Can I Run 2 Different Graphic Cards On 1 PC?

I currently have a GTX 460...But Im planning to buy something better when MW3 comes out for eg. GTX 560.

Is it possible to have both in 1 PC? Some people say you need 2 monitors and can only use 1 at a time...

Any info?

 

Depending on how many ports you have in your pc to install graphics cards to,
you could have both in the same pc. But you can only USE one at a time.


If you are running two cards that are the same model and brand,
they may support SLI or Crossfire meaning they will share the load.

If you are running two cards that are different, you may be able to
choose which you would like to use for which game or program.

(A good example is with the older computers with a integrated graphics
card, you would use the integrated for normal programs, while you would
use your better graphics card for games and other stuff like
that.)

 

If you have sli or crossfire, it may work. Wouldn't know for sure because I haven't tried it.

I tried it with a Nvidia GeForce and an ATI Radeon and it did not work. It was either one worked or the other worked. As far as I know, it won't work. I haven't been able to tell if it's just because they're two completely different cards though. It may be that if the cards use a similar driver then you can get them to work at the same time, but not together. (Ieboth GTX 480
's)


Spade's example in green is correct though. They will work with integrated graphics.


EDIT:: yeah after 1ce's post, I thought i'd clarify that mine's for windows.

 

What OS you running with? I can on FreeBSD by using allocating them or using symlinks if need be. Not sure about windows though. Linux shouldn't be all too different than FreeBSD, Mac OSX is based over FreeBSD so it should still be possible on a mac.

 

You can't SLI two different cards together. For example, a GTX 460 + GTX 560 combo is impossible to SLI, but you could get another GTX 460 and it would SLI just fine.

As for Crossfire, I believe you can link two different cards together but it will only be as strong as the weakest link.

Also your motherboard has to be SLI/Crossfire compatible (they are different, just because your motherboard is Crossfire ready doesn't mean it's SLI ready, and vice versa)

SLI = grouping NVIDIA cards
Crossfire = grouping ATI/AMD cards
^Just in case you didn't know.

 

Okay im new to this forum but im an IT tech and an electrical engineer and have built many computer's.

NO you can only sli/crossfire two identicle cards.

SLI AND CROSS FIRE are the same they use the same jumper.

SLI is the name that nvidia uses to link multiple gpu's together.

Crossfire is the name that AMD uses so raidon ect ect.

i hope that clears things up.

and your mobo has to have the capability but if it is sli ready its crossfire ready. simple as that.

Hope that helps

 

I'm not saying with 100% certainty you are wrong, but I have never heard that SLI and Crossfire are the same thing. I just did some researching on what you said and couldn't find anything about it, so again, I'm not positive. However, I know with my particular motherboard, it supports Crossfire but NOT SLI.

 

yes this is because the two different brands will only say you use sli or crossfire its quite simple if you bridge nvidia its sli if you bridge amd its crossfire. anyway im not gonna argue i know im right feel free to send me a pm if you need anyhelp with it issues Preferably hardware but i can dome some soft ware