SLI Versus CrossFire: Three Dual Graphics Motherboards for Athlon 64 @ ExtremeTech

Vikingod · Feb 13, 2006, 01:54 PM

If you're a PC gamer, one of the most intriguing technologies available for scaling up game performance is the ability to gang two graphics cards so they can be used in concert to render 3D games. Nvidia's SLI is the most mature, but with the recent release of the ATI X1900, ATI's late-to-the-party CrossFire technology is starting to come on strong.

Last month, Jason Cross took a look at the DFI UT RDX-200 LanParty, which uses ATI's Radeon Xpress 200. The DFI board offers a robust set of overclocking options, plus visual enhancements for the gaming geek who likes to show off the internals of his system. Today, we take a look at three more dual-graphics boards. Two boards, the ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe and the MSI K8N-Diamond Plus, use Nvidia's nForce4 SLI X16 chipset. With the X16 version of nForce4, a pair of graphics cards will each get the full bandwidth offered by PCI Express x16 slots. With 38 total PCIe lanes available, even a full-on SLI rig will still have six additional lanes for other I/O.
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Read More / Source: ExtremeTech

Feb 13, 2006, 01:54 PM	#1
Vikingod Int'l Fish Liaison Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: By the light of lamp I sit and type... Posts: 16,197 Rep Power: 112 System Specs	SLI Versus CrossFire: Three Dual Graphics Motherboards for Athlon 64 @ ExtremeTech If you're a PC gamer, one of the most intriguing technologies available for scaling up game performance is the ability to gang two graphics cards so they can be used in concert to render 3D games. Nvidia's SLI is the most mature, but with the recent release of the ATI X1900, ATI's late-to-the-party CrossFire technology is starting to come on strong. Last month, Jason Cross took a look at the DFI UT RDX-200 LanParty, which uses ATI's Radeon Xpress 200. The DFI board offers a robust set of overclocking options, plus visual enhancements for the gaming geek who likes to show off the internals of his system. Today, we take a look at three more dual-graphics boards. Two boards, the ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe and the MSI K8N-Diamond Plus, use Nvidia's nForce4 SLI X16 chipset. With the X16 version of nForce4, a pair of graphics cards will each get the full bandwidth offered by PCI Express x16 slots. With 38 total PCIe lanes available, even a full-on SLI rig will still have six additional lanes for other I/O. __________ Read More / Source: ExtremeTech