Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati,alt.comp.periphs.videocards.nvidia (More info?)
www.anandtech.com
Quick look:-
Driver Support:-
1 Alternate Frame rendering
2. Split Frame rendering
3. Super - AA modes. Quite interesting.
Hardware:-
To enable Crossfire:-
1 Buy appropriate X800/X850 Crossfire Video Card
--- works stand-alone as a 2-output card when not "paired"
with standard card for Crossfire enhancement.
Projected cost:-
X850/256Meg Crossfire $549; X800/256 $299, X800/128 $249
X850 Crossfire only works with X85O flavor standard cards
X800 Crossfire only works with X800 flavors.
No Crossfire support for any other families.
2. Buy ATi X200 motherboard, Crossfire Edition...
( but get one with Uli Southbridge not Ati's buggy one. )
Note:- ATi Crossfire Motherboard chipset supports Intel processors
only - AMD lovers need not apply -- X200 Crossfire
support for Intel dual-core ( er, furnaces ) unknown.
Availability: Fall, probably... don't hold your breath.... Crossfire
motherboards are likely to be in short supply through the end of the
year. Between dual-core and SLI support for both Intel and AMD,, the
MB manufacturers have their design/production hands full -- and they
will always lean towards maximizing volume.
Ati is apparently examining whether their drivers can convince a
nVidia-SLI board to support Crossfire --- seems to be the only way
they could ever get a Crossfire toe-hold in the AMD camp. nVidia
could probably readily change THEIR drivers to support Crossfire but
Hell would have to freeze first.
ATi is also saying that Intel chip-set designs intended to support
SLI ( presumably a variant of the 955X) might be convinced to
support Crossfire. There are certainly some desktop 955X boards
out there with dual X16 PCIe locations, but all that I have seen so
far have solder filling one set of holes instead of a socket. Seems as
if the chip-set is not ready for SLI-prime-time or far more likely,
the Intel/nVidia agreement precludes Intel shipping their own SLI
motherboard solution for a specified time.
John Lewis
www.anandtech.com
Quick look:-
Driver Support:-
1 Alternate Frame rendering
2. Split Frame rendering
3. Super - AA modes. Quite interesting.
Hardware:-
To enable Crossfire:-
1 Buy appropriate X800/X850 Crossfire Video Card
--- works stand-alone as a 2-output card when not "paired"
with standard card for Crossfire enhancement.
Projected cost:-
X850/256Meg Crossfire $549; X800/256 $299, X800/128 $249
X850 Crossfire only works with X85O flavor standard cards
X800 Crossfire only works with X800 flavors.
No Crossfire support for any other families.
2. Buy ATi X200 motherboard, Crossfire Edition...
( but get one with Uli Southbridge not Ati's buggy one. )
Note:- ATi Crossfire Motherboard chipset supports Intel processors
only - AMD lovers need not apply -- X200 Crossfire
support for Intel dual-core ( er, furnaces ) unknown.
Availability: Fall, probably... don't hold your breath.... Crossfire
motherboards are likely to be in short supply through the end of the
year. Between dual-core and SLI support for both Intel and AMD,, the
MB manufacturers have their design/production hands full -- and they
will always lean towards maximizing volume.
Ati is apparently examining whether their drivers can convince a
nVidia-SLI board to support Crossfire --- seems to be the only way
they could ever get a Crossfire toe-hold in the AMD camp. nVidia
could probably readily change THEIR drivers to support Crossfire but
Hell would have to freeze first.
ATi is also saying that Intel chip-set designs intended to support
SLI ( presumably a variant of the 955X) might be convinced to
support Crossfire. There are certainly some desktop 955X boards
out there with dual X16 PCIe locations, but all that I have seen so
far have solder filling one set of holes instead of a socket. Seems as
if the chip-set is not ready for SLI-prime-time or far more likely,
the Intel/nVidia agreement precludes Intel shipping their own SLI
motherboard solution for a specified time.
John Lewis
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