Nvidia SLI HB bridges

bishi · 31 May 2016 at 11:06

Hoping these will get released soon so I can buy one for the Asus Strix 1080s I'm purchasing from OCUK. Does anyone have any release date info?

I was wondering also, how do the HB bridges actually work? Since 'LED' stlye bridges are almost as good... Could you get comparable performance by using two ribbon style bridges?

I'll be running at 2560x1440 @ 144hz or higher so this image here actually implies that my cards will be bottlenecked with the old style bridge

nvidia-geforce-gtx-1080-recommended-sli-bridge-configuration-640px.png

Unless the HB bridge is released in the next couple of days, I'll do a benchmark run when I get my cards and see if it helps anyway

IceWind · 31 May 2016 at 11:12

so is this going to be an extra cost ? for someone who is spending that sort of money on 2 cards should get the new bridge for nothing

bishi · 31 May 2016 at 11:18

IceWind said:
so is this going to be an extra cost ? for someone who is spending that sort of money on 2 cards should get the new bridge for nothing

I had assumed that they wouldn't be included in the boxes, although I could be wrong. Does anyone know?

MooMoo444 · 31 May 2016 at 11:23

Plot twist, the bridges are the same and it's just another way to squeeze out a bit of $$

Popov · 31 May 2016 at 11:50

bishi said:
I had assumed that they wouldn't be included in the boxes, although I could be wrong. Does anyone know?

Traditionally SLI bridges come with your motherboard not the graphics card as they vary in length depending on the gap between the pcie slots.

You will need to get an HB bridge with the correct sized gap as they seem to come in different sizes for this reason, they sure wont be free though.

LoadsaMoney · 31 May 2016 at 11:51

Have to buy them elsewhere, as these guys wont be doing them.

Stelly · 31 May 2016 at 11:57

LoadsaMoney said:
Have to buy them elsewhere, as these guys wont be doing them.

and the current WC blocks wont support them

Stelly

Greebo · 31 May 2016 at 12:00

LoadsaMoney said:
Have to buy them elsewhere, as these guys wont be doing them.

Which is a stupid move IMO. I would have thought that OCUK would have the highest proportion of people likely to buy two for SLI and hence need a bridge.

MooMoo444 · 31 May 2016 at 12:14

OcUK didn't think anyone would be daft enough to buy two 1080s?

I jest.

Biomorphs · 31 May 2016 at 12:15

This is the 'recommended' configuration, not the required connection.

I currently have a 1440P 144Hz monitor, when I get home tonight I can test a normal ribbon sli cable for you, I currently have a EVGA bridge, and can see what difference it makes.

Can anyone suggest a good method? I have 3D Mark Firestrike installed, so I can see if it affects the Graphics score perhaps?

Also there is news of a new EVGA HB Bridge that OCUK I'm sure will stock

seabiscuit · 31 May 2016 at 12:16

From what I've been told, we're waiting on availability from manufacturers guys. We hope to stock them as soon as we are able to, but I don't have any idea on pricing or an ETA.

bishi · 31 May 2016 at 12:18

Biomorphs said:
This is the 'recommended' configuration, not the required connection.

I currently have a 1440P 144Hz monitor, when I get home tonight I can test a normal ribbon sli cable for you, I currently have a EVGA bridge, and can see what difference it makes.

Can anyone suggest a good method? I have 3D Mark Firestrike installed, so I can see if it affects the Graphics score perhaps?

Also there is news of a new EVGA HB Bridge that OCUK I'm sure will stock

You already have 2 1080s?

I'd suggest any 'extreme' setting that should saturate the connection as much as possible. Maybe supersampling would help.

Do you have two ribbon connectors you could test with at the same time to see if it makes a difference over using just one?

Biomorphs · 31 May 2016 at 12:26

I don't own 3dmark to change any settings I'm afraid, so can only do the standard test, unless you know of any other free test

Also sure I can use 2 ribbon connectors, I *think* I have 2

bishi · 31 May 2016 at 12:29

Biomorphs said:
I don't own 3dmark to change any settings I'm afraid, so can only to the standard test, unless you know of any other free test

Also sure I can use 2 ribbon connectors, I *think* I have 2

The Unigine Heaven and Valley benchmarks here are free - https://unigine.com/en/products/benchmarks
I don't know of any DX12 ones yet

Biomorphs · 31 May 2016 at 12:33

Ok leave this with me and I can do some tests using a single ribbon, dual ribbon and my EVGA led link. I'm at work till 17:30

bishi · 31 May 2016 at 12:34

Biomorphs said:
Ok leave this with me and I can do some tests using a single ribbon, dual ribbon and my EVGA led link. I'm at work till 17:30

Thanks, appreciated.

andicole0 · 31 May 2016 at 12:37

Should I get a better SLI bridge than the standard motherboard supplied one as I'm running 2560x1440 at 144Hz?
Andi.

Biomorphs · 31 May 2016 at 12:51

It's 'recommended' but later on tonight I'll find out the best I can

Klunt Bumskrint · 31 May 2016 at 12:59

Biomorphs said:
This is the 'recommended' configuration, not the required connection.

I currently have a 1440P 144Hz monitor, when I get home tonight I can test a normal ribbon sli cable for you, I currently have a EVGA bridge, and can see what difference it makes.

Can anyone suggest a good method? I have 3D Mark Firestrike installed, so I can see if it affects the Graphics score perhaps?

Also there is news of a new EVGA HB Bridge that OCUK I'm sure will stock

Aren't these already high bandwidth? I remember talking to one of the EVGA guys last year as I was asking if they were any better than a standard bridge and one of the points of that bridge was higher bandwidth.

Biomorphs · 31 May 2016 at 13:05

The current EVGA ones are higher bandwidth than normal, the ones in the picture are the new HB ones, which span across both connectors, perhaps the pictures doesn't show the width very well