- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
I'd get an X1800XT or XL, instead. True, it's maybe $150 more than an X850XT PE, but it will be far better in the long run. How? Spend the money to get just one X1800XT or XL now, and then when you have enough money, get another down the line.
The thing is, this is what a lot of people did with SLI.They just got dual 6600GT's to be proud of the fact that they had dual video cards - except they weren't as good as one 6800 Ultra, and they cost the same. So what? so those that just bought one 6800 Ultra got another a few months later, a viola - a much faster pc. Those with dual 6600GT's, many of them, sold them off on ebay and then bought the better cards.
Just have patience and get one X1800XT or XL. Trust me, you'll be happier in a year.
On to your main question - it will allow around a 75% increase in performance. I think that a crossfire setup is supposed to have a bigger performance gain than a SLI setup, but that's all theoretical right now.
[Edited on 11/27/2005]