ATI’s Catalyst 8.3 Driver Will Open CrossfireX and Hybrid GPU Capabilities

Courtesy of our friends at HotHardware comes along some new information regarding ATI’s upcoming Catalyst drive, version 8.3. Some features will include CrossfireX and Hybrid graphics. CrossfireX is the most notable due to the fact that it will enable both triple and quadruple GPU configurations, including dual HD 3870 X2s. If implemented well, there could be some incredible performance awaiting us right around the corner.

Considering there are still some small issues with SLI and Crossfire as it stands, CrossfireX with four GPUs could potentially make things even worse. ATI is working hard to avoid all potential problems, however, and if a game is unable to scale all four GPUs, it will use three instead, so as to avoid any graphical or performance issues.

In addition to CrossfireX support, a new Anti-Aliasing method will be introduced as well that will function with all Unreal 3.0 Engine-based games. That’s not so new in itself, but “Super Anti-Aliasing” can be used along with Anti-Aliasing Edge Detect filters in order to further improve image quality. How the algorithm works exactly is unknown.

Aside from everything else that’s new… I’m really looking to see how CrossfireX will function with four GPUs or dual HD 3870 X2s.

Another interesting feature of the Catalyst v8.3 drivers brings added flexibility to multi-monitor users under Windows Vista. In the past, users were required to disable CrossFire to watch certain types of video or to utilize additional monitors. But with the Catalyst v8.3 release, that is no longer the case. With cards from the X1800 series on up to today’s HD 3000 series, utilizing an extended desktop in a multi-monitor configuration does not require CrossFire to be disabled.

Source: HotHardware