When the world was introduced to the idea of SLI and multiple GPUs connected to create one unit, it showed obvious potential. An abbreviation of Scalable Link Interface, SLI is an NVIDIA technology designed to combine resources from two graphics cards and utilize them as a single GPU. This technology originally debuted in the mid-2000s to a lukewarm reception and continued in the same vein. As such, we can’t help but feel disheartened.
The Rise and Fall of SLI
Firstly, in order to function, SLI needed two identical GPUs running side-by-side. As such, they were severely limited in the way that frames were rendered, often using a technique called alternate frame rendering in which one GPU would render every odd frame, and the other renders every even frame. Having been outperformed by NVLink, SLI was quickly considered an obsolete technology. It also introduced NVLink Bridge, which substantially outperformed the SLI bridge.
Although those days are behind us, this question was asked for a reason. We can but, considering more recent technological advances, there’s no need to do so. It’s time to admit that SLI just isn’t it. To be honest, we should have admitted that five years ago, but very few did.
Games That Shine with SLI
There are numerous games that officially support SLI. Almost any AAA title released in the past decade will likely slap on the SLI support label. We need to explain that this is not a list of the top SLI-supported games.
Crossfire SLI in 2024: Is It Still Worth It? | TheMVP
Grand Theft Auto V
Rockstar Games has been at the forefront of the video gaming world for the past twenty years. Despite not being a game with groundbreaking graphics, GTA V has still been able to withstand the test of time and is currently among the most celebrated games. GTA V is the first game on this list because it’s probably one of the finest executions of SLI technology.
Read also: PlayStation Portal Cloud Streaming Guide
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
CD Projekt Red was working on a tighter budget when they released the original Witcher, but that didn’t prevent the game from having some stunning visuals. Indeed, by the time the second installment was released, they had everything figured out. It’s safe to say that, with The Witcher 3, they knocked it out of the park, in terms of both gameplay and graphics. Although it is a 2015 game, it’s still held in high esteem in terms of graphics. This game is part of an iconic series.
Crysis 3
The way Crysis 3 has implemented support for SLI makes it look like magic. On release, the groundbreaking game mechanics and modes weren’t the only things at an excellent standard. The game will actually run better with dual GTX 1070 Tis than with two GTX 1080 Tis.
For Honor
There’s no need for superlatives; it’s enough to simply say that this is a truly remarkable game. As a game with extensive multiplayer options, every frame gained can be considered an advantage and For Honor has undeniably met multi-GPU enthusiasts’ expectations.
SLI: When More Isn't Always Better
The existence of sections like this is probably the largest indication that SLI is dead and buried. In this section, we have listed games where there have actually been reports of a frame rate decline.
Fallout 4
This long-awaited sequel in the highly acclaimed Fallout series didn’t enjoy as positive a reception as we had hoped for.
Read also: Steam Games for Mac
Online Shooters
In most cases, to have a multiplayer game that doesn’t take full advantage of the accessible resources is borderline criminal. Another online shooter that doesn’t improve with more GPUs.
SLI Performance Comparison
This series has always been stunning to look at but also demanding to run, and its fifth installment is no different. Below is a side-by-side comparison of the in-game benchmark being performed with one and two graphics processing units.
| Game | Single GPU | Dual GPU (SLI) |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Theft Auto V | Average FPS: [Value] | Average FPS: [Value] |
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | Average FPS: [Value] | Average FPS: [Value] |
| Crysis 3 | Average FPS: [Value] | Average FPS: [Value] |
| For Honor | Average FPS: [Value] | Average FPS: [Value] |
Read also: Wii U Game Compatibility
tags: #sli #compatible #games