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Single-card Vs Dual-card: Which One is Right for You?
Intro
If you are a gamer, then you know that graphics subsystem is probably the one most important component of your machine as far as High-Definition gaming is concerned. That is not to go without saying that the rest of the system must be properly balanced with enough CPU power and RAM amount for the job; however, today's games place an emphasis on graphics, especially in the new DirectX 10 mode. In a properly designed machine, graphics card is also the only component needing to be upgraded in order for your machine to keep up with the next generation of games. So many gamers wonder what the best best way to invest their money is, as far as both performance and upgradeability are concerned.
To that matter, two schools of thought exist: one favors dual-graphics systems such as NVIDIA SLI and ATI CrossFire, while the other prefers a single, more powerful single-card setup. This article will discuss the cons and pros of each approach, so that you may make an educated choice when deciding what kind of gaming machine is right for you.
Pros and Cons
Let us begin at taking a look at dual-graphics system first. Such a system consists of three core ingredients, and one optional one:
a. A dual-GPU supporting mainboard, such as EVGA 750i SLI FTW
b. A pair of graphics cards (or a single one with upgrading in mind), such as NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB
c. An SLI-grade power supply, such as Corsair HX620 SLI
d. Optionally, an SLI-grade chassis is very desirable but in most cases, not required.
There are two pros in such a setup:
Firstly, should you opt to get a pair of graphics cards right away, the absolute performance level obtained is simply impossible to replicate using any single videocard of a given generation. Basically, the performance of the machine will be in SLI-only territory.
Secondly, should you opt to get just a single card and then add another one in down the road, it will present an excellent upgrade path during which the original graphics card does not need to be removed/discarded.
And let us not forget the dual-card coolness factor. Ever since the early advent of dual-graphics technology by the now defunct 3DFX at the turn of the last century, many gamers including professional cyber-athletes opted for dual-graphics setups. Let's face it: nothing says more about you as a gamer as a pair of factory-overclocked cards basking in the neon glow of your neatly-cabled case for everyone to see through the plexiglass window.
However, not everything is perfect. Some of the cons of a dual-card setup actually stem from its very advantages:
One, dual cards almost never offer 100% scaling. What it means is that if you get, say, 45 FPS (Frames-per-Second) in a certain game with one card, adding a second identical card would not double the framerate to 90FPS; it will be more like 80% extra for a total of ~80FPS. This is due to synchorinization and drivers overhead.
Two, some games simply do not work well with dual-card technologies, either SLI or CrossFire (or both). So sometimes, albeit rarely, a dual-card system will actually perform WORSE than with one of the card removed/disabled! This is usually resolved by new drivers release on graphics card manufacturer's behalf, as well as game code update (commonly known as patch) by the software developer.
Third con is related to technological aspects of the upgrade path. While adding a second card makes perfect sense from the resource preservation point, our collective experience shows that quite often by the time you require a second card to keep up with the latest games, a next-generation solution is usually available. Since with gaming not only raw performance but the features supported are both important, adding a second card may put you in a position where you are doubling up on older technology (though at an attractive price). Adding a second card will increase the raw rendering power, but in no way can it compensate for lack of features such as support for the latest DirectX or HDR rendering technology.
And the last con of the dual-card setup (and the first pro of a single-card) is the cost, both from initial price, cost-of-ownership and "investment-over-lifespan" standpoints. Dual-graphics mainboard and SLI-grade power supply are both more expensive than their non-SLI counterparts, that's a fact. Requiring a roomier and better-ventilated chassis may also add to the bill, let alone the price of the two cards themselves. Do not forget that dual cards draw an average of 100 Watts/hr more than a single-card system (9800 GTX used as example). In light of the above, a major argument and a definite pro of the single-card camp is: "I could save money on the board, PSU and chassis to get a more powerful/next-tier card right now". Which means that some (actually quite a few) choose to shun the dual-graphics capability in favor of using the money saved to get a single very powerful card which is expected to last during the system's entire lifespan. Alternatively, others choose to get the same single card dual-card user would opt for, then sell it at some point (some graphics cards manufacturers such as XFX offer double-lifetime warranty giving them a terrific resale value) and get something twice as fast and still end up having spent just as much as the guy with SLI/Crossfire but have next-gen hardware in the end.
Another pro of the single-card camp is lack of issues with games not willing to play well with dual cards. Since in a single card setup there is no synchronization/frame splitting required ever (unless we are talking about those "two-chips-on-one-card" beasts such as 9800 GX2), there is no need to always stay on top of the latest drivers releases. Keeping your drivers and games up-to-date is still recommended due to general performance improvements the new drivers usually bring.
Lastly, single-card system is smaller and lighter than a duallie, thus making it a better choice for LAN-party goers as well as those strapped for space. A powerful sigle-card machine can be built in a Small Form Factor enclosure the size of a shoebox, if desired; not so with SLI/Crossfire.
Conclusion
So in the end, when deciding what is right for you you should ask yourself:
Do I want absolute fast performance right now? Am I OK with keeping my drivers updated and dealing with a rare nuisance in the form of a game not liking my duallies? Is it cool with me to spend extra right now to get second-card upgradability down the road because I don't want to bother with selling my old hardware?
If you answered yes to at least two of the above, then dual-card is for you. If any of the following makes you nod:
I want a reasonably fast machine without spending too much
I need something compact/lightweight
I am comfortable with selling my older card to get the next gen and am looking forward to the new exciting features that would bring
then consider getting a solid single-card machine.
Now that you've got the facts, the educated choice is yours!
We hope that this article provided you with the insight onto the single-vs-dual debacle. Please let us know if you have any comments or suggestions, and we will surely take them into consideration.
About the Author
We are BuyDirectPC Computer Corporation, e-tailer of custom desktop and gaming systems, as well as cube PC's, Shuttle XPC's and custom-tailored laptops. Founded in 2000, we have experienced ongoing growth and while many other upstart companies were going out of business following the dot-com crash, we have successfully maintained our position of first-echelon custom PC provider. Today, many individuals and businesses trust our expertise to deliver a machine built to their specs from the finest off-the-shelf components, rigorously tested and carefully shipped for the best out-of-the-box experience. With so many cases of retailers taking advantage of their customers' trust and either jacking up the price, selling terribly misconfigured and untested systems or even using refurbished parts, our company has always made sure we maintained our top-tier retailer status by adhering to a strict ethical code, as well as employing only skilled individuals. http://buydirectpc.com/web/online/about-us
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