Two Graphics Cards Running at the Same Time?

[Ty1980]

Hello I hope everyone is having a happy holiday season.

I am thinking about adding a 3rd monitor to my dual monitor set up. I already know from experience that even though my current card has tree inputs it will only accept two at a time.

I know that I cannot use my motherboard's onboard video inputs when another one is active, but am I allowed to add another GPU card in an open slot and plug two monitors into one card and the third into the other? It wouldn't be any SLI connected thing or anything like that it would just be two different GPU's running at the same time.

Any Advice?

Thank You & Happy New Year,
Tyler

 

[esrever]

it won't work if its 2 different gpu generally

 

[DM186]

In order to work depending on your rig you can use one card for 3 monitors. Also If you go to a second card then they should be in SLI. It is not hard to SLI them.

Thing is they have to be the same card like a 560 the other should be a 560 but Nvidia stays with Nivdia cards as AMD/ATi stays with AMD/ATI Here is a link that should help you and good luck. Read all of the thread

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/334697-33-buying-video-card-hook-monitors

 

[Ty1980]

In order to work depending on your rig you can use one card for 3 monitors. Also If you go to a second card then they should be in SLI. It is not hard to SLI them.

Thing is they have to be the same card like a 560 the other should be a 560 but Nvidia stays with Nivdia cards as AMD/ATi stays with AMD/ATI Here is a link that should help you and good luck. Read all of the thread

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/334697-33-buying-video-card-hook-monitors

Okay thanks, that's what I was afraid of. Any advice for an eyefinity graphics card? I don't play video games on my PC, but I do use Photoshop occasionally.

 

[esrever]

probably a 6770 would be a cheap card for eyefinity.

 

[4745454b]

You can just plug in a second card and have it work. They don't need to be the same. The only issue you'll have is if you run Vista. Vista can only load one graphics driver so all the GPUs need to use the same driver. Don't CF/SLI the cards. (If you have a GTS450 already and buy another GTS450, you can SLI them in that case...)

The draw backs are you won't be able to turn these three monitors into one like Eyefinity. The task bar will stay only on the primary monitor. Games will only run on one. As long as your ok with that, then its fine to pop a second card in there. Many people do this so they can run a TV off their computer when they already have two monitors running.

 

[DM186]

Ya I just found out today about the sli thing today and 4745454b is right. you don't need sli to do what you want. We are learning new things on herer everyday. Sorry for not being more knowledgable on that subject. And good luck to you.

Thanks 4745454b for the help.