I
s the CPU more important than the GPU?
Until now, that’s been a topic more suitable
for Usenet groups, but this fall, consumers in
the market for über rigs might actually be forced
to choose between Intel’s next-generation
Nehalem CPU and Nvidia’s SLI.
Although Intel and Nvidia won’t
comment on whether SLI
support will be off ered in
Intel’s upcoming Tylers-
burg performance chip-
set or a new Nehalem
nForce chipset, a half-
dozen PC builders that
Maximum PC spoke with
told us not to expect SLI
when Nehalem launches.
“[This situation] really
hurts us,” said one vendor, who asked to remain
anonymous. “If someone wants a Nehalem with
two SLI cards, we can’t do it. It kind of sucks for
system integrators.”
The ultimate fear for PC builders is thatwhen faced with a choice, consumers won’t buy
anything. With both companies tossing stink gre-
nades at each other, many OEMs believe that it’s
not just “coopetition” between Intel and Nvidia,
but outright World War III, with enthusiasts
caught in the middle.
SLI was originally developed on an Intel
chipset, but Nvidia has never supported
Intel desktop chipsets with SLI. Nvidia cites
validation issues as the reason, but most
observers believe it’s more of a business
decision: Nvidia wants enthusiasts to buy
its own nForce SLI chipsets. Which is what
anyone who wants Intel and SLI has done.
That won’t work with Nehalem, which isincompatible with existing motherboards.
When asked about SLI with Nehalem, Intel
spokesman Daniel Snyder said, “Tylersburg
will work mechanically and electrically with
multiple graphics card solutions.” He added
that AMD plans to fully support the
Nehalem platform with CrossFire
X and other vendors could as well
if they wanted to. But does Nvidia
even have a license to build for
Nehalem? Snyder said he could not
comment on licensing issues.
Snyder also downplayed any animosity
between the two companies. At the end of the
day, both companies are constantly cooper-
ating on platforms such as Skulltrail, which
supports CrossFire and SLI, he
said. He admitted that fl ames
were fanned when a contract
employee at a trade show said
that discrete graphics would
“probably not” be necessary in
the future, but that’s not Intel’s offi cial position.
“We completely expect discrete high-end
graphics to be around for the foreseeable future,”
said Snyder.Nvidia offi cials also seem to be ratcheting
back the hot talk and said that to describe the
situation as World War III is to sensationalize
it. “We don’t hate Intel,” said Nvidia spokes-
man Brian Burke. “They are experts in the x
architecture and they’re the leader in the CPU.
But they’re not experts in graphics and they’re
not the leaders in graphics.”
Like Snyder, Burke would not comment on
future products but insisted that Nvidia has a
license to build chipsets for Nehalem. But what
about fl ipping a switch to allow SLI to run on
Intel’s Nehalem chipset at launch?
According to Burke, “SLI is not just plug-
ging in two boards, that’s not what SLI is.
CossFire may be that, but we view SLI as the
experience and the brand,
and we want to protect our
brand with an ecosystem that
works.” He added that how
the GPUs interact with the
chipset is a very important
part of the equation, so Nvidia’s plans to sup-
port SLI through an nForce chipset.
In other words, if you want SLI with Intel’s
next-gen CPU, you’ll have to wait and see.Until now, that’s been a topic more suitable
for Usenet groups, but this fall, consumers in
the market for über rigs might actually be forced the market for über rigs might actually be forced
to choose between Intel’s next-generation
Nehalem CPU and Nvidia’s SLI.
Although Intel and Nvidia won’t
comment on whether SLI
support will be off ered inhurts us,” said one vendor, who asked to remain
anonymous. “If someone wants a Nehalem withincompatible with existing motherboards. incompatible with existing motherboards. incompatible with existing motherboards.THE NEWS
Thinking about SLI with Intel’s next-generation CPU?
Forget about it –GORDON MAH UNG
Intel, Nvidia Feud Could Leave
THE NEWS
Intel, Nvidia Feud Could Leave
THE NEWS
PC Enthusiasts WantingPC Enthusiasts WantingPC Enthusiasts Wanting
08 | MAXIMUMPC | AUG 08 | http://www.maximumpc.com
NVIDIA WANTS ENTHUSIASTS
TO BUY ITS OWN
NFORCE SLI CHIPSETS.QUICKSTART^
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