Hybrid SLI
Also in response to the PowerXpress technology from AMD, a configuration of similar concept named "Hybrid SLI" was announced on January 7, 2008. The setup consists of an IGP as well as a GPU on MXM module. The IGP would assist the GPU to boost performance when the laptop is plugged to a power socket while the MXM module would be shut down when the laptop was unplugged from power socket to lower overall graphics power consumption.[9][10]
Hybrid SLI is also available on desktop Motherboards and PC's with PCI-E discrete video cards. nVidia claims that twice of the performance can be achieved with a Hybrid SLI capable IGP motherboard and a GeForce 8400 GS video card.[11][12]
On November 5, 2008 in Microsoft’s Guidelines for Graphics in Windows 7 document, Microsoft stated that Windows 7 will not offer native support for hybrid graphics systems. Microsoft added the reason for the decision saying that hybrid graphics systems ‘can be unstable and provide a poor user experience,’ and that it would ‘strongly discourage system manufacturers from shipping such systems.’ Microsoft also added that ‘such systems require a reboot to switch between GPUs.’[13]
On desktop systems, the mainboard chipsets nForce 720a, 730a, 750a SLI and 780a SLI and the mainboard GPUs GeForce 8100, 8200, 8300 and 9300 support Hybrid SLI (GeForce Boost and HybridPower). The GPUs GeForce 8400 GS and 8500 GT support GeForce Boost, the GPUs 9800 GT, 9800 GTX, 9800 GTX+ 9800 GX2, GTX 260 and GTX 280 support HybridPower.[14]
