Extremetech take a look at why
multi-GPU graphics just aren't mature enough for maintream adoption.
This is prompted by AMD's release of the Catalyst 8.3 drivers (Supporting Crossfire X)
Recently, ATI released its Catalyst 8.3 driver update, which is a substantial reboot for AMD's CrossFire multi-GPU solution. Dubbed CrossFire X, AMD is pushing multi-GPU solutions as the future of PC graphics. Our tech analyst Jason Cross has spent some serious quality time with the new drivers, testing them on one, two, three and four GPU configurations.
CrossFire has improved substantially from its inception as a very clunky alternative to Nvidia's SLI (Scalable Link Interface) to the more flexible solution it offers today. If you're interested in AMD's efforts in improving CrossFire, Jason's article is a great read.
Perhaps two graphics cards isn't mainstream, but Dual-GPU setups like the HD 3870X2 will soon be standard, much like Dual-Core CPUs and the soon-to-be Dual-CPU setups like SkullTrail.
Skulltrail won't be mainstream for years.
And the 3870X2 will flop just like the 7950 GX2 flopped.
Most gamers will go for the mid-range x8xx cards with the ones with more cash going for the GTXs and Ultras.
Then when they are starting to lose the edge they had, they buy a second card and SLI/Crossfire them so that they have the punch again.
No matter how much you have the driver spliiting up tasks over the GPUs, it is directly proportional to the overhead generated. The performance gains are marginal, because scheduling a single GPU task over mutliple GPUs requires overhead which almost entirely negates the benefit of that second GPU.
Why won't dual graphics hit mainstream? For one, the resources required (mobo, money, PSU, money, money, etc...). Also for the simple fact that the performance gains will be marginal until truely multi-GPU developed games take off (most likely, to really take advantage, they'd probably not run on a single GPU, therefore, they'd have to wait until more people get dual GPU, chicken and the egg.).
As I see it, multi GPU is stemming from everybody seeing multi CPU. Multiple cores come from the limits of silicon to produce any faster of a non-magnetic based chip. In reality, CPUs do single tasks faster than we ever need. If you run an OS that truely supports multiple cores (Linux 2.2x+, Windows Vista or Server 2008, and Mac OS X 10.4+), the cores will speed up general performance, as individual tasks (there are many), can be handled. If you run Pre-SP3 (not out publicly yet) Xp, for instance, at the very least, multitasking becomes faster and more responsive.
For single applications to utilize multiple CPUs, it becomes are real ***** to program for, at times, when you want an entire workflow done in a thread, doing it in multiple can be a challenging thing to accomplish. GPUs, with the work needed to do tasks, while it can be done, it's a difficult task, and most splits won't really utilize both cores until further down the road.
And the 3870X2 will flop just like the 7950 GX2 flopped.
IT WAS AN EXAMPLE...
