Alienware Video Array Benchies

[splenda20]

All I can say is "WOW"
100% improvement in some titles, and an average of 77%

The only link I've seen so far is this <A HREF="http://www.tomshardware.com/hardnews/20040618_201209.html" target="_new">one</A>
I'll try to add more as I find them.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Yeah, JackTheStripper got that in <A HREF="http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=399857#399857" target="_new">the original thread</A>.

But it'd be nice to get some Benchies from someone like [H], Lars, Digit-Life, Xbit, etc.

I just wonder how well it performs in person. I wonder if you'll be able to take screenies using the usual tools with it's only painting half the screen on seperate cards.


- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! - <font color=green>RED </font color=green> <font color=red> GREEN</font color=red> GA to SK

 

[Vapor]

I only hope that this technology comes to the rest of the market...I would hate to have Alienware being the exclusive maker of the best computers. I want to build my own system and OC the bejeezes out of both cards and the CPUs!!!

Once they get the patents, we should start seeing Asus and such making equipped boards (I hope).

Either way, I want one!! (so long as I can still run dual monitors)

Maxtor disgraces the six letters that make Matrox.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Well you know those GF6800PCI-EX pictures we've been seeing around.

There's that MYSTERY connector at the TOP of the cards. Does that look familiar to anyone else? I don't remember who had a closup shot, but <A HREF="http://img.hexus.net/v2/processors/intel/lga775/platformlaunch/images/6800pcieagp_big.jpg" target="_new">look at this picture</A> and look opposite the PCI-EX connector above the HSF hole and see the connector at the top. Granted I may be barking up the wrong tree, but it looks like a card to card link point to me, or something for the Cinema Series.

I have a feeling that nV is going to link together their PCI-EX cards, and thus allow it to be done with any board.

We shall see. I would also hope that those PCI-EX + AGP boards allow you to still use both cards, and thus have the PCI-EX drive the main monitor, and something like the R9600 drive the surround monitors. We shall see. 2 Cards driving one monitor doesn't impress me as much as 2 cards driving 3+ monitors.


- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! - <font color=green>RED </font color=green> <font color=red> GREEN</font color=red> GA to SK

 

[Vapor]

HOLY [-peep-]!!!! I didn't notice that. I think you're onto something... I just want it to be on more than the 6800.

Chances are there is something really boring that it is actually used for...like video in connector to a breakout box.

Time will tell hopefully.

Maxtor disgraces the six letters that make Matrox.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Yeah, I'm not sure, that's why I mention the Cinema Series, but who knows. IT doesn't make sense to put it there if you're feeding it to somewhere else in the computer. I would've put it further back like that found on the X800 series.

However nV has in the past put their connetors on the occuppied PCI slot plate next to the card, so who knows. Even having a seperate Cinema assembly (like an HD-TV Wonder kind of thing) would be nice so that you can get one for your GF6800 now, and keep it for the NV50, etc.

Who knows, it'll be interesting if they do offer the synched card route though. That wasn't even hinted at sofar.

Saw <A HREF="http://www.darkcrow.co.kr/image/news/0405/NV40GL01.jpg" target="_new">THIS QUADRO 4000</A> at DarkCrow, and noticed it too has a connector in that general region, not sure if it would do the same thing, board design wouldn't have to follow. Anyways, just another thing for us to ponder along with the utility of all these 'Future-Features'.

- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! - <font color=green>RED </font color=green> <font color=red> GREEN</font color=red> GA to SK
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by TheGreatGrapeApe on 06/21/04 03:16 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[cefoskey]

Id think there would be more pins, as the amound of data traveling between the cards would be huge.

Didnt the Voodoo cards use a big ol ribbon cable?

"Who is General Failure, and why is he reading my drive?"
P4 3.0 HT, Intel D865GBF, 512MB Crucial PC3200 DDR, WD 36GB Raptor 10,000RPM, BBA Radeon 9600PRO, SB Audigy, Hauppage WinTV

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

All you have to do really is to SYNC the cards, and think about the size of a PCI-EX slot which handles FAR more data than 2 ULTRA ATA ribbon cables. Hey even regular SATA handles more data and is a similar sized connector.

It depends on how they do it. Simply dividing the workload and having the cards sync up wouldn't require much in the way of data. Anywhoo it's just a guess as to the utility of that tab.


- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! - <font color=green>RED </font color=green> <font color=red> GREEN</font color=red> GA to SK

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

DANG!

Well <A HREF="http://world.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=de_en&url=http://www.computerbase.de/news/hardware/grafikkarten/nvidia/2004/juni/port_nv45_diagnosezwecken/" target="_new">according to Computer Base</A> it appears that I wasn't the only one thnking this, and it appears we were wrong (or so the story goes).

They say it's simply an engineering sample facet used for testing.

Translated news bit;
<A HREF="http://world.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=de_en&url=http://www.computerbase.de/news/hardware/grafikkarten/nvidia/2004/juni/port_nv45_diagnosezwecken/" target="_new">http://world.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=de_en&url=http://www.computerbase.de/news/hardware/grafikkarten/nvidia/2004/juni/port_nv45_diagnosezwecken/</A>


- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! - <font color=green>RED </font color=green> <font color=red> GREEN</font color=red> GA to SK

 

[Vapor]

So that connector is just used to test the freakin' card?! Über-lame if you ask me.

It could have at least been 3D eyewear or HDTV (although we were all hoping for it to be a connector to a second card)...BUT NO.

Now I gotta go rethink my next computer system.

<font color=red>Note to any engineers from a major motherboard company reading this: GET ON YOUR F*CKING HORSE AND FIGURE THIS SH!T OUT</font color=red>--I would hate for Alienware systems to be the exclusive powerhouse PCs.

There, I feel better now (actually, not at all).

Maxtor disgraces the six letters that make Matrox.

 

[cefoskey]

Hey GGA, you were right!

I dont know if you saw this or not...

<A HREF="http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20040628/images/nvsli1.jpg" target="_new">http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20040628/images/nvsli1.jpg</A>

Theres your connector for dual cards...in use!

"Who is General Failure, and why is he reading my drive?"
P4 3.0 HT, Intel D865GBF, 512MB Crucial PC3200 DDR, WD 36GB Raptor 10,000RPM, BBA Radeon 9600PRO, SB Audigy, Hauppage WinTV