2 COMPLETELY different graphics cards on one motherboard

Ne0Wolf7 · Aug 9, 2016

Hello everyone, and thank you so much for reading!
I have a PC with this motherboard- ASRock Z97 PRO4 (https://pcpartpicker.com/product/bzbp99/asrock-motherboard-z97pro4). It has 2 PCI-e 3.0 x16 slots, but when one is occupied, the second runs at x8. Populating the first slot right now is a GeForce GTX 950 from EVGA (https://pcpartpicker.com/product/FDx9TW/evga-video-card-02gp42956kr). My plan is to buy an AMD FirePro W4300 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814105058&cm_re=AMD_FirePro_W4300_100-505973-_-14-105-058-_-Product) and run the gamer in the x8 slot and give the workstation card the x16 because that's the important one and it gives more breathing room anyway.
What I need to know is if I can run both of this cards from different manufactures in the same PC for certain applications. I only have one monitor, so I'll have to run wires from both cards into different inputs.
I know its a strange question, which is why I couldn't find it, but any help would be appreciated.
Thanks again!

weberdarren97 · Aug 9, 2016

GeForce and Firepro drivers tend to play well together, you shouldn't have much of a problem doing this.

What's your power supply? It's important to have a good quality power supply when running multiple cards.

cdabc123 · Aug 9, 2016

what do you need the two cards for? will you be switching from on for workstation tasks to one for gaming?

geofelt · Aug 9, 2016

You are good.

Current windows versions are perfectly happy with more than one graphics driver.

viewtyjoe · Aug 10, 2016

I'm not sure how well the monitor will play with multiple inputs, but if it does that well, I see no reasons why this shouldn't work. Usually this sort of question is a multi-monitor use case where it makes sense to have one "professional" monitor and one "gaming" monitor with each connected to the appropriate GPU.

Ne0Wolf7 · Aug 10, 2016

weberdarren97 :

I'm relieved to hear this, and lucky for your gif in the corner, its an EVGA SUPERNOVA 650 G2.

Ne0Wolf7 · Aug 10, 2016

cdabc123 :

Yes, thats exactly what I'll be doing. By the way, I run and Xeon E3 1231 v3 (your quote in the corner is legit!).

Ne0Wolf7 · Aug 10, 2016

viewtyjoe :

Maybe I'll get another monitor, but everyone else seems to think its fine.

Ne0Wolf7 · Aug 10, 2016

I'm glad for all this help, but how will the drivers and control panels interact to let me use one monitor?
I'm hoping to be able to enter both cards control panels and possibly select the other card to run applications, and even my integrated intel graphics for some.

weberdarren97 · Aug 10, 2016

As long as you don't have GeForce Experience open and change settings while you're also changing settings in whatever the AMD utility for Firepro is, then you should have no problems with the two cards.

You may want to have only one cable plugged into the screen at once and just plug in the other when you need to switch cards.

Tip: if you have like a pile of sticky notes lying around, tear the rest of the note away from the part that has adhesive on the back. Wrap the part with the adhesive around your cables and label them. It saves a lot of time in the long run if you know where everything comes from.

Oh... You said something about trying to do something with your integrated graphics while these cards are in? That could cause a hardware conflict, and we don't want that. Please refrain from trying to use integrated graphics when you have dedicated graphics installed.

geofelt · Aug 10, 2016

If your app uses a workstation gpu for computational purposes, it need not be connected to any monitor.
Use the gaming card for your monitor.

Better, yet, buy a second monitor. It is most useful to have two displays for desktop work.

weberdarren97 · Aug 10, 2016

I agree, I cannot explain how helpful it is to be able to see all your utilities on a second screen while still having the first screen empty and ready to game on.

Ne0Wolf7 · Aug 10, 2016

geofelt :

The FirePro will be for CAD work, I use Autodesk Inventor.

Ne0Wolf7 · Aug 10, 2016

I know I already chose best answer, but I'm asking another question here because it pertains to the same subject.
I was reading about CrossfireX, which my motherboard is capable of. The article said that you can mix and match crossfire cards to your liking. Would I be able to get a new AMD pixel pusher and the Fire Pro and crossfire them to not worry about cables?

weberdarren97 · Aug 10, 2016

Firepro cards do not Crossfire.

You can have more than one Firepro in the same system, but they'll only be used as accelerators** because they have no Crossfire connector and they're before the idea of Crossfire over the PCIe slot.

** Only certain applications can take advantage of having more than one Firepro in a system. I don't have a list right now.

weberdarren97 · Aug 10, 2016

As far as mixing cards to your heart's content... That's a bit of a hyperbole.

You can Crossfire cards of different clock speeds and different amounts of VRAM, but they have to be the same core architecture. For example, a R9 280X can Crossfire with a HD 7950, but not a HD 5450. A R9 390X can Crossfire with a R9 290X, but not a RX 480.

Ne0Wolf7 · Aug 10, 2016

All right, it seemed pretty far fetched, but thanks anyway!

cdabc123 · Aug 10, 2016

weberdarren97 :

sure they do you just need the right card. for example i have a s7000 and a w7000 you can crossfire the w7000 with another w7000 a w7000 with a s7000 a s7000 with a hd 7870 (may require abit more effort for this one) as for the two cards to switch rendering device for most programs i believe you will need to switch default display in windows then switch source on monitor. any reason you dont get just one card you can game on a decent workstation card just find and it would save you time and a headache

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