Want to become an SLI Expert like Mad Mod Mike? Check out the Mad Mod Mike Column below to learn all about SLI Technology. Also don’t forget to join Mad Mod Mike and other SLI enthusiasts on the
SLIZone Forums
to ask questions and share your experiences.
Three Questions in One - Mixed vendors to vsynch - Rel80 knocks 'em down
Dear Mad Mod Mike,
I have just purchased a new SLI ready PC. It comes with a BFG GeForce 6800 GT. When I buy the other GeForce 6800 GT does it have to be the same brand, or can I buy any GeForce 6800 GT?
Thanks,
Jeff
Dear Mad Mod Mike,
I am building a new SLI system. For now I am only buying 1 GeForce 7800 GT card from BFG and will add another later. As I have been told for SLI to work you need to have 2 identical SLI cards and they also have to have the same bios [and same manufacturer]. Is this true and, if so, how will I know if they are the same a couple months from now when I get the 2nd card? All my basic components are from the approved list from www.slizone.com.
Nick
Dear Mad Mod Mike,
Why is v-sync broken when using AFR (alternate frame rendering - the default setting) with many games on your compatibility list (for example, World of Warcraft)? This is with two ASUS GeForce 6600GTs on an ASUS nForce4 SLI A8N-SLI Deluxe motherboard, using the latest official NVIDIA (version 78.01) drivers.
Thanks,
Ian
Guys, today is your Lucky Day! NVIDIA just released a driver (Release 81.85) which solves all of your questions.
With the new "Release 80" driver, NVIDIA takes SLI to an entirely new level. First of all, gamers can use graphics cards in SLI mode with different clock speeds, different BIOS settings, different input/output configurations, different memory sizes and from different manufacturers. That means that our friends Nick and Jeff can buy any graphics card they want, as long as it's the same model as their current graphics card (GeForce 7800 GTX for Nick, and GeForce 6800 GT for Jeff). How's THAT for flexibility?
Also, with this new driver release, SLI gamers will be allowed to enable vertical sync for ALL games!
Another really cool thing is the new dynamic SLI switch in Release 80 driver. Unlike the past, where SLI users had to restart their PC every time they switched between single and dual GPU modes, today's gamers can do so on the fly, with NO RESTARTS!
So there you have it gents: Just when you thought SLI couldn't get any more kickass….it did. Now go out there and pick up your second graphics card of choice, Nick and Jeff! Crank up your settings and enjoy unreal game play. Turn it all up I say!
