Nvidia Readies Hybrid SLI Technology

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Rich Tate

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Nvidia is working on technology that will be more energy efficient, especially in times of low performance usage.

Nvidia’s new Hybrid SLI technology will have two modes and that will target different applications: the Power Saving Mode, which will switch off discrete graphics core and use only integrated graphics engine when high performance is not needed, whereas Max Performance Mode will make integrated graphics processor (IGP) to assist discrete graphics processing unit (GPU) and boost performance when it is required.
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Definitely a nice idea, but will ALL motherboards have IGP because of this?

In the past, IGP has severely hampered OC performance (only real exception is the TForce6100, and even there...)
 
When I was at Nvidia's shareholder's meeting with Club SLI, higher ups gave us the impression that this was from HTPC users with onboard to also be able to game with a drop in discreet gpu.

I have a matx 939 board with a 6100 and a spare 7800GTX KO edition, but with systems debuting later in the year with this Hybrid sli tech, it looks like the 6100 may not be able to support this, seems logical if this was to be done on 8 series gpu's due to their architecture and whatnot.
 
Yep. The fellow telling us about the adaptive SLI seemed surprised that Jen-Hsun did not mention it at the shareholder's meeting. Still, the way he described made it sound very palatable, especially if the onboard chipset is an 8400 or 8600.
 
Hmm I wonder if this will be possible for 2 addin GPUs

8800GTX + 8400GS or 8500GT

During gaming the 8400 can help with physics (when they make that available... :rolleyes:) while the 8800GTX does all the graphics. When not gaming the 8400 can do all the work. I wonder if the GPU totally powers down though, like harddrives can be.
If they did that I would definently buy a second card. SLI/Physics doesn't interest me at all right now. Saving 100w on idle? Hell ya, I'll pay $50 for that.
 
Not good enough.
Why SLI?
Power management should be in place for single GPU configurations, same as we have now with CPU's.
SLI is a niche, not a necessity. Power is, and should be managed diligently.
 
When you launch a 3d app, the higher power card will power up and game while the onboard will also help a little bit (how much wasn't really disclosed) but when say only running media player or a non 2d app, the discreet gpu will power down. Thus the cable was said to be connected to the onboard.
 
hl3395 said:
Hmm I wonder if this will be possible for 2 addin GPUs

8800GTX + 8400GS or 8500GT

During gaming the 8400 can help with physics (when they make that available... :rolleyes:) while the 8800GTX does all the graphics. When not gaming the 8400 can do all the work. I wonder if the GPU totally powers down though, like harddrives can be.
If they did that I would definently buy a second card. SLI/Physics doesn't interest me at all right now. Saving 100w on idle? Hell ya, I'll pay $50 for that.
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I asked about being able to run SLI with unlike chipsets and Nvidia said that it's very low on the priority list. They made it sound like they were focusing more on the integrated + discrete instead of the discrete + discrete. They did not dismiss it out of hand though so maybe it'll show up later, once they gauge the industry's reaction and mature the concept a bit more or something like that.

That would be awesome if they do eventually enable unlike chipsets in adaptive SLI. That'd definitely add new life to our old 6800's and 7800's when paired with an 8800.

But, to Rich's point, we shouldn't be excited since it's all speculation and is still vaporware to us...
 
Great discussion piece, not such a great thrill factor piece. ;)

Let's be honest, great idea, right now though just a hype builder.

I can see this thing being awesome or piss poor from an enthusiast standpoint depending upon how it works. Time will tell. :)
 
This sounds great. I can use a cheap video card that is silent and low on power for my desktop computing, and when I game, my 8800GTX's will fire up.
 
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