Can an AMD Radeon HD 6550D crossfire with Radeon 5670?

[Maxor1]

I currently own a 5670 I like the card and am considering reusing it in a general purpose computer with HTPC, and web-browsing along with low end gaming. Anyway I was considering going the apu route with a a8-3870K and can't find a definitive crossfire compatibility chart for the 6550d built into it.

I was wondering if anyone had used the 5670 with it or if I would look into buying or swapping for a 6670 (which is compatible). I am partially curious to go the apu route just for my own having done it, so may end up doing that even if I can in theory get a similarly capable cpu with a slightly higher end single gpu for the same money if the 5670 isn't compatible with the apu in crossfire.

 

[DM186]

First off you can't CF and integrated GPU with a reference card. Also you would not be able to CF the 5670 with the 6670. Can't be done. Now if you buy another lets say a 5650.

Then you could CF that. But it will turn the 5670 into a 5650. The first two numbers in the AMD cards have to be the same in order to CF. Now you can run bothe the 5670 and the 6670 at the same time.

You just won't be able to CF them. Anytime you put a reference card in it cuts out the on board GPU. I hope this helps and good luck to you.

 

[HugoStiglitz]

DM is right

Cannot CF 5xxx with 6xxx
Cannot CF 56xx with 55xx or a 58xx with a 57xx
CAN CF a 58xx with a 58xx but the faster card will slow down to match the slower card.

 

[Maxor1]

First off you can't CF and integrated GPU with a reference card. Also you would not be able to CF the 5670 with the 6670. Can't be done. Now if you buy another lets say a 5650.

You just won't be able to CF them. Anytime you put a reference card in it cuts out the on board GPU. I hope this helps and good luck to you.

DM186 Its called hybrid crossfire, it can be done. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATI_Hybrid_Graphics#Hybrid_CrossFire_.2F_Hybrid_CrossFireX

The A series APU is set-up specifically for doing it.

Now as for the other part Thanks hugo I had that same pictorial which shows the 5670, which I have. That pictorial doesn't show the 6550D and while I have found numerous instances of a fairly reputable publication crossfiring the apu and a 6670 I haven't seen it with the 5670. The 6550D seems to break the second number must match rule since it can work with the 6670 and thats why I was hoping someone could find documentation on what was compatible, and/or had done it with those two boards themselves.

http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/apu/mainstream/Pages/mainstream.aspx#5 tells me it can be done but I am not completely sure which cards can be used other than just a 6670.

 

[Maxor1]

Actually found it. just had to poke around enough.....

http://www.amd.com/us/products/technologies/dual-graphics/Pages/dual-graphics.aspx#3

Ok its a little more limited than what I had hoped. But should be interesting.... Anyone want to trade a working 1 gig 6670 for a working 1 gig 5670?

 

[DM186]

DM186 Its called hybrid crossfire, it can be done. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATI_Hybrid_Graphics#Hybrid_CrossFire_.2F_Hybrid_CrossFireX

The A series APU is set-up specifically for doing it.

Now as for the other part Thanks hugo I had that same pictorial which shows the 5670, which I have. That pictorial doesn't show the 6550D and while I have found numerous instances of a fairly reputable publication crossfiring the apu and a 6670 I haven't seen it with the 5670. The 6550D seems to break the second number must match rule since it can work with the 6670 and thats why I was hoping someone could find documentation on what was compatible, and/or had done it with those two boards themselves.

http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/apu/mainstream/Pages/mainstream.aspx#5 tells me it can be done but I am not completely sure which cards can be used other than just a 6670.

I always say if you don't learn something each day then count the day lost. Wow I didn't even konw about this. This was never in my A+ Certification classes. But we were just coming out of win 2000/ne when I was in school.

I am always learning stuff on here all the time. Thank you for showing me this, that is really cool stuff. It is to bad you are limited to certian series and chipsets. It is to bad it doesn't work on the nVidia side.

I wonder if AMD is going to try to exstend it to the 7xxx series of cards? Do you think it is worth you using the integrated along with the two 5670's? I will have to really read this. I wonder what the preformance value will be?

Well hey thanks and I do wish you good luck on this and take care.

 

[Maxor1]

It sounds like it will become a slightly bigger deal in the future as AMD expands and upgrades their APU line I don't know the details yet for trinity. As for the current status, The processor I want doesn't work with my graphics card. I'm still going to need to purchase or trade for a new card. The best card that currently can do it is the 6670 series of card. The next generation is promising to be a bit higher on the gpu charts and will probably be able to crossfire with a bit higher cards.

 

[DM186]

Yeah now that I know I will follow this for a while and see where it goes. Well hey I am not much help here so I wish you the best on this and good luck.

 

[Maxor1]

Best answer selected by Maxor1.