X-bit labs

NVIDIA Multi-GPU SLI Technology: New Approach to Old Ideas (page 36)

Category: Video

by Alexey Stepin , Yaroslav Lyssenko, Anton Shilov

[ 02/25/2005 | 02:15 PM ]

The third test can be regarded as the most difficult one; it uses sophisticated pixel shaders. Graphics cards on GPUs from ATI technologies have always been winners here, but NVIDIA’s implementation of the multiple GPU concept breaks this tradition: you see that the GeForce 6800 Ultra SLI configuration is 50 percent faster than the RADEON X850 XT Platinum Edition. The SLI due of two GeForce 6600 GT cards are very fast, too. Their performance is higher than that of the single GeForce 6800 Ultra and about the same level with the RADEON X800 XT Platinum Edition.

The GeForce 6600 GT SLI isn’t as confident in the “eye candy” mode as in the “pure speed” one and is behind the single GeForce 6800 Ultra. The two GeForce 6800 Ultra once again have a twofold advantage over the single card, though.

On the whole, the high scores of the SLI platform in both versions of 3DMark are a good reflection of its efficiency in 3DMark’s tests. NVIDIA’s multi-GPU technology sometimes reaches its theoretical efficiency there.