Nvidia boosts graphics on Intel i7, preps integrated chip

Update on August 28 at 3:30 p.m. with comments on SLI and AMD-ATI

Nvidia is extending its support for Intel's upcoming Core i7 processors while it prepares to announce next-generation integrated graphics silicon.

The announcement marks an effort to expand Nvidia offerings on Intel's next high-end desktop platform, which had previously been referred to as "Bloomfield." Intel branded it Core i7 prior to the company's developer forum last week. Nvidia has already said that it has no intention to build a chipset for Intel's next-generation interconnect technology called QuickPath Interconnect or QPI, which is part of the i7 design.

Nvidia said Thursday that it will license its Scalable Link Interface (SLI) technology for Intel's Core i7 processor. Nvidia's technology will work in tandem with Intel's X58 chipset, the supporting silicon for the Core i7, which is due to ship in volume in the fourth quarter.

SLI allows systems to be configured with multiple graphics boards. So, for example, system builders and users can build systems with two, three, or four Nvidia boards.

In essence, Nvidia is offering what it calls "native" licensing of SLI to its partners and system builders. Native licensing will not require the use of Nvidia's nForce 200 bridge chip and thereby the company hopes to broaden the range of its graphics offerings on i7-based PCs.

To date, Nvidia has only offered nForce 200, "which is basically an SLI chip that acts like a PCI Express bridge. That's been the only solution and that's been a very high-end solution. We'll continue to offer this," said Tom Peterson, director of Technical Marketing for MCP production at Nvidia.

PCI, or peripheral component interface, is the most common interface inside a PC for add-in boards.

Nvidia diagram shows supported configurations for Intel "Bloomfield" Core i7 processor and X58 chipset: x8 and x16 refer to the number of PCI "lanes." Generally, the more lanes, the higher the performance.

(Credit: Nvidia)

The distinction between native and nForce 200 is that native SLI "allows for more common configurations," said Bryan Del Rizzo, an Nvidia spokesman.

One source at a U.S.-based PC maker said that Nvidia was losing ground to AMD-ATI by not bringing out an SLI solution that could appeal to more system builders and users, especially with Intel's Core i7 on the horizon.

"It's something that customers have been asking us for a long time and actually a big change for Nvidia," Peterson said.

Nvidia will certify partner circuit boards in its Santa Clara, Calif., certification lab, Peterson said. Certification is required to enable SLI.

On another front, Nvidia will announce a new high-performance "motherboard GPU" in the coming weeks. This will be a follow-on to its GeForce 8200 mGPU, which is an integrated graphics chipset for desktop PCs that use Intel processors.

The upcoming mGPU will compete with the Intel G45 integrated graphics chipset.

[fdunn3]

It appears that NVidia's chip will only serve 32 PCIe lanes in any configuratuon which for most desktops will be fine but what about the serious workstation systems where you need 2 full PCIe 2.0 16x lanes AND at least 4 to 8 PCIe lanes for RAID?

As always Intel is not quite getting the full picture.

I am glad that they are finally partnering with a Graphics company as Intel does not have a stellar history with Graphics as a matter of fact the quote in the article:
"The upcoming mGPU will compete with the Intel G45 integrated graphics chipset."

I am unaware of NVidia's specs for their mGPU but Intel's graphics should not be compared to anything more than an "Etch a Sketch". Granted they are moving forward but not at the same pace as the rest of the industry.

Also Intel tends to depend on System RAM for video memory...STOP THAT! Not only does it bog down the bus but it is slow as molasses in winter. If you are going to integrate graphics then give it a dedicated bus for video memory, not system memory.

If Nvidia's mGPU is a hybrid or also uses system memory in any way then why waste the time? Having so many cores in a GPU that can't get to memory fast enough is just a waste.

One option is to use an AMD/ATI solution but Intel Execs would not do that even though it would probably be a better solution.

[The1egend]

There are a few events that preceded this that could have called for this departure in strategy for Nvidia. The new technology presented at IDF by Lucid, which allows for any two (or more) graphics cards from the same manufactorer (think Nvidia vs ATI, not necessarily OCZ vs. eVGA), to be put together and get linear scaling in frame rates. This small company that Intel invested 50 million into, could pay great dividends if that technology pans out and comes even close to their claims. Also all of the rumors of Nvidia wanting to get out of the chipset business are of importance as they have not produced a chipset that is of the quality that Intel can put out. They got into the market to promote SLI, and if they can achieve that by other means than creating their own chipset than why not. SLI is apparently only a driver enabled feature as well, so the investment in driver writing should be very attractive. This gives Nvidia the option to continue to allow Intel to use their SLI technology, and/or continue to make their own chipsets. Win/Win?
Of course, this is all just my theory.