nForce4 SLI: Wise Upgrade Path?

For those who want the best visual game playing experience possible, SLI motherboards do offer the best and broadest options for all current platforms, but these mobos are also being marketed as the best upgrade-path option. The argument is, buy an SLI-capable motherboard and you can then spend less up-front on your graphics card. Later, a second graphics card can be used to bring graphics - namely gaming - up to snuff with high-end gaming systems. The argument looks good on paper, but the facts suggest otherwise. We will explore the idea of upgradeability and examine why SLI falls short of being the best option for upgrade-conscious buyers.

…While Nforce4 SLI cannot be considered an economic upgrade path, that doesn’t make it a bad choice. At the end of the day, an SLI board running 2 GeForce 6800s provides the best visual game play possible right now. For those who can afford the luxury and want it immediately, it is not just a viable option but perhaps the best one to choose. SLI effectively improves visual game play at a price that is competitive with purchasing a non-SLI board along with a top-of-the-line graphic card. The issue that we’ve covered here addresses the current marketing hype that portrays this solution as economically wise, which it is definitively not. If you can afford to upgrade your system at the cost that SLI requires, economics isn’t your first concern. If economy is a major factor, you are better served by purchasing cheaper system components or waiting a few more months before buying anything.

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NForce4 SLI: Wise Upgrade Path?