Nvidia's new technology "SLI"

[.soulty]

Nvidia is releasing their new technology called SLI (scan line interleave) meaning two Nvidia cards (two 6800's :drool: .) can be used together on one motherboard.

Six years ago, if you'd mentioned the three letters SLI to a gamer, you would have been greeted with wide eyes and wild excitement. Why? SLI (scan line interleave) was a new concept that promised no less than improved gaming performance (http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20040628/index.html#) and playable frame rates at what was then an unheard of 1024x768 resolution with a Z-buffer enabled by combining the rendering power of two Voodoo 2 add-in cards. Since then, we haven't seen anything of the sort commercially available.ok correct me if im wrong but was not this already the techonology Alienware used and raved about? or was this a joint thing between the two big companies?

[.soulty]

later on they state the similarities to Alienware... but Toms hardware says there are differences
PC builder Alienware also presented a working dual-card solution of its own at this year's E3, although it differs from NVIDIA's SLI in several points.

[mdipi]

Wow this is some sweet stuff man, I might acctually make me want to get another PC for some gaming stuff.

[.soulty]

yeah i read the article, sounds pretty promising. I was wrong in saying its a new technology because they had it way back when Voodoo's where around, i actually had one of the cards but without the 2nd card, but i always had the availability to just buy the card and throw it in there (never did though)

The new aspect to it, is the combining of pci express and the technology, which is similar to Alienware's. one card renders the top while the other renders the bottom, but what nvidia are boasting are variable performance rendering (or similar.. lol) which is basically the computer deciding how much percentage one card should take of the screen , the example they used was a shooter like unreal. the more processing stuff would be the the hands and guns at the bottom of the screen and the rest would be static sky or simplier gemoetry, so it would calculate that the bottom would need one card to render specifically that 20 -30 percent of the screen and let the other card render out the rest.

might be a while before its commercially used, i can see this being used for industrial reasons (renderfarms , 3d, motion graphics...etc..) pretty much as soon as its released.

Something to really look forward to i say, and this may actually put Ati in a deep hole.

[tommythewolfboy]

I'm thinking of getting a new PC, and am considering getting a SLi based motherboard (even if I only buy a single top-spec GPU now, then a second later when it has dropped in price), but actually don't know a great deal about it ....
Are SLi based systems only really an advantage for gamers??? I don't really play any games (love to, but not enough hours in the day). However, I do use my PC for very high end 3D (Max/Lightwave) and 2D (Photoshop, Illustrator) design ... would it give me any benefits (worth the price tag, at any rate!)?

Presumably SLi systems run the risk of being unstable overheating as well, if you are running two high-end GPUs and a large power supply?!

Thanks

Tom

[.soulty]

hey tommy.

i havent really read up on it anymore since when i did back then. I am not really sure if its only directed to games, with new 3d application like maya using hardware rendering it would make sense that it would be a advantage there (if maya actually detects the sli connection).

let me find that toms hardware link so you can read through it, i sorta forgot what i did read since i didnt look into it further.

give me one sec.

oh by the way.. if your just doing 3d and 2d work and not much gaming i wouldnt go for a high end nvdia card like 6800 i would spend a bit more and get a quattro card, those cards are "THE" cards to have for industry 3d work stations.


edit::

first article:
http://www20.graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20040628/index.html

newer article:
http://www20.graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20041123/index.html

[ya3]

Um... is this really that new? My friend's already got an SLi motherboard "just in case" he wants to add another card later on, and I've been hearing about SLi a lot on CGTalk :h:

Joins two cards, right? But don't the cards have to be SLi compatible?

[.soulty]

read the previous post dude... i mentioned that it wasnt new.. i mentioned i was wrong in saying it was new because the same techonology was there back in the voodoo days.. in any case when i originally posted this thread it was just becoming available..

[ya3]

i would spend a bit more and get a quattro card, those cards are "THE" cards to have for industry 3d work
Just thought I'd chime in and say QUADRO'S ARE A WASTE OF MONEY. http://www.kirupa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=92863
kthx :)

[.soulty]

uhh i know about the patch. but im not talking about a low end quattro.. im talking about Quattro FX 4400 ..

http://www.nvidia.com/page/qfx_uhe.html

*edit* opposed to what i said before about getting a quattro over a 6800, the 6800 will be more than enough for 3d /2d / hardcore gaming and with sli well check the link i gave you and check the results.

[.soulty]

tommy here you go .. a link more focused on 3d.

http://www.guru3d.com/article/Videocards/186/

[tommythewolfboy]

tommy here you go .. a link more focused on 3d.

http://www.guru3d.com/article/Videocards/186/

thanks, mcuh appreciated. LOL - now I'm even more confused than ever! ;) By the time I decide on how to spend my hard earned money, there will probably be another 'new' technology out to muddy the waters ;)

[tommythewolfboy]

uhh i know about the patch. but im not talking about a low end quattro.. im talking about Quattro FX 4400 ..

http://www.nvidia.com/page/qfx_uhe.html

*edit* opposed to what i said before about getting a quattro over a 6800, the 6800 will be more than enough for 3d /2d / hardcore gaming and with sli well check the link i gave you and check the results.


EEK!! Look at those Quadro prices anyway!
http://www.cybernex.co.uk/graphics_cards.htm

Think I may get a unit with an SLi m/board, and one high end GPU (6800GT or Ultra) then get a second in a year or so ... :geek:

[Vexir]

This news is about a year old, it was on NVIDIA's main page and Slashdot liek a year ago, I read it there.. didn't think much of it because it takes huge amounts of power and is totally not worth it. One high performance card is really all you need.

[.soulty]

yeah i know its a year old.. look at the date of my first post! lol. in regard to need of it yet, well its still sorta new so the technology can be improved, i wont consider it until the 3rd version if it gets to that.

[tommythewolfboy]

uhh i know about the patch. but im not talking about a low end quattro.. im talking about Quattro FX 4400 ..

http://www.nvidia.com/page/qfx_uhe.html

*edit* opposed to what i said before about getting a quattro over a 6800, the 6800 will be more than enough for 3d /2d / hardcore gaming and with sli well check the link i gave you and check the results.


haha, man, I just discovered my PC at work (which is admittedly a bit of an animal) is a dual Xeon processor with a quaddro GPU???!!! Sweet! Hehe, just got to get into the boot of my car and back to my house now ... ;)

[.soulty]

^ haha.. nice. what quattro card is it?

[Patriotxcountry]

The dual nividia card setup will also be featured in the PS3 in combination with the Cell chip. They discussed this in regards to the prices of these next-gen systems. The two cards in the system would normally retail for $500, which with video cards alone is $1000 (retail obviously). The price of the PSP was $250, so I honestly wouldn't be suprised to see the PS3 going for $400-500.