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Title: CrossFireX & Hybrid Graphics on the horizon
Description: With Catalyst 8.3 which is expected out this month, ATI will launch CrossFireX, which will enable combining the power of 3 or 4 GPUs as well as releasing Hybrid Graphics, AMD’s graphic division’s response to Nvidia’s Hybrid SLI.


One interesting point is that many combinations seem possible, the one condition being the use of Radeon HD 3800s (X2). Therefore, a Radeon HD 3850 can be relayed to a Radeon HD 3870 X2 in CrossFireX for three GPUs just like it’s possible to use two Radeon HD 3870 X2s or four Radeon HD 3800s in the framework of a four GPU CrossFireX configuration.

On the software side, things currently appear more complex because at first only DirectX 9 applications will be entirely supported, DirectX 10 games will only be partially and those using OpenGL not at all. In addition, CrossFireX is only possible in Windows Vista.


Note that ATI seems to be encountering difficulties in developing multi-GPU drivers with this OS and we should also remember that Microsoft has already published two patches enabling CrossFire and SLI to function correctly in Vista. Moreover, the creator of the Radeon had the good idea of integrating a system that prevents performances from dropping when they are lower with a supplementary GPU by deactivating it.

Multi-screen support should also be improved because it is no longer necessary to deactivate CrossFire as is currently the case. Finally, with the Service Pack 1 for Windows Vista which is expected out in mid-March, the Canadian company takes this occasion to remind us that its drivers are finally ready for DirectX 10.1.

So in short, there are a lot of promises ATI will have to keep if they want to remain competitive with Nvidia, which according to the latest news, is still planning on launching Quad SLI the 18th of this month.
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