How can I check if my motherboard will allow for SLI?

I have an Nvidia 8500GT, how can I check if I could link it to an 8800GT?

Thanks!

well firstly do you have two PCI-E slots? If you don't no If you do look on the MOBO and find the model number(if you don't already know it)rob1101

SLI can only be done with two identical cards; crossfire (X) can do different card configuration.

You can't link a 8500GT to a 8800GT. It has to be the same card (8500GT would slow down your 8800GT if, theroreticly, put into SLI with it).

Your motherboard should have at least 2 PCI-E slots and usually there's some chip in the middle that you have to flip around for SLI. All this is in the instructions manual for the mobo.

But note that "SLI doesn't always give a performance benefit - in some extreme cases, it can lower the framerate due to the particulars of an application's coding"

wikipedia.org

But note that "SLI doesn't always give a performance benefit - in some extreme cases, it can lower the framerate due to the particulars of an application's coding"

wikipedia.org

Lidve

That's rare and it's usually only on older games and the fps difference is like 120 and 125. Microstuttering seems to be a much bigger issue than scaling. SLI is supposed to be for high resolution gamers. It scales much better as you increase the resolution.

Ohh and i forgot to answer question

All we said is "check pcie check this check that"

You must probably be wondering "wtf?" "what are they talking about"

But here it is- best (and unfortunately hardest way) to tell what is your motherboard is to OPEN CASE :D

But i wouldnt recomend that (well i definitely recomend that you do it as you become more and more experienced)

Check some "manuals" that came with your pc,you should certainly have one for motherboard

There it should say if it supports sli

Otherwise,download some software that tell you your pc configuration so you can see what is name of your motherboard

When you know that- its easy to check if it supports sli

Check your motherboard box, if it has a big SLI sign, it does support it hehe

But even if there was a way to link those two cards, I doubt you'll encounter any benefits.