Multi-GPU SLI Goes Entry-Level Machines

EPoX EP-8NPA SLI Mainboard Reviewed

by Yaroslav Lyssenko

[ 12/02/2005 | 04:23 PM ]

NVIDIA SLI (Scalable Link Interface) multi-GPU technology used to be positioned as a high-end solution for hardcore gamers at first, but now graphics cards and mainboards carrying SLI-ready logo do not necessarily carry impressive price tags on themselves. While it is not clear which benefits a couple of low-end graphics cards have over a performance-mainstream solution, since there is demand, there is supply.

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While the difference in price between high-end mainboard and value mainboard isn’t as big as with graphics cards, end-users interested in an SLI platform, but who are short on funds, should be interested in one of the latest product designed by EPoX.

The EPoX EP-8NPA SLI mainboard is built around NVIDIA nForce4 SLI chipset and is designed to support AMD Athlon 64 or Sempron microprocessor with Socket 754 infrastructure. Bit-tech.net has managed to take a look at this SLI Certified mainboard and posted a review.

“It makes little sense - in many consumers eyes - to upgrade from Socket 754 to Socket 939 without upgrading their video card at the same time. That increases costs dramatically, as it doesn’t make a great deal of sense upgrading from a socket 754 AGP system, to a socket 939 AGP system. If they're biting the bullet and upgrading, they may as well bite the bullet a little harder and make the upgrade to PCI-Express at the same time, rather than forking out more money for another motherboard in the future when an upgrade to PCI-Express is the only option. This is where the EP-8NPA SLI fits into the market. ECS has had a socket 754 PCI-Express motherboard based on NVIDIA’s nForce4 4x chipset for a while now, but Epox are first to market with a board supporting SLI technology. This means more upgrade options for those of you who feel that you’re in a bit of an upgrade dead-end,” writes bit-tech.net.

• bit-tech.net: EPox EP-8NPA SLI.