When configuring a computer for SLI to improve gaming performance, which component is essential to purchase?

To configure a computer for SLI (Scalable Link Interface) and enhance gaming performance, a motherboard with two (or more) PCIe x16 slots is essential. This requirement arises because SLI allows for the use of multiple NVIDIA graphics cards working in parallel to render images more effectively than a single card could.

The PCIe x16 slots provide the necessary bandwidth and connectivity for each graphics card. In an SLI setup, the graphics cards need to communicate quickly and efficiently with the motherboard to share workloads and optimize performance. A motherboard designed with dual or more PCIe x16 slots ensures that each graphics card can operate at maximum data transfer speeds, which is critical for achieving the performance gains that SLI aims to provide.

Choosing a motherboard with a single PCI slot would not support the dual card configuration necessary for SLI, and standard motherboards may lack the specific design needed for multiple high-performance graphics cards. Additionally, motherboards that only have PCI slots are outdated and do not provide the necessary bandwidth for modern GPUs. Thus, a motherboard equipped with two or more PCIe x16 slots is the correct choice for SLI setups.