Install 2 very different cards?

[enewmen]

Hi All.

This may be a dumb question, but not as dumb as not asking.
PCs still don't automatically switch between descrete graphics and dedicated to conserve power.
90% of the time, I don't need a big video card running. So, I'm looking for a super-low-end, passively cooled DX11 card (modern fab process).
Can I install 2 video cards, then disable the one I'm not using in Device Manager? Will that completely power down the unused video card?
Is is too difficult? If not, please also suggest a modern. super low-end card. I looked for low-end cards but they all seem to be OEM only.

Ok. thanks!

 

[plznote]

Nope, don't think it is implemented yet in PC's.
It is however common in laptops.

 

[ubercake]

A Radeon 5450 can be had for around $30 these days and allows 2 monitors to be connected. It's passively cooled, a DX11 card, powered by the PCIe slot, and is low profile. It uses very little power (rated typical usage is 19.1 watts). I have one in one of my PCs. It works great running two monitors.

Why is it you'd want more than one card? You could run two screens from this one card? You could save power (because the single card would not have to do as much work) by just turning off a monitor when you're not using it.

 

[axipher]

Even running a high end card like the AMD 6870 for example. Under load it's going to draw full power. But when you're not using it, it will clock down to 300 MHz and just as little power as a lower end card. And that extra power is there as soon as you need it, for gaming, watching movies, Youtube, and most programs that can take advantage of that lttle bt of extra horsepower.

 

[enewmen]

It seems what I'm trying to do is impossible.
I don't want to see 2 screens on 1 card. I want to one screen for both cards, but not using both cards at the same time. Switch between VGA and HDMI for example.
I want to keep the high-end card completely powered-down while I use the passively cooled card (then switch the two when I want to play a 3d game, photoshop, etc).

I think it will be a few years until desktops can automaticaly switch between integrated and descrete - also have cards shut down most of the cores when just using the desktop or when the monitor is power-save mode(not just clock down).

In any case, a 6870 or 6970 will use less watts idle than my 4870. Should upgrade the big card anyway.
Waiting for the 7000 & Kepler - that should be even more efficient

 

[jaguarskx]

I think it will be a few years until desktops can automaticaly switch between integrated and descrete - also have cards shut down most of the cores when just using the desktop or when the monitor is power-save mode(not just clock down).

In any case, a 6870 or 6970 will use less watts idle than my 4870. Should upgrade the big card anyway.
Waiting for the 7000 & Kepler - that should be even more efficient

Not sure if that will happen because desktops generally do not have to worry about battery life.

Upgrading is a good way to reduce idle power consumptions since the HD 4870 consumes 65w while idle.

 

[jthmfreak79]

Are you thinking of Hybrid SLI? In hybrid sli you use the onboard card for your daily tasks of internet and so forth, but when you go to play a game or something like photoshop it switches on the discrete cards. Normally your monitor would be plugged into the onboard video, there is no cord switching from my knowledge. And yes, my motherboard can automatically switch between the two, I have an MSI NF 980a G65.

 

[enewmen]

This sounds like a good solution

 

[enewmen]

Best answer selected by enewmen.