[Rumor] SLI on Nehalem!

Several rumors are floating around with respect to NVIDIA's plans and options with respect to the upcoming Nehalem platform.
There are at least the following rumors circulating at the present time...

• NVIDIA will enable SLI on X58/Bloomfield boards by the addition of a BR-04 (NF200) PCIe switch/bridge chip.
• NVIDIA has chosen to focus on Lynnfield and ignore Bloomfield.
• NVIDIA has a Quickpath license thus enabling it to build a direct competitor to the X58/Tylersburg chipset (although it may choose not to use this as per the above two points).

Both the first and second option are illustrated architecturally below (click to enlarge)




http://bp3.blogger.com/_kttUtY0Z_zw/SHrzAP_P-KI/AAAAAAAAAX0/INB1znElg9E/s1600-h/bloomfield-nf200.gif











Observations:

What's perhaps most interesting is that NVIDIA may support SLI on Intel boards with the NF200 PCIe bridge/switch for either Bloomfield, Lynnfield, or both and never actually develop a chipset for this architecture. This may be a very good thing for all concerned. While NVIDIA makes excellent graphic cards, their chipsets on Intel platforms have always been riddled with issues. Gaming or 3D benching enthusiasts who want both SLI and the stability or reduced hassle of an Intel chipset may actually be getting what they want.

NVIDIA will still make decent money from "enabling" SLI motherboards as they are rumored to be pricing the NF200 chips at a lofty $30 price point. Keep in mind that a full-fledged chipset will command around $50. So from the NVIDIA accountant's point of view, this looks very attractive... nearly $30 of pure margin from a very simple chip and no R&D costs associated with developing a new chipset.

Intel should also be happy as they won't be competing againts NVIDIA for the enthusiast chipset market and any Intel platform can effectively be enabled with SLI by the motherboard manufacturer simply by designing a variation of their board that includes the NF200 chip.

If these rumors end up being true, it looks to be a Win-Win-Win!

Source - http://www.nehalemnews.com/

That would be absolutely awesome if that happened

yeah, but we loose the power to clock our ram wheverever we want

I'm confused, how do we lose that ability?

intel chipsets use dividers - Nv boards are not bound to them the same way intel boards are.

although it's going to be an on-board controller. i have no idea how that will work.

WOW i see new records set!

Why would you need a new NB to support SLI? It's only drivers as it is now.

It's not a rumor anymore

http://www.vr-zone.com/articles/NVIDIA_Brings_SLI_Support_To_X58_Chipset/5940.html

Intel NB Chipset + SLI compatible = ...do i sense EUPHORIA!

not that i'll ever spend money to get 2 cards anyway. i don't even have a job.

Stilletto said:

Why would you need a new NB to support SLI? It's only drivers as it is now.

Click to expand...

Because nVidia is one hell of a greedy company, just like Intel and Microsoft, and they want to suck all the money they can, even if it complicates new motherboards by forcing them to effectively have two northbridge chips.

petteyg359 said:

Because nVidia is one hell of a greedy company, just like Intel and Microsoft, and they want to suck all the money they can, even if it complicates new motherboards by forcing them to effectively have two northbridge chips.

Click to expand...

I think you misunderstood his post. What Stilleto was saying was that it's not a hardware issue to support SLi on Intel chipsets. Hell I remember reading on DFI street where a guy got SLi to work on a 975X DFI board. It's all in writing the drivers to work with the hardware that's out there.

Rustafur said:

I think you misunderstood his post. What Stilleto was saying was that it's not a hardware issue to support SLi on Intel chipsets. Hell I remember reading on DFI street where a guy got SLi to work on a 975X DFI board. It's all in writing the drivers to work with the hardware that's out there.

Click to expand...

Yes, and that is exactly the same point I made. Those driver hacks are, quite obviously, not official nVidia drivers. nVidia wants you to pay extra to have their hardware to support SLI, rather than removing the nVidia chipset check from their drivers. Read my previous post once more