Distribution of multiple Graphics card + multiple monitors

JoaTschi · Oct 23, 2015

Hello there,

so far I haven't been able to find matching answers to my case, maybe someone here can help.

1) I currently own a GTX 670 + 3 Monitors, and plan on additionally getting a Titan card (for nice GPU-rendering of my CGI-work). As far as I have been able to see, I should plug the stronger one (= the Titan) into the fastest available PCI-E Slot, and the 670 into a slower slot, because this DOES make difference. Correct so far?

2) Now to a more interesting question: I will have to plug in at least one of the three monitors into the 670, as the Titan only has one DVI output, and two of the monitors are DVI. Should I plug both of the secondary monitors into the older one, so the Titan has maximum efficiency, as it will only have to deliver data to one, namely the primary monitor (which I would also use for gaming)?
Seems like the logical thing to do.

3) Advanced question: If I decided to connect all three monitors to the 670, so they would handle all the Windows- and 3d program-related displaying, would this leave the Titan free to use all its power for calculating GPU-based-rendering (e.g. VRay RT or Octane), and not divert any processing power for displaying the desktop and program windows?
Or a slightly other way of putting it: Can a card that doesn't have any monitors connected still use it's processing power for either GPU-based-rendering (e.g. VRay RT or Octane) or running games? Or can it not be used at all if no monitor is connected?

Thanks for any helpful tips!

Sergeant_Sneaky · Oct 23, 2015

Hello there,

so far I haven't been able to find matching answers to my case, maybe someone here can help.

1) I currently own a GTX 670 + 3 Monitors, and plan on additionally getting a Titan card (for nice GPU-rendering of my CGI-work). As far as I have been able to see, I should plug the stronger one (= the Titan) into the fastest available PCI-E Slot, and the 670 into a slower slot, because this DOES make difference. Correct so far?

This won't make any noticable difference to performance, and depending on your motherboard, when two cards are plugged in, they both may run at x8 speed anyway.

2) Now to a more interesting question: I will have to plug in at least one of the three monitors into the 670, as the Titan only has one DVI output, and two of the monitors are DVI. Should I plug both of the secondary monitors into the older one, so the Titan has maximum efficiency, as it will only have to deliver data to one, namely the primary monitor (which I would also use for gaming)?
Seems like the logical thing to do.

That could work yes, but running a screen with say a webpage up will have very little performance impact.

[3) Advanced question: If I decided to connect all three monitors to the 670, so they would handle all the Windows- and 3d program-related displaying, would this leave the Titan free to use all its power for calculating GPU-based-rendering (e.g. VRay RT or Octane), and not divert any processing power for displaying the desktop and program windows?
Or a slightly other way of putting it: Can a card that doesn't have any monitors connected still use it's processing power for either GPU-based-rendering (e.g. VRay RT or Octane) or running games? Or can it not be used at all if no monitor is connected?

You can usually, depending on the program, choose which GPU to use for the processing, so I would say yes.
If you are going to use the titan for gaming and the rendering, do you need the 670 for windows?

JoaTschi · Oct 25, 2015

Thanks a lot for the advice, Sergeant!

Regarding 3), running VRay RT or Octane: I know at least for VRay RT that I can set which GPU(s) to use for the computations.
Somewhere (unfortunately lost the link) someone said that he THINKS that 3dsmax automatically switches to using the one card, that is not assigned to VRay RT, for rendering the viewport and UI.
But from my experience that would be a bit much to expect from Autodesk (or Chaosgroup). The most I would dare to hope for would be that 3ds max switches to using the unassigned card for the UI and Viewport, IF this is the card connected to the monitor where 3ds max is running.

But I guess this is such a specialist question, I'd better bother Chaosgroup or Autodesk with it.

Thanks for the help!

Sergeant_Sneaky · Oct 25, 2015

JoaTschi :

If you were to drag the window onto the monitor connected to the graphics card you want to you use it should use that card to render it, as long as the program allows GPU switching, but I agree, they would be able to provide a 100% sure answer, good luck

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Distribution of multiple Graphics card + multiple monitors

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