Editing Scalable Link Interface (section)

{{short description|Brand name; multi-GPU technology by Nvidia}}
{{confused|Scan-Line Interleave}}
{{infobox Information appliance
|name=Scalable Link Interface
|image=[[File:NVidia SLI Logo.png|200px]]
|caption=<!--include if image is not a logo-->
|manufacturer=[[Nvidia]]
|type=Multi-[[Graphics processing unit|GPU]] technology
|releasedate=2004<!--use {{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}} - omit "|DD" or "|MM|DD" if necessary-->
|price=<!--this is price at initial release, not the current price-->
|connectivity=
|lifespan=
|unitssold=
|media= 
|os=<!--operating system-->
|input=
|power=
|storage=
|memory=
|display=
|service=<!--online service/s offered-->
|dimensions=
|weight=
|predecessor=[[Scan-Line Interleave]]
|successor=[[NVLink]]
|related=}}
'''Scalable Link Interface''' ('''SLI''') is the brand name for a now discontinued multi-[[Graphics processing unit|GPU]] technology developed by [[Nvidia]] (The technology was invented and developed by 3dfx and later purchased by Nvidia during the acquisition of 3dfx) for linking two or more [[video card]]s together to produce a single output. SLI is a [[Parallel computing|parallel processing]] algorithm for computer graphics, meant to increase the available processing power.<ref name="NVIDIA SLI">{{cite web|title=What is SLI?|url=http://www.geforce.com/whats-new/guides/introduction-to-sli-technology-guide#2|website=www.geforce.com|access-date=24 November 2014}}</ref>

The [[initialism]] SLI was first used by [[3dfx]] for [[Scan-Line Interleave]], which was introduced to the consumer market in 1998 and used in the [[Voodoo2]] line of video cards.<ref name=NGen37>{{cite magazine |title=3Dfx Voodoo2 |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|issue=37|publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |date=January 1998 |pages=88–92}}</ref><ref name=boot17>{{cite magazine|title=Previews – 3Dfx Voodoo2|last=Sanchez|first=Andrew|magazine=[[Boot (magazine)|boot]]|date=January 1998|issue=17|pages=86–87}}</ref><ref name=AnandVoodoo5Review>Lal Shimpi, Anand. [http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.html?i=1276 3dfx Voodoo5 5500], Anandtech, July 11, 2000.</ref><ref name=wicher>[http://hothardware.com/Articles/3dfx-Interview-with-Peter-Wicher/ 3dfx Interview with Peter Wicher], Hot Hardware, December 15, 2001.</ref> After buying out 3dfx, Nvidia acquired the technology<ref name='sec'>[[United States Securities and Exchange Commission|SEC]] filings, [https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1010026/000095013402012752/d00519e8vk.txt Form 8-K: Bankruptcy or receivership] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827131751/https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1010026/000095013402012752/d00519e8vk.txt |date=August 27, 2017 }}, updated October 21, 2002, retrieved August 28, 2024</ref><ref name='rel-15dec_2'>{{cite web|title=3dfx Announces Three Major Initiatives To Protect Creditors and Maximize Shareholder Value|url=http://www.3dfx.com/rel-15dec_2.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010405091710/http://www.3dfx.com/rel-15dec_2.htm|date=December 15, 2000|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 5, 2001|access-date=August 28, 2024}}</ref> but did not use it. Nvidia later reintroduced the SLI name in 2004 and intended for it to be used in modern computer systems based on the [[PCI Express]] (PCIe) bus; however, the technology behind the name SLI has changed dramatically.