Intel chipsets to get SLI certification
June 20, 2005 | 10:12
Nvidia is preparing to open its SLI specification to other manufacturers, according to The INQ.
This will mean that chipsets from Intel, Via and SiS could support SLI, given an appropriate motherboard layout.
The news is, perhaps, a little odd. Nvidia's SLI certification labs, as we understand it, have been open to this type of thing since conception. In every interview we've had with Nvidia for the past 6 months, they've been saying that they're open to other partners building SLI boards - it seems that, now, firms are taking them up on this.
Seeing Intel in there is rather strange, however. Intel told us at Computex that they were sceptical of SLI as a standards-based solution, and hinted that it was going to come up with its own version.
Where does this leave ATI's CrossFire? Arguably, it's just beginning to reach the proprietary acceptance that SLI had a year or so ago, whilst Nvidia is now moving into the next stage of its 'make SLI ubiquitous' gameplan. ATI is going to have to do some pretty quick catching up.
We suspect, however, that existing motherboards based on Intel chipsets won't be compatible with SLI, because some lane configuration mode switches may not be fully implemented, and the graphics slots may be too far apart. Expect only new motherboards featuring Intel chipsets to be SLI.
Discuss third party SLI!
This will mean that chipsets from Intel, Via and SiS could support SLI, given an appropriate motherboard layout.
The news is, perhaps, a little odd. Nvidia's SLI certification labs, as we understand it, have been open to this type of thing since conception. In every interview we've had with Nvidia for the past 6 months, they've been saying that they're open to other partners building SLI boards - it seems that, now, firms are taking them up on this.
Seeing Intel in there is rather strange, however. Intel told us at Computex that they were sceptical of SLI as a standards-based solution, and hinted that it was going to come up with its own version.
Where does this leave ATI's CrossFire? Arguably, it's just beginning to reach the proprietary acceptance that SLI had a year or so ago, whilst Nvidia is now moving into the next stage of its 'make SLI ubiquitous' gameplan. ATI is going to have to do some pretty quick catching up.
We suspect, however, that existing motherboards based on Intel chipsets won't be compatible with SLI, because some lane configuration mode switches may not be fully implemented, and the graphics slots may be too far apart. Expect only new motherboards featuring Intel chipsets to be SLI.
Discuss third party SLI!
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