Do you need EXACTLY the same video cards for SLI to work?

I understand the premise of SLI, but do the cards involved have to be identical? I recently bought a EVGA 8600GT 256mb, and was planning on buying a second for the SLI feature. However, the 512mb version of the same card from the same manufacturer just went on sale. Would it work? Thanks.|||From what I understand Yes it would work but like all things in computers you lose the benefit of the more powerful card. For example you must put the 256 card in the primary SLI slot while the 512 one goes in the secondary SLI slot. I would recommend that you go to the nVIDA site as they have a web area dedicated to SLI and questions just like yours are being answered all the time. I would really read up on this as it does get tricky. By the way, very smart choice on getting the EVGA card.



Edit update: According to this site at nVIDA you can not mix lets say, an 8600 GT with an 8800 GT but you can mix model numbers as long as the GPU is the same, except for the ultras, in their case, they must both be lets say, 8800GT ultras. Like I said I would go to nVIDA's web site before you buy. Good Luck.|||yes that will work........but the 512mb card will be downgraded to 256mb.........thats the draw back..........so ya end up wasting some memory.........if ya need something to back up what im saying go to the evga forum and look under the 8800series cards.........its listed right in there........heres the link to it......ya got do some looking around to find it.......but its in there..........http://www.evga.com/forums/tt.asp?forumi…

its 4-5 pages back.............

scott|||http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/245454…



You would get better performance from a single 8800gt than two 8600's|||I agree with Summer S



Evga has a step-up program

give them your 8600 and just pay the difference between the 2 cards to get the new 512mb version



and yes you do need the same exact card for SLI|||Why don't you just trade your 256mb card into EVGA for a 8600gt 512mb and then pay the diffrence?Then buy the one on sale.EVGA will do that, you know...

I use XFX and if I ever upgrade in the future. I will get EVGA for that reason.Not only that, but EVGA is a good card.

Hope this helps.