Is SLI worth it in gaming PC's? (2020)
Is SLI worth it in gaming PC's?
So is SLI worth getting for your new gaming rig? It is a subjective thing , and everyone is free to their own opinion, but there is a lot of faulty information and empty claims, especially from those who claim that SLI is dead. The fact is nobody really knows the future of SLI , and despite decreasing support for the technology over recent years on both a hardware and software level, SLI is still a thing.
Let's discuss some potential benefits of having a SLI PC,--for one it can provide performance beyond any single GPU output for high settings in high resolutions and with high refresh rates. Plus there's still a good range of SLI supported games that can scale well and run smooth without stuttering, and with NVLink coming to consumer GPU's for the first time with the release of RTX cards shows promising signs for the future of SLI.
Of course with benefits comes the potential downsides as well. Let's start with the elephant in the room yes SLI requires double the power consumption for inconsistent gains in performance, and to add to that requires much better cooling to keep temperatures in that cool zone, while unfortunately leaving a dent in the ole bank account.
Do notice I didn't say waste of money, as you should understand that when you add a second GPU to a system, you're paying a premium to experience flawless performance for those crazy demands boasting the highest settings and resolutions.
SLI can be worth it to one extreme gamer, and a waste of time and effort for another. If you fully understand what you're getting into and have the money for high-resolution 4K, 5K, or 8K gaming I'd say go for it, but for me, I always go with a single powerful card that works without system tweaks, without the extra noise, and extra thermal heat. The fact of the matter is there are up and downsides to SLI but everyone is free to their own opinion.