wise.

Take it up with nvidia...

[QIII]

Yeah I can feel your pain I really thought Linux was on top of things hardware-wise.

Your perception of the relationship between OEM hardware manufacturers and purveyors of OSes is reversed. OS developers do not write OEM drivers. OEMs do.

Nobody in the Linux community can do anything at all with regard to the state of any OEM's proprietary drivers.

That the Windows drivers work in well in Windows is not a testament to Microsoft's diligence. Microsoft does not write drivers for OEM hardware. OEMs do. The fact that an OEM's drivers work in Windows is due to the fact that the OEM makes sure its drivers work with Windows, not the other way around.

Given that Windows commands roughly 90% of the consumer market, OEMs concentrate their effort on making sure their drivers for Windows work. Linux, with 1 or 2% of the market, does not get the same level of effort. That is sound business practice for the OEMs and it is driven by cost/revenue analysis. OEMs exist to make a profit, not to make Linux work.

SLI and CrossFire are proprietary technologies.