Multiple graphics cards

thirdchances · 15 Oct 2012 at 21:19

Just want to understand this in my head. If I have more than one graphics card installed in a machine I can attach a monitor to each and use them for multiple applications but just cant use them as one big screen? I may be completely wrong but would appreciate being put right. Thanks in advance

spoffle · 15 Oct 2012 at 21:21

It depends on what graphics card you have.

You can get relatively cheap (<£30) graphics cards that allow you to connect multiple monitors to a single card and have windows see it as a single large screen.

Some more info on what you want to do will be helpful in giving your more advice on what you can do.

Defy Belief · 15 Oct 2012 at 21:23

As said it all depends on the card(s) you have and the uses.

thirdchances · 15 Oct 2012 at 21:28

I have not yet decided on the graphics card and im aware of multiple monitors per card. However if I have 3 cheap graphics cards, one monitor on each, could i have one playing video, one on the internet and one using spreadsheets? All different applications but can i move the mouse between all of them freely?

spoffle · 15 Oct 2012 at 22:06

Oh, yes you most certainly can. You don't even need multiple graphics cards for that.

What you're talking about is called "extended desktop" in Windows use.

thirdchances · 16 Oct 2012 at 10:41

But for example could i do the same "extended desktop" with two monitors on one graphics card and two monitors on another graphics card. Or three on each. Thank you all for your help so far

spoffle · 16 Oct 2012 at 11:02

You can do that too. You should be able to have as many monitors as you have graphics card outputs and monitors.

Antowns · 16 Oct 2012 at 13:25

Just make sure you have the native ports on your graphics card for it. As I believe trying to split a signal via a HDMI splitter / DVI splitter ect will result in the same signal. IE. you would only be able to view the same picture on each screen.

But if you have a DVI port and a HDMI port for instance, you can use those both to produce an extended desktop, they don't have to be the same kind of port.

sypher365 · 16 Oct 2012 at 13:49

thirdchances said:
But for example could i do the same "extended desktop" with two monitors on one graphics card and two monitors on another graphics card. Or three on each. Thank you all for your help so far

You should be able to run 4 monitors from a single 6XX series of Nvidia cards without any issue (Will need a displayport adaptor or monitor with displayport for the 4th, the other 3 will be 2 x DVI, 1 x HDMI), adding more cards should give you more outputs

The AMD 7XXX series depending on its outputs as it varies a bit you should at least be able to run 3 monitors 1 x displayport, 1 x HDMI, 1 x DVI as a basic again will need display port adaptors. you could look at something like Sapphire HD 7950 FLEX DUAL-X 3072MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card with FREE Sleeping Dogs PC Game [11196-07-40G] wich will run 3 monitors without adaptors out the box 1x Dual Link DVI, 1x Single Link DVI, 1x HDMI + another 2x Mini-DisplayPorts so with adaptors could run 5 monitors.

With either Nvidia or AMD check the outputs the card has, you should be able to see how many monitors you can connect.

thirdchances · 16 Oct 2012 at 17:24

Hi, thanks for all your help so far. I understand the concept of how it works on one graphics card but was more inquiring as to how it would work across two or three graphics cards and whether the same rules apply?

Richeh · 16 Oct 2012 at 18:05

I used a dual setup for a while. Not quite sure why you are saying about the multiple graphics cards again though.

With one card with 3+ outputs you would then just set the windows desktop how you wanted, for you extended would be the best. Then say have the middle screen with the video, again you would just drag the video player over to the monitor and click maximise and Windows is smart enough to lock it to that monitor, then internet on one again maximise and spreadsheet on the 3rd. Windows is reading it as one big desktop so the mouse travels freely between monitors.

You really don't want to be getting multiple graphics cards as it will just be harder and more fiddly to get them sorted whereas one decent graphics card and windows 7 and you should have it set how you want within 10 minutes!

I am still not really 100% sure what your after as your posts are a bit vague. But from what you have said one graphics card will do what you want. You could have 3....but there would be no point.

thirdchances · 17 Oct 2012 at 09:17

Ok so with multiple graphics cards I would not be able to move the mouse freely between all the screens is that correct? In my line of work I need to be able to see a lot of data all at once and multi task. My thought process was to have multiple medium graphics cards instead of one really expensive one because it would leave one graphics card take the stress of one application while one of the others would not be slowed down running different applications separately. For example if one screen was playing 1080p video I could have a different screen using video editing software without slowing down one card. The reason I would like to use multiple cards is because I am looking at having 6-8 screens and it is hard to find a graphics card with that many outputs and even if I did then I would worry about it running slowly because it is trying to support different content on so many monitors at once. Hope that helps clarify my question and I appreciate your help

spoffle · 17 Oct 2012 at 14:02

The end result would be pretty much the same between multiple graphics cards and a single. You can have the exact same extended desktop where you can move the mouse between displays whether the displays are connected to one graphics card or multiple, it won't matter.

If what you're using is 2D content, the graphics chip on the card won't play that big a part in the types of things you want to do. 1080p video is nothing nowadays really with modern computers.

thirdchances · 24 Oct 2012 at 20:48

Sorry to keep dragging on but just so I understand, how is the setup of multiple monitors on seperate graphics cards different to if they were on the same graphics card?

Cleeecooo · 24 Oct 2012 at 21:12

thirdchances said:
Sorry to keep dragging on but just so I understand, how is the setup of multiple monitors on seperate graphics cards different to if they were on the same graphics card?

It isn't

AMD is, in my opinion, VASTLY SUPERIOR to nvidia in terms of multi monitor capabilities. Take a look at this link:
http://www.amd.com/us/products/tech...ology/how-to/Pages/faqs.aspx#maximum-monitors

One solution is to get a single card with 6 outputs (AMD only), however, it'll be best to get a monitor with displayport and DVI so you won't have to use too many adapters.

I'll do some more digging, but I know for certain this card can do 6 monitors without any slowdown:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-152-MS&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=938

EDIT - more cards:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-276-AS&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=938
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-009-VX&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=411

Richeh · 24 Oct 2012 at 21:35

With regards to performance. 1080p video as mentioned above would not stress any modern graphics card. Photo editing software is 2D only and performance for that is based on your CPU/Memory/HDD not GFX. I have had a single AMD7850 outputting a video to at 1080p on XBMC on my HDTV with a 1650x1050 monitor running BF3 on ultra -MSAA between 45-60fps (vsync on). You will have no performance problems with a single graphics card for multiple monitors.

thirdchances · 24 Oct 2012 at 22:26

So if I had good performance from the other components i.e. 3ghz+ quad core ivybridge cpu and 16gb+ of 1600mhz+ RAM with solid state drives which graphics card combination would be best for a 6-8 monitor configuration? Thanks for the advice so far

Cleeecooo · 24 Oct 2012 at 22:33

thirdchances said:
So if I had good performance from the other components i.e. 3ghz+ quad core ivybridge cpu and 16gb+ of 1600mhz+ RAM with solid state drives which graphics card combination would be best for a 6-8 monitor configuration? Thanks for the advice so far

Gaming or purely for work?

thirdchances · 24 Oct 2012 at 22:36

Purely for work which comprises of spreadsheets, presentations, excel documents, remote desktop applications, multiple browser windows, outlook and video editing at the same time.

Cleeecooo · 24 Oct 2012 at 22:42

In that case the 7870 Eyefinity 6 is most likely going to be your best bet.

Any card branded 'Eyefinity 6' should be ok, it doesn't need to be particularly powerful. I believe there's an Eyefinity 6 6870 too, doesn't seem to be for sale anywhere though.