So, how do you actually get Crossfire setup? This is how Crossfire again differs from SLI. With SLI, you plug both cards into the motherboard, attach a PCB to the top to join them (in most cases) and set some jumpers or another PCB on the motherboard to make the system recognise the cards as an SLI setup and not two different cards. Crossfire is considerably easier. All you need to do is have both cards in the system, then attach a special cable going from one card to the other, then to the monitor.



After that check a box in the ATI drivers and you have a Crossfire setup. The only flaw with Crossfire’s hardware is a technical limitation of one of the components. If you look at the page here, you will see that Crossfire has a limitation of 1600X1200 at 60Hz, which is enough for some people with a CRT monitor to experience headaches. ATI are supposed to be fixing this problem with their next generation cards, but for this generation Crossfire could be a bad decision.

Although Crossfire works on the same principle as SLI, there are some major differences. The most important is how the cards work together to bring you the best gaming experience possible. While SLI works by either making one card render a frame each or one card rendering one part of the screen and the other card rendering the rest, ATI has another trick up their sleeve: supertiling.