Uli Release Generic SLI chip and Epox 1st Release

[maverik-sg1]

OC Workbench review exclusively the new ULI 1697 chipset installed on an EPOX board.

This is a generic multi GPU chipset that allows budget users to benefit from SLI without forking out for an SLI board. Should also be crossfire compatable (unconfirmed at this time).

Sources close to ULi suggest that neither ULI or Nvidia are sharing technologies for the time being. So although the parent compnay of ULI is NVidia the joining is more about numbers (dollars in this case) and closing the door to ATI than it is about joint technolgy ventures.

Anyhow competitive multi GPU for the masses is a good thing IMHO.

It seems performance wise you will lose some performance but nowhere near the losses experienced by NF4 chipset users that do not use the SLI bridge (around 1% compared to 20% for non-bridged NF4). If crossfire works as well then it means there is an option for those not wanting to commit to an ATI/NVIDIA only system.

Of course it's an EPOX Board so volt mods will follow shortly.

Read more here:

http://www.ocworkbench.com/2006/epox/ep-9u1697-j/g1.htm

Retail price for the EPOX board is circa $80 or £65 so fill yer boots

Mav

 

[Vrykyl]

of course on the intel side of the tracks the 955 and 975 chipsets support crossfire and sli... except nvidia decided to lock out intel chipsets in their drivers... Grrrr. If they stop screwing around they could bust into the intel market nicely...seeing as their intel nforce chipset is utter rubbish!!!

 

[boardy]

The new Intel chipset is due for release soon

Sorts the problems with the old ones a treat acording to Custom PC

 

[Vrykyl]

do you mean the 975 chipset? its out already...just waiting for decent mobos to hit now - next intel chipsets due out when conroe arrives in april/may time...