2080 Ti SLI vs singular 3080 Ti?

[firedrop]

I know the numbers haven't been released so it's all speculation at this point, but what do you guys think the pros/cons would be to each setup? Would a singular 3080 ti just be flat-out superior?

[Dedayog]

1 minute ago, firedrop said:

I know the numbers haven't been released so it's all speculation at this point, but what do you guys think the pros/cons would be to each setup? Would a singular 3080 ti just be flat-out superior?

Since SLI is dead as a beat horse... I'm going with the 3080Ti.

 

Or do you have a different viewpoint on SLI, since you are thinking of spending $2500 on it?

[firedrop]

I've never used SLI before. I already have a 2080ti and figured the price will drop tremendously when the 3080ti is released, so it sounded like a decent option over selling my card and upgrading to a 3080 Ti.

[ShinRamen]

You won't be getting any love for an SLI setup on this forum. My first rig that I built was an SLI build (back in 2004, when SLI came to the consumer market, paired with an FX-53 or 55).

I would only even consider SLI when you already have the best card available in your system/in mind. If you are buying new, always get the better card. Frame instabilities, lacking support, power consumption etc. are all too big of an issue to really consider dual 2080 Tis over a 3080 Ti/3090 (whatever it'll be named).

Even if you had a 2080 Ti already, I'd try to sell it now as long as Ampere isn't out and save up for a 3080 Ti. But hell, we don't even know if the upgradeto 3080 Ti will be worth it.

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, firedrop said:

I've never used SLI before. I already have a 2080ti and figured the price will drop tremendously when the 3080ti is released, so it sounded like a decent option over selling my card and upgrading to a 3080 Ti.

History has shown older (top tier) GPUs retain their value quite well, so I wouldn't count on dropping to $500 anywhere near soon after launch.

 

 

I have many multi-GPU systems and it's never been "worth" it to do it for SLI.

[Eigenvektor]

Since you already have a 2080 Ti the second card on it's own is probably cheaper, but SLI isn't supported by many games, which means you'll only get a benefit in the few games that do. For every other game you'll still be limited to the performance of a single 2080 Ti.

 

Wether it is worth it to upgrade from a 2080 Ti to a 3080 Ti, who knows. As you said, the numbers aren't out yet.

[Dedayog]

3 minutes ago, firedrop said:

I've never used SLI before. I already have a 2080ti and figured the price will drop tremendously when the 3080ti is released, so it sounded like a decent option over selling my card and upgrading to a 3080 Ti.

Since the 1080Ti only dropped 25-30% on the launch of the 2080Ti.... I don't expect the 2080Ti's to be under $800 when the 3080Ti launches.    

 

 

[firedrop]

I use a 3900x. I play on a 4k 144hz monitor, but I leave it capped at 120hz due to the limitations on displayport 1.4

[jones177]

My GTX 1080 ti SLI rig can easily beat my 2080 tis in games that support it and my GTX 1080 SLI rig can beat a single 1080 ti in those games.

 

The chances are remote that I will put my two 2080 ti together because they will be used to replace to two SLI rigs.

So the 3080 tis will mark the end of SLI for me.

 

19 minutes ago, NZgamer said:

You haven't said what CPU you're using but, I know we haven't seen the numbers but I wouldn't go for a 3080Ti, the 2080Ti will still be an extremely capable card. People are still happily using 980Ti's. I don't think a 3080Ti upgrade will be necessary unless you play at like 4K and want the most amount of FPS you can get.

The only reason I am interested in 3080 tis is HDMI 2.1.  I use an OLED TV as a 4k monitor now and I like the idea of going 4k 120hz. The downside is I don't think a 3080 ti will be able to handle it.

[Zando_]

1 minute ago, firedrop said:

I use a 3900x. I play on a 4k 144hz monitor, but I leave it capped at 120hz due to the limitations on displayport 1.4

Just wait for the new cards to drop and see how they are priced and how they perform at 4K. Not worth going SLI 2080 Tis this close to release, given how much they cost. 
 

30 minutes ago, ShinRamen said:

I would only even consider SLI when you already have the best card available in your system/in mind. If you are buying new, always get the better card. Frame instabilities, lacking support, power consumption etc. are all too big of an issue to really consider dual 2080 Tis over a 3080 Ti/3090 (whatever it'll be named).

I'll add on another, more rare use case for SLI: a single card will still run your games fine (so if they don't support SLI you can just disable it and use the main card), and you want dual cards for a couple titles, benching, or just because. 

[jones177]

Just now, NZgamer said:

I'd spend the money on a better 4K monitor rather than buying a whole new GPU for a graphics interface

LG OLED TVs make fantastic 4k monitors. They even have VRR.

Don't take it from me, watch these.

 

 

[porina]

I can't say I've had good experiences with SLI (or crossfire) at all for gaming. So I'd go with the general consensus view of get the single fastest card you can if you want performance that just works.

 

The only situation I think multiple GPUs still make sense is for compute uses, but that's outside the scope of this thread I guess.

 

9 minutes ago, jones177 said:

The only reason I am interested in 3080 tis is HDMI 2.1.  I use an OLED TV as a 4k monitor now and I like the idea of going 4k 120hz. The downside is I don't think a 3080 ti will be able to handle it.

Same situation here. I'd like to run at 4k >60Hz which is possible in some games already. With G-sync compatible you don't need to hit 120fps all the time. Just going much above 60 would be nicer than now.

 

4 minutes ago, NZgamer said:

I'd spend the money on a better 4K monitor rather than buying a whole new GPU for a graphics interface

About the only thing that might be better in some ways are the BFGDs, mainly because >60Hz at 4k works today and not in the future.

[KaitouX]

29 minutes ago, NZgamer said:

I'd spend the money on a better 4K monitor rather than buying a whole new GPU for a graphics interface

I don't think that there's a better 4K monitor than a OLED TV in the market currently(if you don't mind the problems when using a OLED TV as monitor).

[jones177]

2 minutes ago, porina said:

Same situation here. I'd like to run at 4k >60Hz which is possible in some games already. With G-sync compatible you don't need to hit 120fps all the time. Just going much above 60 would be nicer than now.

Even with a 2080 ti keeping all frames over 60 can be a challenge. I gave up on AC:O and RDR 2 and play them on a ultra wide.  

 

 

 

[Zberg]

49 minutes ago, jones177 said:

LG OLED TVs make fantastic 4k monitors. They even have VRR.

Don't take it from me, watch these.

 

 

This fact is why I haven't been able to pull the trigger on a high end 4k HDR monitor.  Im like wait...I could get an Lg C9 for cheaper, with G sync, and its 65 inches...or this 27 inch desk monitor for 2 grand...really hard to make that purchase!

[jones177]

21 minutes ago, Zberg said:

This fact is why I haven't been able to pull the trigger on a high end 4k HDR monitor.  Im like wait...I could get an Lg C9 for cheaper, with G sync, and its 65 inches...or this 27 inch desk monitor for 2 grand...really hard to make that purchase!

I used my TV budget to get one. I have been using a 1080i Sony since 2006 so it was about time to upgrade. I only put it on a table because nobody sat on the sofa to watched tv any more. Before the TV I used a $350 32" LG monitor because I could not pull the trigger on a high end 4k monitor either. 

I did get the B9 because it had the monitor type features for $300 less.

 

[Zberg]

2 hours ago, jones177 said:

I used my TV budget to get one. I have been using a 1080i Sony since 2006 so it was about time to upgrade. I only put it on a table because nobody sat on the sofa to watched tv any more. Before the TV I used a $350 32" LG monitor because I could not pull the trigger on a high end 4k monitor either. 

I did get the B9 because it had the monitor type features for $300 less.

 

I used a TV in my living room before in my bachelor appt for my PC and everything went through that.  Now that we have a house and such I like to have my office/gaming area separate, but when I started looking 4k HDR...1250-2000 for 4k HDR (actual HDR).  They have had 65 inch C9's on sale in that range, and 55 inch all the time.  Its just crazy.  I think the monitors will catch up to TV's in terms of 4k reasonability in the next year or two.  Especially if GPU's can push the frames next gen.

 

[jasonvp]

A lot of the decision to SLI will come down to what games you play.  I'm sure a new 3080Ti card is going to be a hell of a performer, but the odds of it out-doing 2 2080Ti cards in SLI on a title that supports it are basically nil.  There's no way in hell that will happen.  So, again: it depends on what you're intending to play.  What API are the games you're playing using?  DX11?  DX12?  Vulkan?  There are nearly no DX12 mGPU titles out there, and even fewer Vulkan ones.  DX11?  Lots of 'em.

 

For the record, I've been actively SLI'ing since... um... Christ I can't even remember.  Straight through, too.  I never buy one of the new card, I buy two of them.  And for most of the games I play, SLI support is there and wonderful.  Note the emphasis.  SLI does sometimes take some tinkering as well; you have to be ready to jump into that.  If you're not interested and would rather just plug'n'play (and I don't blame you in the least for that), then I'd punt and get the single 3080Ti.

 

Now, to clarify, if a single 3080Ti can push 4K/140 with deets cranked to a decent level, then it's worth considering over the SLI'd pair.  The reason is there's really no point in pushing past your display's refresh rate other than bragging rights.