What is SLI?

[sinitry23]

I've been seeing alot of things about SLi lately. What is it? Is a new technology that allows you to add two PCI express video cards? Please explain, thanks

 

[slyven]

BEst thing to do is to go to nVidia.com or read a review on SLI (its better now though.) Basically its the resurectiong of Vodoo(in name only) old method. If you can get 2 cards of the same type (2 6600s, 6800GTs, 7800 GTXs. Now adays the Ram amount can be different) then you can plug them in an gain up to a theorectical %100 boost.
In actuality it works out to about %15 to %60. Some have seen higher. And It really depends on teh card (the 6800GS seems to have HUGE boosts from SLI).

Thats basically. It. Making a next generation graphic solution today.

 

[beanman101283]

http://www.slizone.com/page/slizone_learn.html

This site explains pretty much everything.

 

[50Stang]

I've been seeing alot of things about SLi lately. What is it? Is a new technology that allows you to add two PCI express video cards? Please explain, thanks

Scalable Link Interface allows the system to use two video cards at one time. Just like in the days of 3DFX. I am not up to par on how exactly it uses the cards capabilities but it is like having two video cards in one meaning better performance. It is PCI-Express only.

 

[lithium726]

Just like in the days of 3DFX.

not at all. 3DFX's and NV's SLI implementations only share the name, they are very different technologies.

 

[PolarbearBigEd]

not at all. 3DFX's and NV's SLI implementations only share the name, they are very different technologies.

What he said. 3dfx was Scan line interleave (I believe) and nVidia's is Scaleable Link interface. The way they render is totally different.