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nVidia certifies SLI parts with added logo stamps |
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Written by Mavke
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Wednesday, 10 November 2004 |
nVidia now certifies SLI parts and systems with its new logo programme. Actually there are two programmes, but they do roughly the same thing from different angles. The first is the SLI Ready program, and it is for parts. It covers graphics cards, motherboards and power supplies. The other one is dubbed "SLI Certified", and it is for complete systems.
 nVidia certifies SLI parts with added logo stamps
The SLI
Ready logo means the component in question was sent to nVidia, and it got some poor
intern who annoyed the wrong person to test them all together. Lots of cross
testing, but in the end, if you go out and buy the logo'd pieces, they should
play well together. That is a good thing.
The SLI Certified
programme is for systems sold complete with SLI rigs in them.
It covers things like having the proper driver preloaded to more esoteric items
like vibration and thermal testing. It's more or less says that if something
says SLI on the
box, it will work when it comes out of said receptacle.
Both programmes
also cover software compatibility, to encourage companies to take advantage of
what SLI brings
to the table. While details are a bit scarce here, I would suspect that if SLI brings more
horsepower or memory space to the table, the software should be able to use it.
It looks like the programme covers systems from the bottom up, the top down, and
anything you would care to put on it.
So, who bought into this mad
scheme? Pretty much everyone who matters in the gaming world, for starters. For
system builders, nVidia lists
19 companies from ABS to
VoodooPC, with all the big
gaming names on the list. Mobo vendors are also represented, with all the high
end players making an appearance. It's the same with graphics card companies,
thirteen are listed. Overall, you should have no problem finding branded SLI toys to play
with.
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