Tech Shout!

Nvidia has introduced the industry’s pioneering hybrid technology for PC platforms, called Hybrid SLI, which tackles two significant issues, namely enhancing graphics performance and secondly decreasing power consumption. Nvidia’s new Hybrid SLI technology will be bundled into a wide range of graphics and motherboard desktop and notebook products that Nvidia is announcing for the AMD as well as Intel desktop and notebook computing platforms all through the year 2008.

Jen-Hsun Huang, CEO of Nvidia said, “From the introduction of programmable GPUs to the rapid adoption of our multi-GPU SLI technology, Nvidia has repeatedly pioneered and innovated to solve difficult problems for the industry. We believe Hybrid SLI technology is one of the most important innovations we’ve come up with to date.” Adding, “Hybrid SLI delivers new multi-GPU technology to a large segment of the PC market, delivering consumers a level of PC graphics performance and power efficiency never before seen.”

The Nvidia Hybrid SLI technology, which was first revealed about in June last year, is based on the GPU inventor’s market-leading GeForce graphics processor units (GPUs) and SLI multi-GPU technology. Hybrid SLI makes it possible for Nvidia motherboard GPUs (mGPUs) to work cohesively with distinct Nvidia GPUs (dGPUs) when paired in the same PC platform. Hybrid SLI offers two new technologies— GeForce Boost and HybridPower—that enable the PC to deliver graphics performance for the present day’s applications and games when 3D graphics horsepower is required, or transition to a lower-powered operating state when not.

In order to maintain lower energy consumption and quieter PC operation, HybridPower enables the PC to switch processing from a single GPU or multiple GPUs in SLI configuration to the onboard motherboard GPU. HybridPower is most helpful in situations where graphics horsepower is not required, such as high definition movie playback on a notebook platform or simple e-mail or Internet browsing on a desktop. In addition, it is also advantageous for users who want a quiet operating state with reduced thermals and noise. For notebooks, HybridPower can also radically extend battery life by up to 3 hours. When a game or application is started that requires the additional 3D horsepower, the PC can automatically transition back to the discrete graphics cards and power up the 3D capabilities all transparent to the end user.

For applications where 3D performance is necessary, GeForce Boost turbo-charges 3D operation by merging the processing power of the conventional Nvidia GeForce-based graphics card with that of the second GPU integrated into the motherboard core logic. In the case of media-rich applications, both GPUs work together to deliver combined images with the end user benefiting from the increase in performance and frame rate. For typical games and 3D applications, GeForce Boost can kick in automatically, resulting in a greatly improved consumer experience.

The new Hybrid SLI-capable products slated for 2008 include the forthcoming Nvidia nForce 780a SLI, nForce 750a SLI, and nForce 730a media and communication processors (MCPs) for AMD CPUs, which will be launched next month, along with the new GeForce 8200, which is industry’s first micro-ATX motherboard solution with an onboard Microsoft DirectX 10-compliant motherboard GPU. Nvidia Hybrid SLI notebooks as well as desktop products designed for Intel CPUs will be available next quarter.