What Was the Last Card with SLI?
SLI (Scalable Link Interface) was a multi-GPU technology developed by NVIDIA, allowing users to use multiple graphics cards in one system to increase performance. However, in 2020, NVIDIA announced that they would no longer be supporting SLI, effectively ending its development. But what was the last card with SLI?
The Demise of SLI
NVIDIA’s decision to discontinue SLI came as a surprise to many, as the technology had been a staple of their product lineup for over a decade. The company cited a shift in market demand and the increasing cost of developing and maintaining multi-GPU support as reasons for the decision.
The Last Cards with SLI
The last cards that supported SLI were released in the RTX 30 series, specifically the RTX 3060, RTX 3070, RTX 3080, and RTX 3090. These cards were the only ones in the RTX 30 series to come with SLI support. However, it’s important to note that not all configurations of these cards had SLI support.
- RTX 3090: The top-end card in the RTX 30 series, with 24 GB of GDDR6X memory. Only the high-end configuration of the RTX 3090 supports SLI.
- RTX 3080: A high-end gaming card with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory. Some, but not all, configurations of the RTX 3080 support SLI.
- RTX 3070: A mid-range gaming card with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory. Some, but not all, configurations of the RTX 3070 support SLI.
- RTX 3060: A budget-friendly card with 6 GB of GDDR6 memory. Some, but not all, configurations of the RTX 3060 support SLI.
It’s worth noting that these cards were released in two configurations: SLI-enabled and non-SLI-enabled. The SLI-enabled versions of these cards came with additional hardware and software optimizations to support multi-GPU configurations.
What Came After SLI?
After discontinuing SLI, NVIDIA shifted its focus to other technologies, such as DLSS 3 (Deep Learning Super Sampling) and RTX Multi-Frame Sampled Anti-Aliasing (MFAA). These technologies allowed for improved performance and reduced the need for multi-GPU configurations.
Summary
In conclusion, the last cards with SLI were the RTX 3060, RTX 3070, RTX 3080, and RTX 3090, released in 2020. These cards were the only ones in the RTX 30 series to come with SLI support, and some configurations of these cards also supported SLI. Unfortunately, SLI is now a thing of the past, and NVIDIA has focused on other technologies to improve gaming performance.
Recommended Reading
- Understanding SLI: A deep dive into the technology of SLI and how it works.
- Choosing the Right GPU: Tips and tricks for selecting the right graphics card for your gaming needs.
- NVIDIA’s Future Direction: An analysis of what’s next for NVIDIA after the discontinuation of SLI.