Date:
Sunday , June 27, 2004
Author:
Brent Justice
Editor:
Kyle Bennett
Google +1

NVIDIA SLI

It’s back! NVIDIA is re-introducing multiple video card 3D acceleration, and it may just change your mind on your next video card purchase.

continued...

SLI Summation:

NVIDIA knows that gamers and computer hardware enthusiasts alike know what "SLI" means. By incorporating a name that uses the same acronym as 3dfx's past successful technology they have assured themselves easy recognition with enthusiasts. Quite a smart move by NVIDIA and one that bucks their usual system of assigning their own NV-X trademark names to even benign technology.

Article Image Article Image Article Image Article Image

You can see the small SLI interface connector that attaches the two video cards together.

Article Image Article Image Article Image Article Image

This technology will also be applied to NVIDIA’s Quadro line. With "double" the 3D acceleration power, this could be a boon for 3D content developers.

While the new SLI sounds great on paper and is extremely exciting, this is very far from being accessible technology today. As of writing this we have seen a very sparse showing of GeForce 6800Ultras in the market, not to even mention PCI-Express variants. You also have to keep in mind that you will have to find a motherboard that has at least two PCI-Express x16 ports on it, and to my knowledge there is only one model or so of these currently in existence.

That said, SLI is coming. We are going to see 6800Ultras in the market for sale this year and we can bet on dual X16 PCI-Express boards to surface as well. The motherboard makers we have talked to about the new NVIDIA SLI are excited that this technology is roadmapped even though the motherboard makers seem to know very little about it currently.

This technology will also be very expensive and is simply not aimed at the mainstream market. NVIDIA SLI is meant for a “hardcore only” market segment, but it will likely gain NVIDIA a tremendous amount of favorable press along the way. NVIDIA SLI is going to be very costly and implementation of it will likely run over US$1300 considering two GeForce 6800Ultras and a motherboard to suit them will need to be purchased. Possibly a new power supply would be required as well depending on the wattage of your current unit.

For those that can afford NVIDIA’s SLI technology when it come time are very likely to be experiencing some of the best in-game Image Quality we have every seen. The potential for NVIDA SLI on the NV45 is simply mind-blowing. I know it certainly has me thinking, "DOOM3 at 1600." Two 6800Ultras working together would afford you full support of Shader Model 2.0 and 3.0 combined with a high level of AA, AF and resolution with tremendously increased performance with all these features in action.

The Bottom Line

NVIDIA’s new SLI technology is something that really excites us here at HardOCP and I bet there are more than a few others out there that have the same feelings. If nothing else, look at this early SLI warning as a nice mention from NVIDIA to start saving your pennies. Of course, NVIDIA’s desire here is to show you how your purchase of a 6800Ultra now could pay off big time six months or so down the road. And I have to say, if I were about to pull the trigger on a new ATI video card purchase that I knew would be for a long-time install, this NVIDIA SLI technology would certainly make me stop and rethink my position.