GFX card for e6400/6600?

[small256]

Just wondering, with an e6400 or an e6600 (haven't decided which yet, depends on how much money i've got left after the rest of the bits i want to buy) which would be the best thing to do, save money on the mobo by not getting an SLi board and buy a higher end single card or go for Sli and spend more overall.

Oh and also, if I went for the single card option, which would be the best card to get, the x1800xt or the 7900gt, because they're both around the same sort of price. And i'll probably be overclocking as well.

OR if I have more of money to spare, the x1900xtx or the 7950gt.

And finally, just something that's been bothering me, do you need an Sli ready board for a 7950gx2? I know you have to have 2 connectors in the PSU but I don't know about the board. And i've heard people going on about quad Sli for 2 gx2s but i'm still confused whether you need Sli for just the one card...

Thanks

 

[BennyV04988]

7950GT is junk. Go with the 7900GTO. Its a stepped down GTX for few bucks more than the 7900GT. Wow....do we need to make that sticky?

 

[small256]

thanks very much

any other opinions would be great

 

[dwarf]

7950GX2 works in almost all of the more current non-SLI motherboards out of the box, most of the other boards support it with a mere BIOS flash, the SLI, so to speak, of the single 7950GX2 is all integrated on the card itself, and you only need one PCI-E power connector for one 7950GX2.

I second the 7900GTO, really a fantastic value.

 

[viperman5000]

7900GTO FTW.

 

[small256]

Thanks dwarf for the info on the 7950gx2 and thanks to all for the 7900gto advice. It does seem a little hard to find in the UK though, but i'm sure i'll find it. Thanks again.

 

[viperman5000]

It seems that newegg has taken the 7900GTO off of their website as of today. Just a heads up.

 

[small256]

Ok, so bearing in mind i'll be going for the 7900gto and most probably the e6600, can anybody suggest a good motherboard?

 

[dwarf]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131045
that's the board I'd personally suggest, great overclocker and ample features.