Next Intel X58 board to have Hydra graphics?

Peter G. 19 Dec, 2008 at 10:23pm ET Article published in Tech

The rumour mill is in full effect today with reports that Intel’s next X58 ‘Smackover’ motherboard will feature Lucid’s Hydra graphics chip. The Hydra allows users to mix-and-match ATI and NVIDIA video cards to their heart’s delight with no real downfall. By using Hydra instead of SLI or Crossfire, people should see better scaling over multi-card setups. If the rumours are even half-true, Intel could have the Next Big Thing on the motherboard market.

Comments

19 Dec 2008 ~ 10:54pm Garg I don't think you can mix and max ATI and Nvidia together, since they use different drivers. But mixing any two from the same make would still be awesome. Imagine upgrading your card, but your old one still helps out (and for more than just PhysX). I'm glad to see that the Hydra chip might actually get used.
19 Dec 2008 ~ 11:19pm BuddyJ You're correct. You've gotta have the same drivers for both cards. Cool thing is, you get all the performance of having both cards instead of just a 40 percent increase or whatever it is you get now. With Hydra, double cards should roughly mean double performance.
19 Dec 2008 ~ 11:34pm Leonardo

With Hydra, double cards should roughly mean double performance.

Maybe under some usages, but I find that hard to believe as a general statement. Neither Crossfire nor SLI have come even close to doubling performance with anything but a few, very few narrow focus applications - a few game titles.

Nonetheless, this does look to be a big step.
19 Dec 2008 ~ 11:38pm Thrax It's true. Hydra scaling is very close to linear. We linked to this in Aug. '08.
19 Dec 2008 ~ 11:48pm BuddyJ Leo, from Hydra's website:

Scalability
The HYDRA supports up to four GPUs so a user can choose the price and performance level of the graphics platform. The platform performance will improve in a linear proportion to the number of GPUs installed.

I've seen some preliminary benchmarks but can't seem to find them. This article does a pretty good job explaining why Crossfire and SLI don't have as big of performance gains as Hydra.

Also, Hydra can handle up to 4 cards. Imagine 4 HD 4870 X2s in a Hydra setup!
19 Dec 2008 ~ 11:52pm Leonardo Wow, that very well could be "the next big thing." If early tests are accurate, that completely outclasses SLI or Crossfire.
20 Dec 2008 ~ 12:10am Komete I remember reading about this a while back. Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't even two 4850's or even a lesser card running on hydra out perform 1 4870x2 by a healthy margin? This would make the 300 motherboard price almost worth it.
20 Dec 2008 ~ 12:17am BuddyJ Yep. Two 4850s should run circles around a single 4870 X2 on a Hydra board.
20 Dec 2008 ~ 1:35am Garg I wonder how long it'll be before Nvidia or ATI come up with better load sharing methods so that SLI/Crossfire scale better. Maybe this will light a fire under them.
20 Dec 2008 ~ 2:49am mas0n Wonderful.
20 Dec 2008 ~ 8:54pm Leonardo

I wonder how long it'll be before Nvidia or ATI come up with better load sharing methods so that SLI/Crossfire scale better.

Now that Hydra appears to be reality right around the corner, I think Nvidia and ATI will be scrambling to improve their tech.
20 Dec 2008 ~ 9:26pm Snarkasm I'm pumped. I think I'll delay my inevitable upgrade until we hear more about this here.
21 Dec 2008 ~ 12:40pm Your-Amish-Daddy Hydra's gonna deliver. It's RISC.
22 Dec 2008 ~ 8:39am MiracleManS If this is coming out in the near future, I'll also wait to build a new system.
23 Dec 2008 ~ 2:55am Khaos At the big Intel show in Taiwan this year they had two GF9600's (Note the crap model number, it's important!) running Crysis at 1920x1200, high quality with AA and getting 45-60 FPS.

Yeah, it's pretty awesome.

Apparently, due to the way they are able to optimize AA functions and intelligently delegate work between physical GPU's, sometimes it is possible to see scaling BETTER THAN 100% when using AA at high resolutions.
23 Dec 2008 ~ 9:41am Snarkasm Oh good Lord. Is this the breakthrough we've all been waiting for?
23 Dec 2008 ~ 11:58am Khaos

Snarkasm wrote:

Oh good Lord. Is this the breakthrough we've all been waiting for?

Pretty much. I have to wear my hat on my belt and pop Xanax for a few days whenever a new Hydra article surfaces.
23 Dec 2008 ~ 1:00pm Garg

Khaos wrote:

Pretty much. I have to wear my hat on my belt and pop Xanax for a few days whenever a new Hydra article surfaces.

Oh thank God. I thought I was on the only one.

I'm sure I have a bigger hat, though.