New beta drivers allow Quad SLI to run on two GeForce 7950GX2 cards rather than on four 7900 series cards. Is this setup a must-have for enthusiasts?

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Too early to tell. So far the tests seem to be disapointing, with a dual 7900gtx setup being faster.
Hopefully, nvidia will release some better drivers in the future.

Thanx for keeping us updated.

Is it just me, or does it seem like as more and more GPU's are added, performance increase is becoming more and more marginal (and in some cases, even decreasing!).

Single GPU SLI is STILL only generating around a maximum 40% performance gain (with high resolutions only), and the gain decreases with lower resolutions (or even becomes a loss). How long have they had to improve the drivers? this is not a brand new technology.

Now we're two generations of SLI ahead of what gaming software is designed for? Or, maybe there is just currently no software development that can fully utilize more gpu's?

It seems like game designers are really falling behind, or perhaps just cannot make use of more gpus. Either way, all these expensive motherboards and video cards seem like they are not worth investing in.

In some tests a single 7950GX2 beat the quad SLi in higher resolution tests even, just showing that the drivers arent there yet, i hope they find the problem cause once they do a quad sli setup should blow everyone of these tests away, hopefully it will be soon

FFS everyone.
Whats to stop these companys from just increasing the cores on everything???????? first SLI, then quad SLI, Quad core CPU, Dual core Sound card. Then 16GPU setups, 36 core single dye processors, 8 cpu sound cards..... heck even a 2 processor DVD-burner.


Its getting too expencive for most people to top out technology where in the past, it ws somewhat reasonable to blow out and get the best of the best....

Sigh.

I wll start saving now for that dual processsor DVD-burner 80x for $2200 running at 4ghz.

Too bad the drivers used are already old. Also, I'm sure sure where they got their drivers from, because there aren't any 91.29 drivers at all. http://www.nzone.com/object/nzone_ [...] ivers.html

The newest driver is 91.37, which is supposed to help with performance in 3dmark, and it's been out since July 19th. http://www.slizone.com/object/slizone_quad_beta.html

Mmm...So telll me....why arnt we seeing Dual Core graphic cards?

because that phrase is copyrighted. you can only have SLI.

All current GPUs are multicore.

*sighs*

where are people getting the idea that GPU's are multicore? they aren't! GPU's have multiple units, not cores. there's a big difference. I made an earlier analogy:

calling a GPU multicore is like calling a P4 mulitcore because it has 2 ALU's.

LOL. dual core GPU. That would make quad SLi an 8gpu setup, hence my point of ever expanding technologies that arnt what we should be aiming at.

I dont see you going to india to prospect for higher grade silicon to use for a smaller manufacturing process.

St0pes... are you insulting indians here? There is no reason to do that! We all have enough sand to share.

I remember Asus (was it Asus?) released a dual GPU 6600GT, which only worked with a few motherboards and was slower than a single 6800GT anyway.

asus also released the 7800gt dual

omg tat thing looked cool but seperate psw? wtF 0.o''


if anything, just settle down for a 7900gt until dx10


XD

GPUs can be considered multy core when every quad can do the work for itself they are independent.

Only a lunatic would by Quad SLI because he has nowhere else to spend his money.

Could someone please address my ignorance and tell me:
what do they use such a system for?

while I can somewhat understand professional usage of such systems, what would a gamer gain of such a system? (a rich gamer that is)
Is it for multi monitor systems? (say 12 19" LCDs?)
or is it to serve a huge LCD? (say 64"?)

otherwise, I can't really understand the reason for these "innovations" - if they can be addressed as such.

It's a money wasting perversion, nothing more.

well, firstly they would have braggin rights

secondly, MAX DETAIL... at reasonable frame rates at MAX res. no normal gamer would get tat unless they go hardcore overclock or watevr ...

in actually fact, there isnt much significant gains as u can still play teh game at 1280x 1024 med detail etc