Hybrid CrossfireX

[ElectroGoofy]

Hello all

Ok, just wondering, for CrossfireX do you need the same type of card for the same onboard video of the mobo? Like if there is an onboard 4200 do you need a dedicated 4200 video card, or can it be any other card, say, from the 5xxx series?

Thanks in advance!

 

[jay_l_a]

Are you talking about crossfiring with on-board graphics? I don't think you can do that.

 

[mindless728]

you can, but you need onboard 3X00 series and use a low end discrete card

all in all, if you want a high end card, don't worry about what the onboard could add, it would be small

 

[Xzyrus]

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ATI-Radeon-HD4650-HD4670,2444-8.html

Someone should get them to correct this article if it is indeed incorrect.

"For instance, in one of our office systems, we used to have an NVIDIA Quadro NVS 420 card, originally valued at $399, for displaying up to four monitors from one card slot. However, as we’ve made the jump to Windows 7 and our apps and usage has evolved, daily work was simply more than the NVS card could bear. We opted to replace the NVS with a two-slot solution: a Radeon HD 4550 and HD 4650 card. This gave us a dramatic improvement in graphics performance, let us keep support for up to four monitors (thanks to having two DVI outputs per card and ATI’s drivers that allow desktop spanning across multiple monitors), and kept the price tag down around $100. With a slightly different configuration, we could have used a motherboard with integrated AMD graphics and a 4650/4670 add-in card to achieve the same results, although we really wanted the extra performance of the 4550 above what an IGP could provide."

They seem to be implying that hybrid is possible with HD4000 series and the release of HD4200 on 785g mobos just adds to the confusion.

Anandtech also had an article which had such an error which they corrected however they left on that the HD4200 might work with some Evergreen GPUs which I'm skeptical but have no way outright telling them they're wrong as of yet. Anandtech's article in question is this one:

http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3615&p=9&cp=4

 

[ElectroGoofy]

Thats a bit confusing.... what are you getting at, Xzyrus?

And the motherboard that I am possibly going to get has an onboard 4200 and what I am wanting to know is:

Does it work with cards that are not the identical specs as it?
If so, does it work with cards from another series, such as the 5xxx series?

 

[Xzyrus]

What I'm saying is there's a lot of misleading or straight up incorrect information regarding the 785g motherboards. The article is implying the HD4200 will crossfire with HD4000 series which should not be the case given the specs of the HD4200.

See this other topic here where megamanx00 explains: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/269346-33-785g-hybrid-crossfire

Some anoynmous person in that topic is also posting info that suggests it's possible to use HD4000 series cards but it's not definite. As far as I know unless proven by someone who actually tries to hybrid crossfire the HD4200 with a 4000 or 5000 series, the 785g should be the same as 780g/790g with respect to hybrid crossfire abilities.

I'm crossing my fingers that maybe ATI will clear it up and perhaps just maybe there's some truth to the Anandtech article.

EDIT: I just find it odd how an ADVERTORIAL would have misleading information. If it isn't wrong, then someone please stop me in my tracks now.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Here is ATI's Crossfire Compatibility chart

It shows that you can only use either the HD3540 or HD3450 in Hybrid CrossfireX. In essence, no, you do not need a card that is identical to the HD4200 onboard, but you are limited to those two cards.

-Wolf sends

 

[ElectroGoofy]

Ok, thanks

Now just wondering, say I get the motherboard and a 5xxx series card. Would it ruin anything if I turned on hybrid crossfire to try it?

 

[Wolfshadw]

Xzyrus - If I read you quotation correctly, they are not using the onboard and discrete card in a crossfire configuration. They merely state that they *could* have used the on-board graphics to provide them with connections for two monitors, but decided they wanted the power of a second discrete card for those two monitors.

-Wolf sends

 

[Xzyrus]

Yea that charts good but some ppl are just hoping for more since the 785g isn't on that chart and it's IGP is titled HD4200 which leads to people to the conclusion that it might work with 4000 series.

I currently own the Gigabyte GA-MA785G-UD3H so I'm hoping too but I'm skeptical that it's any different than the 780g/790g.

I'm eyeing the 5750, but waiting for it to hit my budget range lol. If Anandtech is right I might be able to save some more money and go lower end 5000 series but I seriously doubt HD4200 + some low end 5000 series would be better than 5750 or 5600 series if that's all that fits my budget. It's just pure speculation so we'll have to wait and see on the 5000 series while we wait for next gen Nvidia cards as well.

 

[Mousemonkey]

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey