HELP! Nearly no improvement adding second 8800GT, suggestions???

Someone should have stickied this article by now:

http://www.digital-daily.com/video/processor_dependency

It's the best explanation of CPU/GPU trade offs and how to test for whether your CPU is holding back your GPU. Scores on artificial benchmarks are usually (see below, as to why I say "usually") limited either by the GPU or the CPU. In the case in this thread, the FX-60, even OCed at 2.7 GHz is still the limiting factor to the SLI setup.

Often, two other factors are overlooked when interpreting benchmark scores. First, if you run the benchmarks at lower resolutions, you aren't going to see any improvement, because even if the CPU isn't limiting performance, all that will happen is that the two GPUs will share the load and work half as hard to do a relatively easy task. To get "better" scores, you need to increase your monitor resolution. That's where an SLI setup really shines. The other factor is the inherent bias of any given benchmark in the way it combines the scores of the GPU and CPU. 3DMark06 is notorious for weighting the CPU side high, such that when you look at real life performance in games, often a high 3dMark06 score does not correlate with great performance in any specific game. 3DMark06 is a nice tool to tune your system, but that's it.

 

Your useing 3dmark06 and it incorporates unfortunately a cpu score within it's 3dmark score. Going from a amd cpu to a core duo in 3dmark will give you thousands more on the score. However, truth be known in the real world gameing the 2.7 amd duel your useing is just fine and if you compare actual game fps there would barely be any difference.

 

The only downside to running the fan speed at 100% is that it's quite noisy. Other than that, it's all good.

 

My computer is a bit loud anyhow, it doesn't bother me. But your right, if you hate noise then 100% is not for you.

 

Exactly, finally someone asked the question. I don't see anywhere what resolution the OP is running at. I just bought 2 of the new 8800GTS (G92) boards. but i run a 30 inch Dell at 2560 x 1600 resolution. At this resolution SLI is a must regardless of the people who say "SLI is a ripoff". They don't have a clue... :nerd:

 

Right on dude. Listen to this man... :cyclone:

 

..thank you! ^5