SLIer

SLIer is a term used in computer hardware communities to refer to a person who uses Scalable Link Interface (SLI), NVIDIA’s multi-GPU technology, to combine two or more graphics processing units into a single system for graphics rendering. An SLIer typically runs a motherboard with a compatible chipset, installs two or more supported GPUs, and uses an SLI bridge to synchronize the cards. The goal is to achieve higher frame rates or better performance in rendering workloads that are supported by the driver and the applications.

SLI works by distributing rendering work across the GPUs. Common scheduling methods include alternate-frame rendering, where each card renders different frames, and split-frame rendering, where each card handles a portion of a single frame. The effectiveness of SLI depends on driver support, game or application compatibility, and the ability of the workload to scale across GPUs. Not all titles support SLI, and even among those that do, scaling can vary from near-linear to modest or even negative improvements. Additional considerations include higher power consumption, increased heat output, and the need for a capable power supply and cooling.

In recent years, the popularity of SLI has waned as single, more powerful GPUs have reduced the need for multi-GPU configurations, and NVIDIA has limited multi-GPU support in some newer generations. Nevertheless, SLIers remain part of enthusiast communities that optimize, compare, and discuss multi-GPU setups, driver behavior, and game compatibility. Related concepts include the NVIDIA SLI bridge, AFR and SFR rendering modes, and NVLink in other architectures.