Nvidia says you need an SLI motherboard to support dual- and quad-Nvidia graphics. But will a cheaper mobo from Epox do the job that isn't SLI certified?
The reasonably priced 9U1697 GLI from Epox doesn't necessarily mean having to sacrifice "SLI like" performance, even though BIOS upgrades and finding the latest drivers can be painful. Nvidia has been quite forthcoming in its support for SLI, giving title publishers consent to release software specific game profiles. Each version release incorporates syntax that is specific to the software with newer versions leading to increased compatibility with a larger list of titles.
The Epox board is not SLI approved (Epox refers to its incarnation as GLI) and currently, using hacked drivers for the board, only takes you so far. The ULi Power Express Engine Driver 1006 allows activation of SLI according to the Forceware driver version 81.98 (released February 7, 2006). As of the date of our testing, newer revisions of the drivers did not work, which can create potential compatibility headache and loss of dual GPU support with newer games. It's important to note that our tests were carried out using the latest GLI hack. You will have to look for newer releases to find support for your applications.
Tom's Hardware Guide
The reasonably priced 9U1697 GLI from Epox doesn't necessarily mean having to sacrifice "SLI like" performance, even though BIOS upgrades and finding the latest drivers can be painful. Nvidia has been quite forthcoming in its support for SLI, giving title publishers consent to release software specific game profiles. Each version release incorporates syntax that is specific to the software with newer versions leading to increased compatibility with a larger list of titles.
The Epox board is not SLI approved (Epox refers to its incarnation as GLI) and currently, using hacked drivers for the board, only takes you so far. The ULi Power Express Engine Driver 1006 allows activation of SLI according to the Forceware driver version 81.98 (released February 7, 2006). As of the date of our testing, newer revisions of the drivers did not work, which can create potential compatibility headache and loss of dual GPU support with newer games. It's important to note that our tests were carried out using the latest GLI hack. You will have to look for newer releases to find support for your applications.
Tom's Hardware Guide
