RancidLunchmeat
Veteran
Nice analysis Walt, and I can't disagree to heavily.
I will however say this: ATI sure scrambled in a hurry to get Crossfire to market after their anti-sli FUD didn't accomplish anything.
Did they spend all that time and R&D funding simply as a marketing expense? (Because sli/crossfire are irrelevant financially according to your theory, so they got involved in this niche solely for the purpose of bragging rights.)
I agree that if my mobo already had multiple PCIx16 slots then I'd be far more likely to play either nVidia's or ATI's little multiple GPU games.
Then again, the reason why I haven't upgraded is because I don't see the need. Now, if there were peripherals other than GPUs that used/required PCIx16 slots (or PCIx8 slots), then I might upgrade and then I might buy a dual PCIx16 motherboard. Because then I might run SLI or Crossfire, or I might run a single card in one slot and a super nacho cheese dispensor in the other.
I will however say this: ATI sure scrambled in a hurry to get Crossfire to market after their anti-sli FUD didn't accomplish anything.
Did they spend all that time and R&D funding simply as a marketing expense? (Because sli/crossfire are irrelevant financially according to your theory, so they got involved in this niche solely for the purpose of bragging rights.)
I agree that if my mobo already had multiple PCIx16 slots then I'd be far more likely to play either nVidia's or ATI's little multiple GPU games.
Then again, the reason why I haven't upgraded is because I don't see the need. Now, if there were peripherals other than GPUs that used/required PCIx16 slots (or PCIx8 slots), then I might upgrade and then I might buy a dual PCIx16 motherboard. Because then I might run SLI or Crossfire, or I might run a single card in one slot and a super nacho cheese dispensor in the other.