1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

News AMD points to multi-GPU advances in Mantle, DX12

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by Gareth Halfacree, 3 Feb 2015.

  1. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

    Joined:
    4 Dec 2007
    Posts:
    17,383
    Likes Received:
    7,225
  2. DbD

    DbD Minimodder

    Joined:
    13 Dec 2007
    Posts:
    519
    Likes Received:
    14
    This is marketing fluff. You can't share memory between the gpu's, so each card still needs all the resources in memory which for any game is basically the same stuff (textures, etc). Just cause you can theoretically put some stuff in only one gpu's memory and not the other doesn't make it useful most of the time.

    Even if you could find some use for this and lets say it gave a 5% performance boost which games company is going to bother coding and maintaining this? Exactly what % of their customer base would benefit - the numbers using mantle enabled cards in Xfire is a tiny % of the number that could buy the game. Then you've got to think of that tiny group how many wouldn't have bothered buying the game but now will buy it cause it runs 5% faster on their Xfire setup? The extra money they'd generate by doing this is insignificant and certainly doesn't come close to the costs of implementing and maintaining it.
     
  3. IanW

    IanW Grumpy Old Git

    Joined:
    2 Aug 2003
    Posts:
    9,490
    Likes Received:
    3,049
    This reads to me like a return to 3dfx's original definition of SLI, where GPU A draws all the odd-numbered lines, and GPU B draws the even ones.
     
  4. andrew8200m

    andrew8200m Multimodder

    Joined:
    4 May 2009
    Posts:
    2,672
    Likes Received:
    321
    Indeed as I thought too. This halves the amount of pixels that are required per frame in essence halving the vram requirement and giving the same effect as doubling the vram available per pixel rendered.

    Will be interesting to see the end result I think
     
    Last edited: 3 Feb 2015
  5. Parge

    Parge the worst Super Moderator

    Joined:
    16 Jul 2010
    Posts:
    13,029
    Likes Received:
    619
    Carmack has talked about doing this for Oculus Rift. From what he said its brilliant if your displays refresh rate is high enough.
     
  6. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

    Joined:
    4 Dec 2007
    Posts:
    17,383
    Likes Received:
    7,225
    Ahem:
    ;)
     
  7. andrew8200m

    andrew8200m Multimodder

    Joined:
    4 May 2009
    Posts:
    2,672
    Likes Received:
    321
    Its funny because I missed that entire last bit off :D
     
  8. rollo

    rollo Modder

    Joined:
    16 May 2008
    Posts:
    7,887
    Likes Received:
    131
    Also had major flaws if the game was not coded for it from the ground up. High display refresh rate was also more cheaper and available in the time when 3dfx did it.

    These days a 120hz display from a decent manufacture will cost a decent chunk of cash. Or you can pick up the same size screen with 60hz for half the cash in most cases from the same manufacture.

    Also issues with 4k as it can bearly drive a 60hz panel let alone a 120hz one. Even 2 980s are not enough for 60fps in most modern games without sacrafices.
     
  9. fellix_bg

    fellix_bg What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    21 Sep 2005
    Posts:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    3Dfx's SLI technology actually duplicated the texture data for every card in the system. Only the frame-buffer content was unique and thus could render at higher resolution without performance drop. Data duplication is the default mode for every unmanaged remote/split-memory system out there.
     
  10. IanW

    IanW Grumpy Old Git

    Joined:
    2 Aug 2003
    Posts:
    9,490
    Likes Received:
    3,049
    In my defence, I claim lack of caffeine :duh:
     
  11. forum_user

    forum_user forum_title

    Joined:
    4 Jan 2012
    Posts:
    511
    Likes Received:
    3

Share This Page