Launch : Quad SLI 7900 GX2

dipdude

Skilled
For Nvidia's new Quad-SLI scheme to work, you need four GeForce 7900 series cards (either all GT or all GTX), connected to a motherboard that uses Nvidia's nForce 4 SLI chipset. The combination of these elements, states Nvidia, can lead to a system capable of producing 2560 x 1600 resolution, with 32x anti-aliasing and 16x anisotropic filtering.

Falcon Northwest is among the system builders that will be certified by Nvidia to produce such systems, which will probably require either next-generation high-definition digital displays, or two large high-res monitors side-by-side.

Quad-SLI


How it works



As seen above, each of the GPUs of the Quad SLI are in direct communication with the rest of the GPUs. With the special chipset onboard, each half of the Quad SLI setup runs at a x48 PCI-E interface.

Quad SLI modes


The SLI modes supported by Quad SLI, instead of 2-way split frame rendering and 2-way alternate frame rendering, Quad uses 4-way naturally.

4-way AFR uses each GPU to render each of 4 alternate frames.

4-SFR splits the screen into 4 segments according to load balancing , with each GPU rendering each segment.

The new SLI rendering mode with the advent of Quad SLI is AFR of SFR, which combines AFR with SFR. 2 alternate frame buffers are each rendered by 2 GPUs and within the individual frame buffer is split through SFR between the 2 GPUs.


SLI AA will be performed through 4-way SLI on Quad. For 16x AA, each GPU will perform 4x AA from base. And on top of the 16x SLI AA acheivable with present SLI setups, Quad SLI offers 32x SLI AA, with each GPU performing 8xAA from base. More on 32xAA later...


Quad SLI is recognized as 7900 GX2




The GPU Core of the 7900 GX2 is a variant of the new GeForce 7900 GPUs. It has clocks that fall in between the GeForce 7900 GTX and the GeForce 7900 GT, at 500MHz Core, 600MHz Memory. Basically, the main reason why 7900 GTX clock speeds weren't used for each GPU was to enable maximum performance within the power and thermal envelope NVIDIA wants to contain Quad SLI in.

Here are some other specifications of Quad SLI technology:

  • Each GPU has 24 pixel pipes for a total of 96 pixel pipes.
  • Each GPU has 8 vertex shaders for a total of 32 vertex shaders.

The good news is that you do not need a special motherboard to be able to run Quad SLI. Any motherboards with two PCI Express x16 mechanical slots and a motherboard featuring an NVIDIA nForce4 SLI X16 MCP or the NVIDIA nForce4 SLI MCP will run Quad SLI just fine. For example, the ASUS A32N SLI Deluxe. Quad SLI is supported on both AMD and Intel platforms as well.

Nvidia 7900 GX2



The VRM and PWM circuitry is similar to the 7900 GTX yet slightly less elaborate since the clock speeds of each individual card is slower as compared to a 7900GTX. Possibly, lower voltage is used for the GPUs as well. Also, only one PCI Express power connector is required and located on the first board with the PCIE interface facing the top of the card instead of the usual end, probably due to the length of the card..

The dual DVI and S-Video output on the rear I/O plate. A connector for external power supplies is also located here, together with a heat exhaust grill. It is just a little funny to see this when the airflow is not exactly ducted entirely to this exhaust which kind of drops the thermal efficiency it could possess. Still, the cards ran stably and there were no lock-ups nor artifacts during the entire test runs.

The single slot aluminum cooling used is similar if not the same as the ones used on the 7800GTX 256MBs save for the fan orientation. The fan on the Quad SLI cards are located on the other end of the heatsink. This pushes air towards the rear where the exhaust grill is. Due to the length of the card, this fan orientation also prevents heat build-up at the front bay area of the case by pulling the hot air the other direction.

Benchmarks



3D Mark 05 on the Quad SLI system with the following setup:
  • - FX60 at stock speed of 2.6GHz
  • - ASUS A32N SLI Deluxe
  • - Corsair 2GB DDR Memory
  • - Quad SLI 7900 @ 500/1200 MHz per card

According to NVIDIA, a reliable power supply of 800w to 1000w is required for a Quad SLI configuration.

FEAR Benchmarks


FEAR was the game picked to demonstrate the Extreme HD experience offered by Quad SLI, displayed by the 30" Dell LCD panels. I took the chance to try out the FEAR benchmark at 2560x1600 resolution with the maximum quality settings and 8xAA.

An average of 43 frames per second. Definitely very playable at such insane settings. The genesis of Extreme HD gaming, Quad SLI!

3D Mark Benchmarks


3D Mark 05 @ 2560x1600

7600+ points

We went onto to test out 3D Mark 05 with 2560x1600 resolution and the new 32x SLI AA that is only available to Quad SLI users:

3D Mark 05 @ 2560x1600 32x SLI AA

3000+ points

We also did a run at the default resolution of 1024x768:

3D Mark 05 @ 1024x768

11,000+ points

As you can guess, at the low resolution, the CPU becomes the entire bottleneck, especially with the FX60 at stock clock speed. But the amazing result is the 2560x1600 testing. The Quad SLI configuration took 7,600+ points at the maximum resolution of 2560x1600.

Frame rates were quite smooth and much more consistent than when you benchmark at the default resolution of 1024x768. This gave us a lot of hope in the smooth gaming performance at Extreme HD resolutions of 2560x1600 promised by NVIDIA.

To top things off, we ran 3D Mark 05 at 2560x1600 with the maximum anti-aliasing setting offered by Quad SLI... 32x SLI AA!! We ended up with a score of 3000+, which is amazing at this kind of settings. Maximum resolution with a breakthrough level of anti-aliasing.

The frame rates is definitely not liquid smooth, but not exactly a slide show either. That's pretty much the speed of getting your 6600GT to run 3d mark 05 but at image quality settings so many times better. You can say I've never seen 3D Mark 05 look this good and sharp.

Availability​

NVIDIA announced that system builders and OEMs are offering Quad SLI technology in their systems today, as of launch date 9th March.
[break=Alienware Announces First Quad-SLI PCs]
Update

Alienware Announces First Quad-SLI PCs


Alienware has released its first PCs using the quad-SLI technology utilized by Nvidia's new nForce chipsets.

The price? Slightly higher than $6,800

Users looking for arguably the most powerful graphics configuration within a PC on the planet could either pay that amount for the base configuration of the Aurora ALX, the only PC using the technology that Alienware advertised on Thursday, or purchase a used Mercedes-Benz. (Although the visual accuracy of racing a used car is second to none, the penalties for crashing can be severe.)

However, Alienware said the quad-SLI technology would also be sold as part of its Area-51 7500 and Aurora 7500 systems.

Nvidia said this week that it plans to make its quad-SLI technology available to OEMs and systems builders via its new nForce chipsets, the nForce 500 series, which it launched at the CeBIT show in Hannover, Germany.

Alienware also answered one previously unanswered question – the power supply needed to drive the four GPUs. Alienware specs out the ALX with an 850-watt power supply, a whopping number compared to the more common 400 and 500-watt power supplies used to power most PCs, but somewhat short of the rumored kilowatt requirements for a full quad-SLI system.
[break=Quad SLI works in most Nforce 4 boards]
Update

Quad SLI works in most Nforce 4 boards


No special boards needed​

We can confirm that Quad SLI works in normal Nforce 4 motherboards. So far as we are aware, it will work with Asus A8N32 Nforce 4 SLI X16 chipset. You simply plug two cards in two by sixteen slots and the other two are connected anyway.

We know that the cards will even work on the EVGA Nforce 4 micro ATX board that uses Nforce4 SLI chipset and has just two by eight PCIe slots. It is apparently enough, as all the cards are interconnected by a bunch of cables.

There is a big chance that Quad SLI will work in your Nforce 4 SLI motherboard as well, but be prepared to give up some serious money for four graphic cards. Bear in mind that you could buy a plasma TV and quite a good one for the same amount of money. But when it comes to the fastest gaming machine I don’t think you will be able to find anything faster than that.

We still don’t know if and when the retail version of the Quad SLI cards might be out but at this point only the OEMs are getting them and are preparing for launch.


Quad SLI system can cost $1,853


On the price of the NW-Falcon frag box​

We found out that one of the boutique PC makers actually has Quad SLI listed. NW Falcon can configure a quad SLI even in its FragBox using EVGA micro ATX board that we talked about.

We did our usually vendor website check and to our mild surprise, we found out that NW Flacon actually has those cards listed.

We tried to buy one of the super cool FraxBox machines and we found out that adding the Quad SLI in to configuration elevates the price by $1,853. We estimated it would cost $2000 so we haven't been far off.

The cheapest version of Quad SLI in a modestly configured system will cost you around $4,000 but a Mach V system that we checked a moments ago with two Seagate 400 GB drives in RAID, an FX 60, 2 GB of Corsair 3200 C2 memory will cost you around $7,500.

Quad SLI should be available in three weeks, at least according to the NW Falcon configuration site. You can go there and pick one here.
[break=NVIDIA 7900GX2 Spotted One Week Before Launch]
Update

NVIDIA 7900GX2 Spotted One Week Before Launch


Athlon FX and Intel Extreme Edition processors never looked so affordable​

A few weeks ago we alluded to a single slot, quad-SLI ready GeForce 7900 adaptor. According to several manufacturers, the card is ready. The 7900GX2 is expected to be a dual slot, dual GeForce 7900GTX card with 1024MB of DDR3 specifically for quad-SLI.

A German manufacturer accidentally leaked the card prices and specifications early with a jaw dropping $1,000 price tag per card. To game "the way it was meant to be played" with the GeForce 7900GX2 would mean conservatively paying $2,000 for video hardware alone. The German website claims GeForce 7900GX2 will have a 650MHz core clock with a 1600MHz memory clock, but our sources have indicated the card will actually have slightly lower clocks.

Tier 1 manufacturers have confirmed with us that allocation for cards is limited to 100 pieces per manufacturer per week. We will see the official embargo for 7900GX2 lift within one week.

We originally published a figure of $4,000 USD for a quad SLI setup. The real figure should be $2,000.

[break=Foxconn Leaks Geforce 7900GX2 Images, Details]
Update

Foxconn Leaks Geforce 7900GX2 Images, Details


Foxconn shows off a Quad SLI setup using GeForce 7900GX2s​


Yesterday we published details about the GeForce 7900GX2 Quad SLI video adaptors that showed up on a few German merchant websites. Today it seems as though benchmarks of the card are available (English translation).

Foxconn's Dual GeForce 7900GX2 1024MB adaptor sports a 500MHz core clock with 1.2GHz DDR3 memory support. These clocks are lower than the GeForce 7900GTX, which has a 650MHz core clock with 1.5GHz DDR3 memory. For those who are unaware, Foxconn is now a contender in on the video card market.

Like the GeForce 7800GTX Quad SLI adaptors, the 7900GX2 adaptors are really two 7900GTX adaptors with the PCIe lanes from one card physically routed via a bridge connector to the main card. A PCIe x48 bridge chip sits on both physical PCBs. 16 of those lanes are routed to the motherboard and the other 32 are spread between the GPUs.

The cards demonstrated by Foxconn were running 32xAA. The Quad SLI system consumes an incredible 650W during heavy operation. As we reported yesterday, each Quad SLI card is expected to retail over $1,000 and require an SLI x16 motherboard.
[break=Dell's $10,000, 4.26GHz, Quad-SLI PC]
Update

Dell's $10,000, 4.26GHz, Quad-SLI PC


Dude, you're getting a $10k Dell​


877xps600renmon3006ld.jpg

When I think of a gaming PC, I think of maybe an Athlon FX-60 processor with two top of the line graphics cards running in SLI or CrossFire mode. Never would I imagine, however, that I would plunk down $10,000 -- not far from the base price of a 2007 Toyota Yaris.

Excess is best at Dell with its new XPS 600 Renegade. This limited edition, custom-painted monster comes equipped with an Intel Pentium 965 Extreme Edition processor overclocked to 4.26GHz. In addtion, it features two 10,000RPM 160GB Raptor hard drives in a RAID-0 configuration plus an additional 7,200RPM 400GB hard drive. Also included is a Sound Blaster X-Fi Fatal1ty sound card with front-side controller and 2GB DDR2 667 memory. To top things off, the XPS 600 comes paired with four GeForce 7900 graphics cards running in Quad-SLI.

With all of that processing power, the XPS takes full advantage of AGEIA PhysX processing and can run applications at up to 2,560 x 1,600. By the way, you can enjoy all of this goodness on the included Dell 3007WFP 30-inch widescreen flat panel monitor.

If all of this sounds enticing to you, the XPS 600 will be available in limited quantities for $9,930.
[break=Dell sells out of $10,000 Renegade PC]
Update

Dell sells out of $10,000 Renegade PC


Dell yesterday said that it has sold out of its XPS 600 Renegade PC within three days. The limited production model was priced at nearly $10,000 in its standard configuration.

Dell declined to comment on the total amount Renegades sold, but sources suggested that availability was "very limited." The company did not say, if it will be marketing similar high-end offerings in the future.

Customers interested in a Renegade PC still have a chance to participate in a prize drawing Dell currently holds on its website. Customers can sign up for an email reminder about the giveaway at dell.eprize.net/xpsrenegade or log on to the site on April 10 to register. Dell said it will be randomly choosing two winners on 24 April.
[break=Quad-SLI system shipments get into gear]
Update

Quad-SLI system shipments get into gear


Four graphics chips in one system don't come cheap. Enthusiast systems currently available through online configurators typically start at about $7000 and can break the $10,000 easily. The graphics portion of such a computer rings in at about $2000.


Despite the buzz created around the impact of quad-SLI may be limited for now. Industry sources told TG Daily that quad-SLI boards are available in sufficient numbers, but the performance capability of systems with four graphics cards apparently are below expectations. "If you don't use a 30" monitor, quad-SLI is just a technology showcase and does not make sense," one source told us.

One of the possible reasons for the lack of performance apparently is the fact that Nvidia has not yet released drivers that specifically address the features of running four graphics chips in one system. As a result, some manufacturer may be taking your order for a quad-SLI system, but may not be shipping until those drivers are available.

While high-end graphics graphics cards are often offered as standalone products, this appears not to be the case with quad-SLI. At this time we were not able to find a system builder that is willing to sell just the two graphics cards carrying two graphics processors each.
[break=Alienware Introduces Liquid Chilled Quad-SLI Gaming System]
Update

Alienware Introduces Liquid Chilled Quad-SLI Gaming System


Alienware's new Aurora ALX gaming system makes use or a water-cooled system for its four blazing GPUs

Alienware may have been recently bought by Dell Computer, but that isn't stopping them from releasing the latest and greatest in gaming PCs. The company's new Aurora ALX used an AMD Athlon FX-60 processor backed by a liquid chilled Quad-SLI graphics subsystem.

Alienware's Liquid Chilled solution is based on CoolIT Systems' patented MTEC technology. The system ensures that the the GeForce 7900 graphics units are kept cool during extended gaming sessions. The unit is maintenance free so you keep your mind in the game instead of on your equipment.

CoolIT Systems' MTEC technology, used to power Alienware's Liquid Chilled solution, enables even the hottest processors to stay cool,†said CoolIT Systems. “By refrigerating the liquid, MTEC allows heat to be transferred away from the Aurora ALX's four GPUs, opening the door for unlimited graphics performance.

On Dell's side, it sells a system called the XPS 600 Renegade, which is a custom painted quad-SLI computer. Dell's system is not as equipped as the new Aurora ALX -- water cooling is not used, for example. Alienware also claims that its power supply is 25% more efficient than that of others. A fully configured Aurora ALX set us back $14,800 USD.
[break=GeForce 7900GX2 Cards To Get Shorter]
Update

GeForce 7900GX2 Cards To Get Shorter

GeForce 7900GX2 cards supporting Quad SLI technology has already reached manufacturers but sources revealed that NVIDIA has yet to hand over the design kit.

NVIDIA plans to shorten the PCB of the 7900GX2 cards in order to sell them into the market as many cases out there will not be able to fit in those cards. We heard the newly improved cards will be ready in 3 weeks time and the specifications remain unchanged.

[break=NW Falcon packs a Quad SLI in a small box]
Update

NW Falcon packs a Quad SLI in a small box


About to start shipping


EVGA made a micro ATX Nforce 4 SLI board and NW Falcon is among the first adoptor of the adapters. When you say EVGA motherboard you may as well say Jetway, but super high end boutique vendors don't quibble about the board.

It can run four Nvidia cards inside and that is all that matters to them. North West Falcon managed to pack one of these motherboards and a Quad SLI, four graphic cards into such a system. We know that the chaps were concerned about the heat dissipation, but after initial testing they learned that it works and so they want to sell it.

NW Falcon calls it the "Frag Box" and that is what it actually is. I don’t know how but those chaps managed to squeeze a 600W PSU that is just about enough to power a high end machine including those four cards.

Quad SLI won't be cheap, last time we checked the premium was $1,853 that you have to pay on top of your system cost but if you want the fastest graphic cards, with a cute little look, this might be the machine for you. It should be shipping any day now, but you can already pre-order one of these lovely but expensive machines. If you order it today the lead time is two weeks. Here is a lovely picture of such a box packed with four graphic cards.
[break=Scan has 1 GB 7900 GTX Quad SLi ready cards]
Update

Scan has 1 GB 7900 GTX Quad SLi ready cards


XFX brand, in stock

THE DAY has come. Nvidia has finally shipped Quad SLI cards. Actually you have to buy two of those cards to claim that you have Quad SLI system. The only problem is that there is no single review out so you won't precisely know what are you getting.

XFX is the first company to release the 1GB XFX 7900GTX Mem Clock GPU 24 Pipes. There is a catch - you canbut get this as a single card. It will cost you a saucy £582.74 including VAT. The card is listed as in stock and you have to imagine that you have to buy two of those cards to have a Quad SLI.

We reported before that Quad SLI works in your existing Nforce 4 SLI or Nforce 4 SLI x 32 motherboards but of course it will cost you some serious money.

Go there and grab one if you have the money, it waits for you here. We have to thank the sharp eye of our reader for this one.
[break=Strictly to Be Sold with Systems Only]
Update

Dual-GeForce 7900 Graphics Cards – “Strictly to Be Sold with Systems Onlyâ€

At least one distributor of computer componets in the UK has the GeForce 7900 GX2 graphics cards in stock, however, no one can buy such a board, as the item is “strictly to be sold with systems onlyâ€, which means that enthusiasts who assemble their computers themselves cannot create systems with four graphics chips and enjoy increased performance with quad SLI technology.

Scan Computers, a popular online store in England, recently added the GeForce 7900 GX2 graphics card that features two GeForce 7900-series graphics processors and 1GB of GDDR3 memory into its price-list. The board is claimed to be supplied by XFX and has PV-T71U-YDDB product code.

The store did not note the price of the XFX GeForce 7900 GX2 at press time, however, the part cost roughly £583 ($916, €752) initially. At this point the graphics board can only be purchased with 3XS Panther system, which costs £4436 ($7768, €6364).

Nvidia Corp. confirmed that it had begun to ship GeForce 7900 GX2 graphics cards, which are required to build quad SLI systems with four graphics processing units, but said that the boards are only to be used by system integrators. However, eventually the company may let its partners to provide the appropriate dual-chip quad SLI hardware to retail customers.

“We are selling quad SLI configurations (using GX2 cards) via system vendors only because they require a bit more attention to proper integration of components (especially chassis, cooling, and power supplies), and we want to be sure end-users get the best experience with the first quad SLI systems. Eventually, we will sell the cards through retail, after we get some of the infrastructure items in order,†said Nick Stam, a spokesman for Nvidia Corp.

Quad SLI allows to turn on 32x antialiasing, the maximum level possible today, or to play the latest games in 2560x1600 resolution.

[break=Retail Quad SLI is Geforce 7950 GTX 2]

Update

Retail Quad SLI is Geforce 7950 GTX 2


Cards by the end of the month


Nvidia plans to ship its shorter versions of the Quad SLI capable cards for retail. It will brand those cards as Geforce 7950 GTX 2 and the cards should be available by the end of the month.

There is obviously demand for these cards and as we mentioned before Nvidia already sold a small quantity of a longer PCB version of the Quad SLI cards but didn't brand those. Those cards were for OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and system integrators only.

The new ones, meant for retail only are branded as Geforce 7950 GTX 2. We remember that Nvidia used this 50 suffix with its Geforce FX chips and had cards such as Geforce 5950 and 5750 but this suffix actually meant that the card is bridged to PCIe, as the cards without suffix, Geforce FX 5900 was AGP only.

I guess that Nvidia ran out of the numbers this time as it could not brand those two chip cards Geforce 8000 and 7900 was too lame for a super expensive dual chip card.

We still don’t know the retail price but it should be around $800 to $900 a card. A lot, but not bad compared to the $600 price of the single 7900 GTX card.

[break=Quad GPU but single CPU - not a good combo]
Quad GPU but single CPU - not a good combo

On the side at Taipei IDF, I was offered an evening visit to a comparatively large PC mainboard and graphics vendor. While being whisked through the balmy Taipei night in a big black car, I did wonder if the visit was to be to a design team or a "karaoke" girlie team. Well, (un)fortunately, it was the latter.

While seeing a few interesting quad-GPU configurations at the place (all Nvidia SLI, though, but both Intel and AMD CPU-based), the interesting question popped up: where is the bottleneck now? After all, Quad-SLI has nearly endless raw GPU power, and two PCI-E X16 links should be able to feed that well, with 16 GB/s total bi-directional bandwidth. The bottleneck is, of course, CPU (and related memory bus, especially on the current Athlon64 until the DDR2 version comes). Even the current dual-core CPUs can't extract all the juice from quad-GPU configurations, as even Nvidia would admit during CES.

To cut the story short, here is the message: expect high-end desktops with TWO CPU SOCKETS soon... i.e. Quad-SLI (and possibly Quad CrossFire) mainboards with dual-socket workstation/server CPUs, but desktop balls and whistles like overclocking, low-latency memory, super sound, etc.

With two dual-core chips (whether Intel or AMD) you get dual memory buses too (far more beneficial than a one quad-core sharing a single memory bus), so the hungry GPUs, PPUs, etc, should be fed well, for a more balanced high-end gaming or multimedia system. And, with quad-GPU systems like Alienware approaching US$10 grand, the cost of an extra Woodcrest or Opteron is peanuts. You'll probably need Extended ATX board size for then, but, again, most large gamers' cases can easily take in such boards anyway.

No names supplied yet, but my feeling is that more than one vendor is looking at this.

[break=Quad SLI - 10k? No thanks]
Quad SLI - 10k? No thanks

I'm sure you guys remember Dell's Quad SLI systems which were going for 10k USD and all sold out in no time.

Now K&M Elektronik has a more affordable solution for european customers.

The system comes with an AMD 64 X2 3800+, 2 GB G.SKILL memory, 250 GB HDD and of course two XFX 7900GTX QuadSLI GX2 cards. The whole setup is powered by a 900 Watt Tagan QuadSLI PSU.

The price of € 3198 seems pretty reasonable for an extremely powerful gaming machine. Stock is available, question is for how long. I always wonder who has the money to spend on such hardware. You got more money to spend? No problem, the system can be customized to have an even bigger punch.

[break=Don't count on standalone quad-SLI cards anytime soon]
Don't count on standalone quad-SLI cards anytime soon

Computer systems equipped by Nvidia's four-graphics processor system will be shipping soon - and that will be the only way for enthusiasts to get their hands on "quad-SLI". At least for now, Nvidia has instructed computer makers to only sell the cards as part of a complete system, TG Daily has learned.

Quad-SLI sparks the kind of excitement among enthusiast computer users as does the latest Ferrari among car lovers. And just like the Ferrari, quad-SLI is not only expensive, but it also requires experience with fine tuning and maintaining computers. While single and dual card solutions are easy enough to install, the quad-SLI cards require motherboard tweaks, better power supplies and a host of other changes that may be an unsolvable problem to mainstream users.
That and tight supplies may be the main reasons why quad-SLI will not be available off-the-shelf in the fore seeable future. Two US system builders told TG Daily that existing agreements with Nvidia prohibit the sale of standalone quad-SLI cards, which typically ring in for around $2000 in enthusiast computer systems.

Nvidia spokesman Brian Burke confirmed that the route through system builders and a new PC is currently the only way to get a quad-SLI graphics system. "The high-end system builders we work with have the expertise to put together these types of PCs so we chose to work with them first."

He also compared the limited launch of the quad-SLI with the preceding SLI launch. SLI, Nvidia's dual-GPU solution, was initially released only to system builders as well - however, standalone SLI cards could be purchased for a price premium at the time.

Once all issues surrounding quad-SLI have been removed, consumers may be able to buy the cards separately. "This is the first step in bringing quad-SLI technology to the world. We will announce plans to bring quad-SLI technology to consumers through other channels in the near future," Burke told us.

Virtually all performance PC makers have quad-SLI systems in stock but are still holding back consumer shipments, until driver issues have been resolved.

[break=GeForce 7950 GX2 On May 30th]
GeForce 7950 GX2 On May 30th

PCInpact came to know that GeForce 7950 GX2, a revised version of the 7900 GX2 shorter in length so they can be fitted into most cases will be launched on May 30th. We have confirmed the launch date too but pricing is unknown yet.

Another exciting technology, the SLI Physics will be available in second half of this year when the games are ready for it. We have also heard that G80 will not be in time for launch this Computex as it is slated for a later date.


Translated version -
"We spoke to you yesterday about Quad SLi for the professional sector as well as absence of Quad SLi for market OEM. This last, would be, according to NVIDIA, in the course of finalization and should arrive at the beginning of May on the market, following an end of NDA for the tests of which we currently do not know the date.

GeForce 7950 GX2, models shorter than GeForce 7900 GX2 which equip Quad SLi current, would not have, they, not to unload before May 30, completion date of the NDA for these last. Their advantage is simple: the system will recognize one GPU for the chart which will comprise two of them physically. Thus, more need for optimized plays SLi or specific platform to benefit from the advantage of the presence of these two chips.

Their final price is not known yet, but we will hold you informed as soon as we know some a little more. For the performances, it will be necessary for you to still wait a good month in order to know if NVIDIA will manage to make in kind manage the division of the chips correctly, or not."​

[break=Nvidia Quad SLI happily shipping]
NW Falcon selling it for weeks

We have confirmed that at least one of the Nvidia partners is shipping its Quad SLI enabled machines. The sources confirmed that NW Falcon has been shipping its Quad SLI based machines since early April.

There were some minor delays at the beginning of the month related to a motherboard BIOS that can run Quad SLI with two to four GBs of memory and of course it had to wait for Nvidia's new WHQL Quad SLI driver.

So the machiness have been available for a few weeks now and we still can not figure out what is going on with Dell's "Renegade" machine as it was announced so long and we still haven’t seen a single one.

We don’t understand Nvidia's strategy as we still haven’t seen a single Quad SLI review while its partners are selling it. We know that the performance increase is not great, but people don’t care much as if you have the money to afford it you will be the fastest and coolest kid on the block.

Maybe Nvidia doesn’t want you to know Quad SLI performance but you can trust me it will be the fastest and most expensive thing around.

[break=Fancy Quad SLI but don't want the cost of a complete system?]

Well it would appear that SCAN have launched a bundle consisting of Mobo, PSU, Cards, and Chassis.
  • - ASUS A8N32 SLi Deluxe NF4 SLI [1]
    [*]- 45cm Akasa SATA/SATAII [2]
    [*]- Akasa Eclipse-62 Midi Tower Case - Hi-End [1]
    [*]- 900W Tagan Quad SLi Quiet 21db [1]
    [*]- 1GB XFX 7900GTX [2 Included - Enabling Quad SLI]
In the time which it took me to do the post, SCAN have dropped the price another 117 (100ex VAT) to £1199 + VAT

The Chassis and PSU are the most important bit for these systems; these cards are LONG very long. The AKASA Eclipse 62 is one of the only chassis which will take these graphics cards. We have also had reports of people having problems with 700W PSUs - so the Tagan approved 900W PSU is the only route to take.

http://www.scan.co.uk/panther/index.asp

Price : £1,408.82 Inc VAT (Old Price: 1,527.49)

When you take in to account the cost of 2 7900GTX XFX Cards [LNLN13687] , the Chassis, the Tagan PSU, and the Motherboard this is a bargain price. £1,408.90 so for the same price as having 2 you now have 4!
 
:drool: :drool: :drool:

God!!! that is AWESOME!!! Imagine gaming on a 30" LCD display and quad SLI!!! WOW!!!! ME WANTEEE! :p
 
Nikhil said:
:drool: :drool: :drool:

God!!! that is AWESOME!!! Imagine gaming on a 30" LCD display and quad SLI!!! WOW!!!! ME WANTEEE! :p
I have seen one of these rigs in action...the LCD suckz...but yeah the gaming was good...:eek:hyeah:
 
Darthcoder said:
Quad SLI System + 4 Cards (Am i rite?) = $6,000 Approx.
$6000 for a graphics card setup???

How the hell can that be Quad :S :S :S

One 7900GX2 card costs 1000$. It has 2 GPUs. So, for quad SLI, you need 2 of these cards.... So, that means 1000 x 2 = 2,000$ :p

What did you mean by 6000 $??? Dont tell me you were calculating the total cost of rig with CPU, mobo, RAM, etc....
 
:drools: I am willing to overlook the stupid Intel proccy in that.

IF I could, I would just rip out the thing and add in an AMD Opty(or FX)+ DFI + Micron -5BD 2 GB RAM.. :p
 
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