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As the AMD crowd anxiously awaits the arrival of motherboards with PCI-e support, the lion’s share of attention is focused on Nvidia’s SLI-enabled motherboards. Splitting the load of graphics-intensive operations between two video cards is an excellent solution to the ongoing quest for better eye candy at higher frame rates in today’s computer games, without a doubt. The concept is sound and its current implementation appears robust, stable, and effective. For those who want the best visual game playing experience possible, SLI motherboards do offer the best and broadest options for all current platforms, but these mobos are also being marketed as the best upgrade-path option. The argument is, buy an SLI-capable motherboard and you can then spend less up-front on your graphics card. Later, a second graphics card can be used to bring graphics - namely gaming - up to snuff with high-end gaming systems. The argument looks good on paper, but the facts suggest otherwise. We will explore the idea of upgradeability and examine why SLI falls short of being the best option for upgrade-conscious buyers.

What Makes a Good Upgrade Path?
As the foundational component of computer systems, a motherboard’s features have the greatest influence on the overall usefulness of a computer, both in the short-term and long-run outlook. Purchasing a dirt-cheap motherboard that supports an old, outdated type of CPU may save a bundle up front, but will immediately restrict the system’s performance and likely exclude several more recent technologies. Generally, upgradeability infers that a given motherboard:

• Functions appropriately at purchase time
• Offers enough up-to-date features that obsolescence will not occur for at least a few years
• Provides incremental upgrade options
• Does not restrict purchasing options
• Is economical up-front

System Reliability
The best feature-set in the universe doesn’t matter one bit if a system is unstable. Herein from all reports the Nforce4 excels. It is however a new offering and there are likely a few bumps in store for early adopters. In itself this is not an argument against SLI-capable boards since non-SLI boards will probably have similar problems. But several issues may arise from SLI boards installed in boxes with inadequate power supplies. This issue may not surface right away, but will likely arise at the point of upgrading to two graphic cards. And the definition of ‘inadequate’ in this case is quite broad: a power supply of less than 500 Watts without tight line-feed control is probably not going be sufficient. In such a case, SLI motherboards actually force an additional, expensive upgrade.