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Why do they do SLI and Crossfire wrong?

Tags:
  • Graphics
  • Graphics Cards
  • Crossfire
  • SLI
Last response: in Graphics & Displays
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March 13, 2014 4:54:14 AM

Currently SLI and Crossfire has two or more basically identical graphics cards working together closely to render each frame.

If they simply split portions of the screen between graphics cards then the work could be done much more efficiently.

Imagine you have two identical cards. a single 1920x1080 frame can be split into two 960x1080 frames which are mathematically calculated to fit exactly together. Each graphics card uses all its power to render it's frame and then when both are finished even the CPU can be used to combine the two and post the finished frame. Posting only occurs when all is done.

But here's the really cool bit. You could have 4 very different graphics cards which at least have the same capabilities and let them each render a portion of the full frame according to how powerful it is. Calibration can occur within the first 100 frames of each session. So that the system is adaptable to different graphics engines and how well hardware supports them.

It may of course be necessary to only support the capabilities of the card with the least features, but it should also be possible with several graphics cards to have the weaker ones render only the basics and have the most powerful one render a portion, but also apply shaders, filters and anti-aliasing to the finished frame as a whole before the final frame is posted.

I'm curios to know what people might think of this idea.


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a c 342 U Graphics card
March 14, 2014 2:51:23 PM

The_Trutherizer said:
Currently SLI and Crossfire has two or more basically identical graphics cards working together closely to render each frame.

If they simply split portions of the screen between graphics cards then the work could be done much more efficiently.

Imagine you have two identical cards. a single 1920x1080 frame can be split into two 960x1080 frames which are mathematically calculated to fit exactly together...



That's called Split Frame Rendering (SFR) and has been done for years. But most games are now Alternate Frame Rendered (AFR). If you have a game that is SFR, turn on your SLI Indicator in the NCP and you'll see it in action.
March 15, 2014 8:47:38 AM

clutchc said:
The_Trutherizer said:
Currently SLI and Crossfire has two or more basically identical graphics cards working together closely to render each frame.

If they simply split portions of the screen between graphics cards then the work could be done much more efficiently.

Imagine you have two identical cards. a single 1920x1080 frame can be split into two 960x1080 frames which are mathematically calculated to fit exactly together...



That's called Split Frame Rendering (SFR) and has been done for years. But most games are now Alternate Frame Rendered (AFR). If you have a game that is SFR, turn on your SLI Indicator in the NCP and you'll see it in action.


Ah ok. I assumed that would give more linear performance gains.
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