4-way SLI GTX 1080 cards for 3ds max 2016

[chuwaiting]

Hi all,

I am getting a 4-way SLI GTX 1080 cards for my rendering workstation. Does anybody knows if the 3ds max program with Vray RT will run all CUDA chips? Thanks!!

[savage309]

Yes, it will work fine.
Just don't use/enable the SLI. SLI is needed for games and will only cause you troubles.

V-Ray GPU will use all the available GPUs by itself and you can control which one to be used as well (check here).

Also, this and this are nice guides for starting with GPU rendering in general.

Best,
Blago.

[chuwaiting]

Thank you!
I am asking the Nvidia support and the agent keeps claiming GeForce GTX 1080 supports 2-way SLI only and say my computer will just perform like a single card.
I am so confused cuz it's a big investment for my company to upgrade all these new cards.
So if I don't use the SLI function, will rendering works like having 4 cards installed or just one?

Best,
Judith

[savage309]

The agent is right that you can use up to two GPUs in SLI, but thats for playing games and realtime graphics.

For V-Ray GPU raytracing, you don't need SLI and all the 4 GPU cards will work (and perform) as 4 just fine (just don't buy/install any SLI stuff, it works without them).

Best,
Blago.

[Alan Iglesias]

So if I don't use the SLI function, will rendering works like having 4 cards installed or just one?

Best,
Judith

Absolutely, it will work like all four cards are being used to their fullest.

Judith, as Blago is saying, just explain to the nVidea chaps that the work you are doing does not involve SLI in any way and that your GPUS will be fully used with the software you are using. Remember that each card needs to hold your entire scene in GPU RAM.

-Alan

[chuwaiting]

Thank you!! I really appreciated it!