Will 2 different GPUs work in the same PC

dunedune81

Prominent
Jul 13, 2017
11
0
520
Hello

First let me describe you my situation. I have old LGA 775 based system with Gigabyte EP45-DS3 motherboard https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-EP45-DS3-rev-10#ov and sapphire AMD HD 6870 GPU https://www.amazon.com/SAPPHIRE-Radeon-6870-GDDR5-Graphics/dp/B005C8RTTU

I already use all 4 available video outputs on GPU to "drive" 4 monitors (I work in media, watching many camera streams simultaneously, boring as hell:) ). I wanted to buy additional GPU, something cheap like http://www.sapphiretech.com/catapage_pd.asp?cataid=83&lang=eng to use 2 additional monitors with, BUT 2 salesmen in different PC stores said to me it's a no go. That GPUs won't work together. Basically they said something like GPUs need to "talk" to each other, so they have to be identical cards or at least cards that can be connected with crossfire or SLI and your motherboard has to support it.

I ended up with 2 additional monitors and no second GPU to plug them in now :-( I thought CrossFire is used only for games, when you want to create one big screen. I'm using monitors only in windows desktop extended mode, no Eyefinity setup. I saw this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrpTwUJTVCQ and there is combination of Fury x and gtx 980 ti working together, they are DX12 cards though... Please help, I know I'm a nob for not knowing...


Is this true? Would this setup really not work?
 
Solution
I think the reason you were told they wouldn't work together is they are too different in age. AMD froze the drivers for the 6870 and those drivers won't support the new card. The new drivers won't support the old card. Trying to get two sets of video drivers working at the same time is a nightmare. If you can find an AMD card of similar vintage to the one you have you could probably add it because it would use the same driver.

kanewolf

Titan
Moderator
I think the reason you were told they wouldn't work together is they are too different in age. AMD froze the drivers for the 6870 and those drivers won't support the new card. The new drivers won't support the old card. Trying to get two sets of video drivers working at the same time is a nightmare. If you can find an AMD card of similar vintage to the one you have you could probably add it because it would use the same driver.
 
Solution