Introduction

Ever since the introduction of NVIDIA's SLI, the world has anticipated the release of ATI's competing solution. Many questions and rumors have circulated over the past few months. Could ATI release a multi GPU solution that can stand up to SLI? We remember ATI's previous dual GPU solution with the Rage Fury Maxx, and the fact that 3rd party developers built a quad 9800 solution a few years ago. Would ATI launch a single card multi GPU solution, or a two-card solution that paralleled NVIDIA's offering?

Well, we have all the answers here.



In many ways, ATI's CrossFire launch parallels NVIDIA's SLI launch. ATI is bringing together the launch of a graphics technology and a motherboard platform to support it. Motherboards will support 2 x16 PCI Express slots for two cards. These cards will be linked together, and one will send its data to the other for final compositing and display. Some of the same multi GPU rendering modes are implemented as well.

These similarities aside, CrossFire is a very different solution by necessity. ATI is in a position where they need to augment their GPUs in order to support this technology. At the same time, the solution that ATI produces needs to have a distinct edge over SLI in order to fight its way into the market. Coming out more than 6 months behind SLI (a virtual eternity in the graphics industry), CrossFire has some ground to make up.

Can they do it?

ATI’s Answer to SLI: CrossFire (The Motherboard)
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  • bob661 - Monday, May 30, 2005 - link

    #5
    Try it and let us know.
  • ksherman - Monday, May 30, 2005 - link

    so... does this man I can use the CrossFire tech on my DFI nF4 Ultra-D? since the limiting factor in making it SLi worthy was the SLi bridge, ATI's doesnt need one... and is it fully compatible with nForce4?
  • Zebo - Monday, May 30, 2005 - link

    Like a dongle is a big deal with the 95 cables already hangin out the back of my case...
  • Slappy00 - Monday, May 30, 2005 - link

    What ever happened to the Wicked Stepsister?

    looks good but with next gen consoles around the corner I think im gonna put my money towards a AMD 64X2 and a PS3/XBOX 360 rather than shelling out a grand for some extra frames.
  • AnnihilatorX - Monday, May 30, 2005 - link

    "First" Second Post
  • mattsaccount - Monday, May 30, 2005 - link

    Bout time ATI gave us something.
  • error4656 - Saturday, December 5, 2020 - link

    this shit is old

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