CrossFire™ - FAQs

10. When is SuperTiling enabled?
11.Can I use the CrossFire platform to drive multiple displays?
12. What games work with CrossFire?
13. Do all games see a benefit with CrossFire?
14. Do you need a driver profile for CrossFire to work?
15. What performance improvement does CrossFire bring?
16. How are the two graphics cards connected on a CrossFire system?
17. What rendering modes are used when?
18. Can you run Super antialiasing (AA) mode in combination with another rendering mode?

10. When is SuperTiling enabled?

A. SuperTiling is enabled by default for Direct3D applications running on 16-pipe cards.

11. Can I use the CrossFire platform to drive multiple displays?

A. Yes, the CrossFire platform will work with ATI’s SurroundView™ multi-monitor technology to enable up to 5 separate displays.

12. What games work with CrossFire?

A. CrossFire works with all 3D applications. The end-user is able to run any game with multiple graphics cards cooperatively rendering the images. The end user is able to take advantage of the additional graphics hardware for all games, all the time.

Competitive solutions only work on a limited number of games that are profiled in the driver. New games, older games, lesser known games, and even some current popular titles are not supported, and the end user sees no benefit with this system when running these applications.

13. Do all games see a benefit with CrossFire?

A. Games that stress the graphics sub-system will benefit most from the additional performance offered by CrossFire. Most new games are designed for advanced graphics, and end users will see large performance increases with multi-GPU systems. Some applications that are more CPU intensive may not scale well with multi-GPU solutions.. For these applications, CrossFire offers extreme image quality modes that take advantage of the additional graphics power, and improves the overall gaming experience.

Customers using an enthusiast-class motherboard like those based on Radeon Xpress 200 CrossFire edition chipsets will reap greater benefits from CrossFire because they are able to get the more performance from their entire system.

14. Do you need a driver profile for CrossFire to work?

A. No. CrossFire is enabled by default for all 3D applications. With ATI Catalyst™ A.I. enabled, the preferred rendering mode is selected for targeted applications. For applications that are not identified in Catalyst A.I., or when Catalyst A.I. is disabled, default multi-GPU rendering modes are offered. For applications that are very graphics limited, and can not benefit from multiple high-end graphics processors, the end user has the option to enable SuperAA or disable multi-GPU rendering completely. In all scenarios the end user has the option to adjust her/his system to best take advantage of multi-GPU rendering.

15. What performance improvement does CrossFire bring?

A. Performance enhancements with CrossFire are application dependent. Performance improvement varies up to 100% increase in frame rates. New, graphics intensive applications can see over 80% performance improvement at high resolutions and image quality settings.

16. How are the two graphics cards connected on a CrossFire system?

A. The two cards are connected by an external cable. The cable is attached from the CrossFire Ready graphics card’s DVI connector to the CrossFire Edition high density input connector (DMS). The partially rendered image is sent through the DVI connection to the CrossFire Edition DMS input connector. The partially rendered image from the cable input is combined with the CrossFire Edition’s partially rendered frame in the compositing engine. The compositing engine combines the result of both cards to output a complete image.

17. What rendering modes are used when?

A. By default either SuperTiling or Scissor modes are applied. Alternate frame rendering mode is used for applications identified in Catalyst A.I. (when enabled). When Catalyst A.I. is disabled, 16-pipe graphics processors running Direct3D applications are accelerated by supertiling mode (other configurations are accelerated by scissor mode). Super AA mode is enabled through the control panel.

18. Can you run Super antialiasing (AA) mode in combination with another rendering mode?

A. When users are running in SuperTiling, Scissor or AFR modes they can use ATI’s existing AA modes (2x, 4x or 6x.)