I'm not a tech expert, but this doesn't make sense to me

[Kitsunelegend]

So, lately I've been wondering...I've heard how some people have two GPUs, usually high tier high performance GPUs like two GTX970s or two GTX1060s or something like that, but I've always wondered...

 

The fudge is the point? What game or program out there requires you to run two high end GPUs? If you have a 1060 or something like that, you'd think that'd be enough to run most games at max or near max graphics, but no, some people saw fit to need a second.

 

I just...am at a loss? I don't understand the benefit of it one bit. I mean, doesn't the game/program have to be programmed with that in mind to even take advantage of both GPUs?

 

Someone please educate me on this....cause I'm stumped.

[MaliceA4Thought]

 

These are known as SLI or Crossfire depending on whether you are using ATI or Nvidia cards.

 

There are a few different benefits, for gaming it would be frame rates.

 

Let's break this down into a few categories: 2560x1600, 1920x1080 and low resolutions (1280x720, 1600x900, etc). Then we have 120Hz screens and 60Hz screens. what are the benefits of sli/crossfire for a single screen setup?

 

The 120Hz/60Hz thing is all about frame rates - trying to keep your frame rate locked to the refresh rate of your monitor. So on a normal 60Hz screen, your image in-game will look best at above 60 frames per second, and 120Hz obviously translates into 120 frames per second. Let's say you're running a 1920x1080 display. A multi-GPU setup like Radeon HD 7970's in CrossFire would provide much more than 60fps in every game on the market right now at maximum detail.

 

Then we'll need to talk anti-aliasing. Anti-aliasing will really tax frame rates, which is where bandwidth on-GPU and copious amounts of VRAM come into play. So, would a multi-GPU setup help for single screen gaming? Yes and no. You will definitely see huge benchmark scores, but for actual, in-game results? It depends on the settings in-game and of course, the game itself.

 

Multi-GPU for single screen gaming can be a bonus as it will provide you with over 60fps which is what you want for perfect gaming conditions. It'll also give you some huge GPU headroom to enable some, if not all anti-aliasing options in-game and not dip below 60fps. If we're talking mid-range GPUs like the GeForce GTX 660 Ti cards, you will see 60fps in most games - but the AA will be something trickier.

 

However if the game is not optimised for SLI/Crossfire you may just be wasting your money and in WoWS, I haven't seen any benefit to this at all.  In very fast updating games such as DOOM or similar that both use very high frame rates and are optimised for dual GPU's then yes, there is a benefit, but it's not a wonder solution that fixes everything..  if you don't have the monitor or main processor or internal setup to support it..  you just spent a lot of money for nothing

 

I have an Nvidia setup with 2 GPU's (GTX970's) because I do a lot of 3d work and it really helps with rendering of final solutions where GPU performance is the only thing that matters, for games it's kinda meh

 

Hope this helps.

M

 

[MrDeaf]

If you run 4k, which is 4x the pixel count as 1080p, multiple GPUs becomes necessary to run games.

 

1920x1080 = 2,073,600 pixels

4096x2160 = 8,847,360 pixels

 

Or, if you run a monitor capable of 120Hz, which means 120fps maximum, that means twice the amount of pixels over a normal monitor, which only does 60Hz = 60fps

 

Or, if you're like me, and run something intermediate, which is 2560x1440 @ 110Hz, then GTX 970 can be over taxed on max settings with some of the newer games.

 

WoWs isn't that GPU intensive.

GTX 960 can run WoWs on high settings @ 1920x1080 @ 60Hz

GTX 970 can run WoWs on max settings @ 2560x1440 @ 110Hz

Although, WoWs does not support nVidia AA out of the box and there is a soft cap on FPS, so GTX 970 gets no where near its limits in WoWs.

[Kitsunelegend]

What if you run dual screens and both are 1920x1080 at 60Hz? Of course I only use one screen for games, but still.

 

Also, thanks for the info guys. 

[MaliceA4Thought]

You can use the sli/crossfire programs to drive 2 screens yes..  I normally use 2 screens, but bring it back to a single one for most games and leave all the utilities..  Teamspeak, etc etc on the other..  the only one I split over 2 screens is Flight Simulator which is just a beast for graphics and can use all the help it can get from a dual setup.

 

BTW..  with Nvidea you can also do triple and quad cards if you really have money to burn..  just so you have something to think about. 

 

M

[MrDeaf]

Technically, I think GTX970 could run 2x 1920x1080 @ 60Hz monitors no problem, even on a graphics intensive game.

[Kitsunelegend]

Technically, I think GTX970 could run 2x 1920x1080 @ 60Hz monitors no problem, even on a graphics intensive game.

 

what about an r7 260x? o3o

 

I am upgrading at some point...probably just to a GTX950 or 960 because thats all I can afford....but atm the 260x is what I'm using.

 

I've just been hearing so much about people using two GPUs but never saw the benefit of it...

[Math_e]

Technically, I think GTX970 could run 2x 1920x1080 @ 60Hz monitors no problem, even on a graphics intensive game.

 

I once tried running WoWs in two monitors @ 3840x1080 with my 750 Ti. Expected worse than the 40~50fps I got in port. 4K res with DSR gets around 20-30fps in port

[MrDeaf]

 

what about an r7 260x? o3o

 

I am upgrading at some point...probably just to a GTX950 or 960 because thats all I can afford....but atm the 260x is what I'm using.

 

I've just been hearing so much about people using two GPUs but never saw the benefit of it...

There is a new card out on the block.

GTX 1060 6GB, which is a really good card.

 

 

But watch out, don't buy the 3GB model, which looks to be another nvidia card with false marketing.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/10580/nvidia-releases-geforce-gtx-1060-3gb

 

 

I once tried running WoWs in two monitors @ 3840x1080 with my 750 Ti. Expected worse than the 40~50fps I got in port. 4K res with DSR gets around 20-30fps in port

 

Yup, WoWs just isn't graphically intensive on any recent card.

[Kitsunelegend]

There is a new card out on the block.

GTX 1060 6GB, which is a really good card.

 

 

But watch out, don't buy the 3GB model, which looks to be another nvidia card with false marketing.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/10580/nvidia-releases-geforce-gtx-1060-3gb

 

 

Yup, WoWs just isn't graphically intensive on any recent card.

 

And at nearly 300 bucks a pop, I can't afford it. Like I said, the GTX 950 is the top limit I can afford with my current bills and income ect

 

I don't even know when I'll be able to get it though, as I'm still saving but its like $10 per pay check at most...

[Raven114]

Nvidia just put out a white paper report that they are dropping support for multiple video cards. They will maintain the duel cards for a short time but not long. The new DirectX-12 will eliminate the controls for multiple cards so game company's will no longer add code for support of multi cards.