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2 different games on 2 different cards on 2 different monitors

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Hi everyone,

First post here at tom's hardware.

A question has been troubling my mind for a while now and I need some feedback.

I currently have a GTX 550 TI and plan on buying a GTX 670.

My question is, is it possible to put both those cards in my system, without SLI (unless it could?), and run
two different games on two different monitors, each monitor attached to one card, without loosing performance.

My logic behind this is, I want to run GW2 on the main screen (attached to GTX 670),
and have my second screen (attached to GTX 550 TI) run something else, maybe a second GW2 with lower graphic details
or Dungeon Defenders on AFK mode or whatever.

So do you guys think it's possible and if so, would I loose performance on the GTX 670?

My motherboard is P8Z68 Deluxe/Gen3 and support this:
2 x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16 (x16 or dual x8) *1
1 x PCIe 2.0 x16 (x4 mode, black) *2
2 x PCIe 2.0 x1
2 x PCI

I have Intel Core i5-2500k 3.3GHz with 16GB RAM Corsair and a 850W PS.

Thank you all.

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I currently have a GTX 550 TI and plan on buying a GTX 670.

My question is, is it possible to put both those cards in my system, without SLI (unless it could?), and run
two different games on two different monitors, each monitor attached to one card, without loosing performance.


i think it might overload you'r cpu
Graphics card Expert

The last time I used a multi-card multi-monitor setup (pair of Rage128 cards), Windows supported 3D acceleration only on the primary card... but that was Windows 98SE so it is quite likely things have changed since.

Worst case, a GTX670 should be able to run both at the same time reasonably well if you trim some of the more GPU-RAM intensive eye-candy.
Graphics card Authority

No you cannot do this games only open in the primary Window.. I guess if you started it windowed you could move it to another screen.... So why would you do this as you only have 1 keyboard and mouse and it will be trying to play both games at once so I don't get the idea behind this?

Thent
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Well like I said in the original post it would be for something like a second GW2 or Dungeon Defenders AFK mode.
I don't know how GW2 works yet but the logic behind it is to have your second account follow you around in AFK mode.
For Dungeon Defenders well I said AFK mode, I don't need to actually play it, just watch it so my defenses don't break.
Graphics card Master
Monitor Expert

The only way to do this would be to get one of the massive cases that will allow you to put two full systems in it (often one ATX + one mATX or mini ITX), and then have two PCs in one case - then you could use the computer to drive two different monitors doing two different things in two different instances of Windows.

BigMack70 said:
The only way to do this would be to get one of the massive cases that will allow you to put two full systems in it (often one ATX + one mATX or mini ITX), and then have two PCs in one case - then you could use the computer to drive two different monitors doing two different things in two different instances of Windows.


+1 ;) 
Graphics card Expert

I can run WoW + D3 on my good ol' 3GHz Core2Duo and HD5770.

With Windows configured to prioritize the foreground application, whichever is in the background drops to something like 5-10fps which is perfectly fine for AFKing around so I can read trade/guild/social chat on one screen while playing the other on my main screen.
Graphics card Master
Monitor Master

In the past, playing various MMO's, people would just play in windowed mode, and have multiple accounts open. All the rendering would run from the primary graphics card, and you can have the window on the 2nd monitor. I wouldn't buy 2 different graphics cards, as the primary card will be the only one working.

However, a lot of games these days, won't let you open up multiple copies of the game. Some games won't update what is viewable on the screen unless it's in focus, so if you do manage to open 2 copies of it in windowed mode, you might not be able to keep tabs on both characters at once.

Your possibilities will be dependent on how the game is coded. You won't be able to have a 2nd graphics setup drive the action of a 2nd game, but you may or may not be able to have multiple accounts open at once on the same system.
Graphics card Expert

bystander said:
In the past, playing various MMO's, people would just play in windowed mode, and have multiple accounts open. All the rendering would run from the primary graphics card, and you can have the window on the 2nd monitor. I wouldn't buy 2 different graphics cards, as the primary card will be the only one working.

However, a lot of games these days, won't let you open up multiple copies of the game. Some games won't update what is viewable on the screen unless it's in focus, so if you do manage to open 2 copies of it in windowed mode, you might not be able to keep tabs on both characters at once.

Your possibilities will be dependent on how the game is coded. You won't be able to have a 2nd graphics setup drive the action of a 2nd game, but you may or may not be able to have multiple accounts open at once on the same system.



I agree with bystander. Ive ran up to 8 instances of the same game. However; i had to use a multiclient / third party software to be able to do so. Putting my accounts at risk of being banned for "multiclienting" You only need one GPU. Just make sure to read up multiclienting within the game u want to to play. If it's two separate games. Run them in window mode and you should be fine. Depending on the individual demands of the games performance will vary.

Quote:
Depending on the individual demands of the games performance will vary.


Exactly. That's why I was wondering if I can run a second card for the second game so the primary card won't have any performance decrease.

I know about multiaccounting and some games don't allow multiple instances. The question is really about the graphic cards not the games.
Graphics card Expert

General consumer computers, operating systems and games won’t allow it. I’m not saying its impossible theres just no support for it.

Only way is to multi window and switch between multiple games. But as you’re aware it will bog down your system depending how gutsy it is of course :) 
Graphics card Expert

Xantanash said:
Quote:
Depending on the individual demands of the games performance will vary.


Exactly. That's why I was wondering if I can run a second card for the second game so the primary card won't have any performance decrease.

I know about multiaccounting and some games don't allow multiple instances. The question is really about the graphic cards not the games.

What i would do is keep your current card. Run your gw2 and the defenders game. Both in window mode on normal settings. See what the performance is like. See if it's gpu or cpu intensive. Whats being maxed out. If it's to much on the cpu it would be pointless to have a second gpu anyways. So start with what you have... Play with the settings etc and go from there. :) 
Graphics card Master
Monitor Master

Another possibility is to have 2 towers. If you are like me, you usually have enough spare parts left over from upgrades to build a 2nd tower. Then you can use a KVM switch to use your mouse and keyboard to drive both computers.

bystander said:
Another possibility is to have 2 towers. If you are like me, you usually have enough spare parts left over from upgrades to build a 2nd tower. Then you can use a KVM switch to use your mouse and keyboard to drive both computers.


Yes I thought about that and I do have a second desktop functionning but my girlfriend is using it when she visits.

So basically what you guys are saying is its either not worth it or not doable.

I guess Ill use the second card as a PhysX dedicated and put the 2 screens on 1 card or use KVM.

Thank you all for your answers!

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Graphics card Master
Monitor Master

Btw, if you use the dedicated card for PhysX, you can still hook up the monitor to that card. When in windowed mode, you can still drag the game over to the 2nd monitor, and it'll still do the rendering on the 1st graphics card.

That would be the best thing to do next to being able to render the first monitor/game with the 670 and the second monitor/game with the 550 ti.

That's what I'll probably do, or KVM, not sure yet.

Thanks!
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