Gigabyte Z170X-Gaming 7 - Using Onboard Intel Graphics and Discreet Card

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virtualdanger

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I plan to upgrade to a Skylake based system soon. The board I'm looking to get is the Gigabyte Z170X-Gaming 7; primary reasons being the onboard Creative Audio, and the good number of SATA connectors. The processor will most likely be the Core i5-6500. I presently have a Gigabyte Windforce R9 290 GPU, which I will continue to use.

My question being, can I get display on both from both the motherboard back panel (the Intel graphics) as well as my discreet GPU simultaneously?

The PC will be hooked up to a projector, and used for movies. I'd like to use the discreet card display just for gaming, while I use the Intel graphics for the projector hookup for movies. Is this possible? Or will I need to configure/change some setting every time?
 
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Vincent Rider

Vincent Rider

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Currently What i know , is you cannot use Integrated Graphics and Discreet Graphics Both at the Same time , to use the CPU Graphics you will have to remove your Nvidia Or AMD Graphic Cards
 
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virtualdanger

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Thanks for the response. I was afraid you were gonna say that.
 
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Vincent Rider

Vincent Rider

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If You want .. to use both .. i seen some people computer having 5 monitors even using the Integrated GPU too .. i forget they way they set it up .
 
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Victorion

Victorion

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Couldn´t you just buy a dedicated soundcard instead?
I don´t see the reason to use the intel graphics for the projector when you have a Radeon R9 290 card, unless you´re gonna use it at the same time and trying to save performance power for your gaming.

Generally speaking: dedicated soundcards will almost always perform better (both CPU wise and sound quality wise) because there is more hardware devoted for the task at hand (I.E.: producing sound). Comparably: a dedicated sound card has many chips and transistors to create sound, whereas many of the integrated on-board solutions have only 1 chip, few transistors, and often rely on software emulation to produce sound. This causes CPU load and can also degrade the sound experience (and even cause the sound to "stutter"). The DAC from your motherboard may be of less quality of that on a dedicated soundcard as well.

Personally I have a Asus Xonar Essence STX which produces sound so clear that most of my guests can´t believe it´s sound coming from a pc system and not an expensive sound system. I noticed that when playing games, that I was missing out on some sounds with my onboard audio. But overall, the sound is better.
 
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virtualdanger

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I'd be really interested to understand how that was done...
 
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virtualdanger

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Do all new BIOS'es have this? Is it just a matter of doing that?

I currently use a much older board, so I don't see any option like that in the BIOS.

 
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dfk

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no not all I suppose, but modern boards usually have some option like this. depending on what chipset your board is, the manual would prob tell you if it supports multi displays or whether is supports using GPU+iGPU at the same time.

http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/intelligent-systems/intel-embedded-media-and-graphics-driver/hybrid-multi-monitor-support-paper.html

According to this, for Hybrid Multi-monitor support the integrated GPU should be set as primary boot display in the BIOS. Then boot into safe mode and install the intel display drivers without GPU plugged in. Then only connecting GPU after shutting down, and repeating installing GPU drivers in safe mode. The OS will handle the display after that.

Adding a discrete GPU solution to a system, in conjunction with an integrated
GPU allows for Hybrid Multi-monitor support. This will enable support for
greater than the two displays supported by Intel integrated graphics on
supported platforms.

As mentioned in a previous section, O/S applications will be adapter-unaware,
and the GPU used during system operation will be determined by the setting
of „Primary Graphics Device.‟

Once enabled, Windows Display Properties Settings can be used to manage
the heterogeneous display adapters and configure the multiple displays
appropriately.
Click to expand...
 
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virtualdanger

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Dear Victorion,

Thanks for your detailed note. I have long been using discreet Soundcards, and completely agree with you. There is a considerable difference in sound quality. While pretty much everyone has moved onto to on-board ALC based sound-chips. I prefer to stick with Creative cards. The reason for me going with the Gigabyte Z170X-Gaming 7 is cause it meets multiple requirements, including my SATA port needs, and has a Creative chip on-board for sound. I could buy a full fledged Creative discreet card, but that would mean more money.

As for using the R9 290 for the projector, there seems to be a bug with the R9 290, one that there is no proper fix for. During video playback the display to the screen turns off, for a second or two, so it goes black, and then comes back. This does not happen during gaming, but during video playback only. There are several unresolved threads for it. And the card is not accepted as defective by Gigabyte RMA, because in general testing it works fine. So I'm looking for a simpler workaround.
 
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virtualdanger

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Perfect; thank you for that dfk. Will certainly try it.
 
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