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    ATI combined with Nvidia??? UPDATE: Yes! It's possible!

    Discussion in 'Gaming (Software and Graphics Cards)' started by Han Bao Quan, Sep 23, 2009.

  1. Han Bao Quan

    Han Bao Quan The Assassin

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    Saw it today. I personally think it's quite a revolution if the product does what it claims it can do. I can only imagine what ATI and Nvidia would do with the prices of their GPUs if this comes true.

    http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/23/lucid-hydra-multi-gpu-technology-bears-fruit-could-bring-peace/

    Share your opinions guys.

    UPDATE:
    Here are the reviews, yes's it's possible!
    http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=815
    http://hothardware.com/Articles/Lucid-Hydra-200-MultiGPU-Performance-Revealed/?page=1
     
    Han Bao Quan, Sep 23, 2009
    #1
  2. spookyu

    spookyu NBR Zombie Expert

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    I need to clean out my shorts. That's awesome! It opens up so many possibilities to gamers!
     
    spookyu, Sep 23, 2009
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  3. Necromas

    Necromas Notebook Deity

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    What about getting the drivers to behave together?
     
    Necromas, Sep 23, 2009
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  4. Han Bao Quan

    Han Bao Quan The Assassin

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    That seems to be a matter for now. But soon we will all know.It this does turn out right, it will be awesome indeed.
     
    Han Bao Quan, Sep 23, 2009
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  5. DarkSilver

    DarkSilver MSI Afterburner

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    Nvidia combines with ATi......
    SLI vs CrossFire
    SLI + CrossFire = CrosSLI
    LOL. LOL. LOL.
    Double the taste, double the fun!
     
    DarkSilver, Sep 23, 2009
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  6. ettornio

    ettornio Notebook Deity

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    I don't think it could allow for ATi + Nvidia, but what I think it could allow is for example a GTX 280 to work with say... an 8800 GTX, where the 8800 GTX would not merely be a PhysX card any longer. That's very neat and very handy imo.
     
    ettornio, Sep 23, 2009
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  7. spookyu

    spookyu NBR Zombie Expert

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    Mmmm yeah that does seem more likely.
     
    spookyu, Sep 23, 2009
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  8. Han Bao Quan

    Han Bao Quan The Assassin

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    Han Bao Quan, Nov 11, 2009
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  9. Phinagle

    Phinagle Notebook Prophet

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    Phinagle, Nov 11, 2009
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  10. HTWingNut

    HTWingNut Potato

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    Why no SLIfire?

    That is awesome though! Now it makes me wonder a couple other things. Will you be able to use an ATI display card and a nVidia card for PhysX?

    I also see this as something good for integrated graphics for laptops. If you have an integrated GPU and dedicated GPU, then you could just automatically activate the dedicated GPU for 3D games, and use the power saving integrated one for desktop work.
     
    HTWingNut, Nov 11, 2009
    #10
  11. Han Bao Quan

    Han Bao Quan The Assassin

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    I'm not sure how many GPUs it can support on 1 system. But it looks like it's possible to have to 2 ATIs and 2 Nvidia running at the same time, sweetness!!
     
    Han Bao Quan, Nov 11, 2009
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  12. Amnesiac

    Amnesiac 404

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    A lot of higher end laptops already have that ability, but only with the same manufacturer. NVIDIA Hybrid SLI.
     
    Amnesiac, Nov 12, 2009
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  13. der_mali

    der_mali Weihnachtsmann

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    I'm pretty sure that it's illegal to cripple drivers like this. Someone should just sue Nvidia. Nvidia sells graphics cards and isn't allowed to decide if a user is allowed to stick another card from a competitor in an other slot or not. This is manipulation of the market without technical reasons that would justify this. They better stop this before the EU Commission starts to act :rolleyes:
     
    der_mali, Nov 12, 2009
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  14. ShinJ

    ShinJ Notebook Evangelist

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    techpowerup has a link on how lucid hydra performs and I'm impressed for the performance LOL
     
    ShinJ, Nov 12, 2009
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  15. xarthos

    xarthos Notebook Evangelist

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    Wouldn't this basically be the death of SLI? I mean who cares if they are paired if i can get more bang/performance out of 2 different cards?
     
    xarthos, Nov 12, 2009
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  16. classic77

    classic77 Notebook Evangelist

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    Good point...hadn't thought of that. I wonder if ATI or Nvidia will buy this tech and replace crossfire/SLI with it...
     
    classic77, Nov 12, 2009
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  17. DEagleson

    DEagleson Gamer extraordinaire

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    Bet Nvidia will do some stuff in their drivers to disable them working when they detect this chip, as they did when you had a ATI card in you computer and used the Nvidia card for PhysX.
     
    DEagleson, Nov 12, 2009
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  18. Han Bao Quan

    Han Bao Quan The Assassin

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    That would be a pretty stupid move for Nvidia if they do. I'm sure that if vendors support this Technology more people will go out and buy their stuff.
     
    Han Bao Quan, Nov 12, 2009
    #18
  19. panyihan

    panyihan Notebook Consultant

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    Nvidia just announced that they will ban this combined system..
     
    panyihan, Nov 12, 2009
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  20. weinter

    weinter /dev/null

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    SLI and XFire has never been my thing.
    I mean you pay 2X the money, 2X the electricity however you don't get 2 times the performance, at most 1.5.
    It just doesn't add up...
     
    weinter, Nov 12, 2009
    #20
  21. funky monk

    funky monk Notebook Deity

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    In the next generation of GPU's they will probably be hard wired not to accept cards from other vendors, drivers can be patched hard wiring is much more difficult to get around.

    I don't know what grounds nvidia have though to "ban" using combined systems. There's no way they can enforce it and I don't believe they even have the legal grounds to claim it
     
    funky monk, Nov 12, 2009
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  22. sean473

    sean473 Notebook Prophet

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    money... the root of all evil... Competitions between companies affects the consumer sometimes and this is one time when it does..
     
    sean473, Nov 12, 2009
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  23. Phinagle

    Phinagle Notebook Prophet

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    With Lucid Hydra you get 100% scaling so you do get 2x the performance....that's the real best feature of the chip.
     
    Phinagle, Nov 12, 2009
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  24. Han Bao Quan

    Han Bao Quan The Assassin

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    Well, that's a bummer for them because there are people who can't afford a dual GTX 280s or a Dual ATI 5870. But there quite a few who can afford a 5870 and a 4890, or something similar along that line.
     
    Han Bao Quan, Nov 12, 2009
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  25. apple314159

    apple314159 Notebook Consultant

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    Nvidia can eat me. You can't stop progress. If this technology takes off, and I have a feeling it will, they'll just run themselves into ground if they don't embrace it.

    I'm really impressed with Lucid. To come up with such a revolutionary technology as an unknown, that's something. I'm rooting for them.
     
    apple314159, Nov 12, 2009
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  26. der_mali

    der_mali Weihnachtsmann

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    I see hard times nearing for Nvidia. If Tegra doesn't take off as expected... ATI is getting better and better and refusing such a technology is ignorance and ignorance will lead to nowhere.
     
    der_mali, Nov 12, 2009
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  27. spradhan01

    spradhan01 Notebook Virtuoso

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    Do you think nvidia or Ati will let this happen?
     
    spradhan01, Nov 12, 2009
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  28. der_mali

    der_mali Weihnachtsmann

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    Sure, if Nvidia refuses it :D

    Edit:
    I mean Nvidia already said what they think about it, so...
     
    der_mali, Nov 12, 2009
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  29. Ayle

    Ayle Trailblazer

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    And how exactly are they planning to do that? Through drivers?
     
    Ayle, Nov 12, 2009
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  30. Phinagle

    Phinagle Notebook Prophet

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    Phinagle, Nov 12, 2009
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  31. der_mali

    der_mali Weihnachtsmann

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    That statement says all and nothing at the same time ;)
     
    der_mali, Nov 12, 2009
    #31
  32. Han Bao Quan

    Han Bao Quan The Assassin

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    Well, you bet Nvidia will do something funky.
    I begin to dislike Nvidia now, a little bit.
     
    Han Bao Quan, Nov 13, 2009
    #32
  33. ViciousXUSMC

    ViciousXUSMC Master Viking NBR Reviewer

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    Id trade in my 5870 for two 5850's if this works with eyefinity and is not overpriced.

    This has been in the works for a long time, I remember hearing rumors about it almost 2 years ago.

    I see my next desktop now...

    Hydra mobo (or expansion card if that actually works) a core i9 cpu, two 5850's or a 5970, and 8+ GB of ram...

    Yummy.
     
    ViciousXUSMC, Nov 13, 2009
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  34. Red_Dragon

    Red_Dragon Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    aw man, SLICross?
     
    Red_Dragon, Nov 13, 2009
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  35. Han Bao Quan

    Han Bao Quan The Assassin

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    I don't see why Eyefinity will not work. This only combines the powers of different GPUs, I don't think it touches the features.
     
    Han Bao Quan, Nov 13, 2009
    #35