Intel gets SLI license?

[SunnyD]

Seems to be good news all around. Yes the source is the inq, but the pictures tell 1000 words.

What intrigues me is that Intel currently has a CrossFire license. I wonder if they'll be putting out a chipset that supports both SLI and CrossFire. That would rock.

 

[aka1nas]

I wonder if this means SLI will work on P35 boards?

 

[secretanchitman]

nice!

 

[lopri]

I thought my post disappeared, SunnyD! (talking about the same thread in motherboard forum) lol. I will just repeat it.

SLI was almost a done deal even for 975X, I've heard. It wouldn't be a surprise if NV license SLI for X38. But the question changes at this point of time: Will SLI work on existing Intel chipsets?

If I had to guess, not likely. NV will have another chance to market SLI as SLI 2 (sell more boards and cards), and Intel will do everything possible to push DDR3 (preempt any potential danger from AMD) so SLI, correction, SLI 2 will probably be exclusive to X38 and new NV chipset.

 

[aka1nas]

Is Nv announcing SLI 2.0 at Computex?

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: lopri
I thought my post disappeared, SunnyD! (talking about the same thread in motherboard forum) lol. I will just repeat it.

SLI was almost a done deal even for 975X, I've heard. It wouldn't be a surprise if NV license SLI for X38. But the question changes at this point of time: Will SLI work on existing Intel chipsets?

If I had to guess, not likely. NV will have another chance to market SLI as SLI 2 (sell more boards and cards), and Intel will do everything possible to push DDR3 (preempt any potential danger from AMD) so SLI, correction, SLI 2 will probably be exclusive to X38 and new NV chipset.

To be honest... what precludes SLI from working on ANY chipset? ALi proved that it's only the driver that does so with their chipset that briefly supported SLI... until NVIDIA took that away with a driver update (and subsequently quashed that with the acquisition of ALi). ALi simply proves there's no magic behind SLI aside from an SLI bridge connector and PCIe bandwidth. All Intel bought was for their chipsets to be included in upcoming ForceWare drivers for SLI compatibility.

The wild card here is that NVIDIA gets another Intel FSB license, dual socket license, and more slots to fill with their video offerings. But it does beg the question, what will become of Intel's newest foray into the discrete graphics market... now that they have a SLI license........

 

[JackBurton]

Man, this is GREAT! If Intel can get SLI (or whatever they want to call it) to work with their X38 chipset, it's a no brainer for me. I'll be all over Asus's next X38 board.

 

[Josh7289]

I'd be extremely happy if Intel's X38 board had SLI, instead of Crossfire, or even both, if possible!

 

[lopri]

With 2x1GB DDR3-1333 @CL8 for $500?

 

[Acanthus]

Originally posted by: lopri
With 2x1GB DDR3-1333 @CL8 for $500?

OMG +2fps

 

[Acanthus]

This would be fantastic news, because i grow very very tired of Nvidias Driver support in vista.

At least i can get a working intel mobo for not working 8000 series SLI, and not have 3 broken parts instead of 2

Nforce and SLI are bad in vista still, heres hoping new drivers are on the way.

 

[lopri]

Originally posted by: SunnyD
To be honest... what precludes SLI from working on ANY chipset? ALi proved that it's only the driver that does so with their chipset that briefly supported SLI... until NVIDIA took that away with a driver update (and subsequently quashed that with the acquisition of ALi). ALi simply proves there's no magic behind SLI aside from an SLI bridge connector and PCIe bandwidth. All Intel bought was for their chipsets to be included in upcoming ForceWare drivers for SLI compatibility.

What precludes any company to make a board working with Intel CPUs? Any semi-decent IP company can design and produce Intel compatible motherboard. But without a proper FSB license all you'll get is a lawsuit. (Remember VIA's Socket 478 chipset a few years back?) SLI should theoretically work in any PCI-E environment but we know NV wouldn't allow. It's been their biggest wild card vs Intel so far.

Originally posted by: SunnyD
The wild card here is that NVIDIA gets another Intel FSB license, dual socket license, and more slots to fill with their video offerings. But it does beg the question, what will become of Intel's newest foray into the discrete graphics market... now that they have a SLI license........

I don't think Intel would worry. I do agree that Intel pays very generously for SLI license.. but they can always change sockets and FSB. Not to mention that the next generation (post-Penryn), there will be no FSB. Desktop dual-socket market will be quite small, and corporations won't buy an NV server board when Intel server boards are available.

So yeah, to me it's like two scums pretending to be asleep in a same bed for a limited period of time. :laugh:

 

[lopri]

Ohh..

Originally posted by: Gary Key

I was able to play with SLI on the X38, however the latest drivers from NVIDIA were changed once again so that capability has disappeared. Our understanding now is that SLI will not be officially supported on the X38 by NVIDIA, seems as though the two companies are having a bit of a disagreement once again.

Intel may not be that generous after all.

 

[lopri]

Originally posted by: Acanthus

Originally posted by: lopri
With 2x1GB DDR3-1333 @CL8 for $500?

OMG +2fps

I was implying more on the line of -2fps.

 

[magomago]

eh

realistically how much of a difference does it make? It maybe a nice feature, but how many use it?

Even for the people who jumped on SLI boards.....how many use dual cards? It seems in the video section when a person asks about picking up that second 7800gt/x or 6600gt or any other card, people instead suggest they upgrade to a single faster card

 

[lopri]

I do! I run some tests, and if the difference is minimal (which always has been so far) I stick my video card in the bottom PEG. Good for spreading out otherwise-concentrated-in-upper-left-corner-of-the-board heat inside a case. It isn't always possible with a non-SLI board.

 

[bigsnyder]

I am not sure you even need a license for Crossfire. ATI has always said that their multi-gpu solution was
open to who ever chose to support it. Maybe I am misinterpreting their meaning of "open", but never-the-
less that is how I understand it.

C Snyder

 

[AmdInside]

This is really nothing new. NVIDIA has allowed some OEM workstation configurations to support SLI even though it is on an Intel chipset. NVIDIA may have excellent workstation graphics cards but OEM's still prefer Intel chipsets when it comes to workstation customers.

 

[Golgatha]

Originally posted by: magomago
eh

realistically how much of a difference does it make? It maybe a nice feature, but how many use it?

Even for the people who jumped on SLI boards.....how many use dual cards? It seems in the video section when a person asks about picking up that second 7800gt/x or 6600gt or any other card, people instead suggest they upgrade to a single faster card

Me: (raises hand)

I'd have two 8800GTS cards in my 975X rig if the drivers allowed it. Crossfire with 2x 2900XTs...not so much.

 

[blckgrffn]

You can get SLI quadros on 975x boards in Dell and HP workstations, have been able to for quite a while.

So not much new here, other than nvidia will quit excluding non-quadros from working in SLI from their drivers (that's my bet)

 

[aka1nas]

Originally posted by: magomago
eh

realistically how much of a difference does it make? It maybe a nice feature, but how many use it?

Even for the people who jumped on SLI boards.....how many use dual cards? It seems in the video section when a person asks about picking up that second 7800gt/x or 6600gt or any other card, people instead suggest they upgrade to a single faster card

That's usually because the people who ask either have cards that are so old that there is no point in getting another for SLI as a new single card is much faster or the person has such a low-end card that adding a second low-end card will give poor results due to crappy memory bandwith etc. SLI very rarely is an upgrade path, though this year is looking like it's not a bad idea to SLI G80s as there's no real competition still.

 

[apoppin]

*clarification*

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=40224

Nvidia denies SLI to Intel

we got a request from Nvidia to correct our story.

Derek Perez, the PR headmaster, contacted us and said that Nvidia hadn't signed anything with La Intella and that SLI will continue to be technology exclusive to Nforce chipsets. However, Intel's keynote held on the first day of Computex had a slide which mentioned that Intel has licensed SLI technology for future products, after which one outlook for future V8 systems was a bit more optimistic.

So its between Nvidia, the grand-daddy of SLI technology, or partners that claim to have Intel products with SLI support. ...

 

[AmdInside]

Originally posted by: apoppin
*clarification*

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=40224

Nvidia denies SLI to Intel

we got a request from Nvidia to correct our story.

Derek Perez, the PR headmaster, contacted us and said that Nvidia hadn't signed anything with La Intella and that SLI will continue to be technology exclusive to Nforce chipsets. However, Intel's keynote held on the first day of Computex had a slide which mentioned that Intel has licensed SLI technology for future products, after which one outlook for future V8 systems was a bit more optimistic.

So its between Nvidia, the grand-daddy of SLI technology, or partners that claim to have Intel products with SLI support. ...

The Inq got it wrong (again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

 

[magomago]

Originally posted by: aka1nas

Originally posted by: magomago
eh

realistically how much of a difference does it make? It maybe a nice feature, but how many use it?

Even for the people who jumped on SLI boards.....how many use dual cards? It seems in the video section when a person asks about picking up that second 7800gt/x or 6600gt or any other card, people instead suggest they upgrade to a single faster card

That's usually because the people who ask either have cards that are so old that there is no point in getting another for SLI as a new single card is much faster or the person has such a low-end card that adding a second low-end card will give poor results due to crappy memory bandwith etc. SLI very rarely is an upgrade path, though this year is looking like it's not a bad idea to SLI G80s as there's no real competition still.

Hehe

When SLI WAS being pushed all of us was takling about how 1.5-2 years from the day we buy that card, we can get a second one substancially cheaper for nearly double the video preformance...

but now when those want to upgrade 1.5-2 years later ask for the advice..."get a new single card" is what comes out.

I suppose I agree - if for TODAY you want SLI on the high end parts it makes sense since there is nothing to "upgrade" from for the meantime (or for those that may get deals on something like a 2x8800GTS where it is still cheaper than that ultra)...but as a solution to upgrade to after a year or so, SLI doesn't seem very popular for that