Running dual video cards?

[Eagle]

I've heard of people running dual video cards on their computers. I'm currently running a NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 128MB AGP video card with S-Video out and standard monitor output. With the new 7000 series chipset now out, I was thinking of getting a 256MB 6000 series card in a month or two when the prices come down, but I was thinking if I could run both cards at once (the new card would have to be PCI to do so) I'd get even better preformance still. Does anyone know if this would be possible, and if so, how would I go about doing this? I'm sure that I would have to connect the 2 cards together somehow, but how?

[teufelhunden]

SLI.

Bad idea the first time, bad idea the second time.

[Miscue]

This will not improve performance. Adding a second card like this, will let you run a second monitor... that's it.

You cannot SLI cards that do not support SLI. And everyone I've seen.... you have to have the exact same card to do it. Also, as was mentioned... SLI isn't worthwhile, unless you really have money to burn for small performance gains.

Typically, games can only use one monitor - and run off your primary vid card. Otherwise... the game itself has to support multiple monitors, as far as I know. At least, that's how it used to be, I don't know if this has changed somehow.

PCI video? Performance? :rofl:

Maybe PCI-Express...

[Hexis]

Miscue has it right. SLI requires the 2 of the same model NVidia PCI express video cards that are on a SLI compatible motherboard. High cost, low performance gain.


Just go get yourself a nice 6600 or 6800 and you will be a happy gamer.

[Gitaroo Man]

Just get a 6800 GT ultra and you should be fine.

[Hexis]

Too bad no such card exists. There is a 6800GT and a 6800 Ultra, but they are different models. I have a 6800GT and I have been quite happy with it.

[Glickman]

alienware has been implimenting a system that works like this:


1 Card control's top half
1 Card control's bottom half



simple, yet how well it "improves" quality has yet to be determined

[Warewolf50]

The use of two vid cards to do half of the screen each is on pci express. Wiht that u are able to use dual vid cards to increase performance.

[Gitaroo Man]

Sorry Hexis for missing small details. Just get a 6800 ULTRA and you should be fine.

[gamarada717]

Wait for ATI to bring their SLI support out. That's when I'll be building a new rig.

I don't get why you guys say SLI is a waste....I think that it's great, but only in one situation. What tons of my friends have done is buy one awesome card, like the 6800 Ultra or the GT. In a few months, they buy a second one for a pretty low price. The difference is amazing if you ask me, and even if you use the lowest quality SLI supported card, it still makes a huge difference from my stand point. However, it's really all preference. I can get by playing most any game with the lowest graphic settings almost all of the time, however, I must say that it's time for an upgrade.

[spectre184]

alienware has been implimenting a system that works like this:


1 Card control's top half
1 Card control's bottom half



simple, yet how well it "improves" quality has yet to be determined

That is how SLI works anyway.

When Alienware 1st released that its was proprietary for them and was either done by software or another card in mobo then to monitor. Can't remember which. I dunno if they switched to SLI. Their systems are to $$ for me. Why I build my own :cheers:

[Gitaroo Man]

I'm doing exactly what Gam mentioned with the Ultra. Right now the Ultra is high end and runs all games fine. Then, later on the down the road buy another one when the price drops and you should be right at top again.

[Miscue]

Wait for ATI to bring their SLI support out. That's when I'll be building a new rig.

I don't get why you guys say SLI is a waste....I think that it's great, but only in one situation. What tons of my friends have done is buy one awesome card, like the 6800 Ultra or the GT. In a few months, they buy a second one for a pretty low price. The difference is amazing if you ask me, and even if you use the lowest quality SLI supported card, it still makes a huge difference from my stand point. However, it's really all preference. I can get by playing most any game with the lowest graphic settings almost all of the time, however, I must say that it's time for an upgrade.

That's what people said the last time. Then the next generation card came out soon after... and people had $600 vid setups that were inferior to the new $400 card. When have the video card makers not topped themselves within about 1-1.5 years?

A year from now: OMG!!! This new dual GPU vid card with octuple pipelines totally rocks! Time to throw away this $600 crappy setup and buy this superior $400 one! This dongle/SLI cable thing is so yesterday... again!

You gotta run the thing at 1600x1200 4xAA 8xAF just about to see the gains from SLI... well, maybe lower settings... but the point is... you have to really jack up the settings for it to make any difference... all just to make it ever so slightly prettier to look at.

In my opinion... it's a total waste of money unless you just make a lot of cash and can piss it away. I just got a Gigabyte 6600GT for $200 - and it's PLENTY of video card. That's the performance card that I recommend... Maybe a vanilla 6800. It doesn't even matter if you're on a budget... it's just silly to spend so much when the game doesn't really play any better.

But then again... I spend money on lots of stuff that people would think I'm stupid for buying... and if I really think about it, they're kind of right but I don't care... I want it anyway. So... whatever floats your boat. :p