Two, no-Crossfire/SLI cards

[Enigma_exe]

Hi there! I've been thinking about upgrading to a 2560x1440 monitor and started to wonder, if I ever got a newer GPU could I keep my current 6950 to run my old monitor, and have the new card run the Quad HD one?

Anyone else doing or done this successfully?

My Motherboard has two PCI 2.0x16 btw.

 

[MeMeMeMe]

You could do that - it would work.
But it's pretty pointless. Your current monitor can be run as a second screen from your new graphic card, whatever it is, with no perceptible drain on performance.

It would be a waste of power keeping your 6950 around just for that.

 

[Confused Stu]

You could do that - it would work.
But it's pretty pointless. Your current monitor can be run as a second screen from your new graphic card, whatever it is, with no perceptible drain on performance.

It would be a waste of power keeping your 6950 around just for that.

MeMeMeMe is spot on - the only difference a second screen makes is to idle speeds/temperatures as a card can't clock down as far with 2 screens attached as it can with one (my card idles at 500 core/1500 memory with more than one screen, but at 150/500 with only one attached). However, any saving of power or temperature on your new card will be more than negated by running the 6950 alongside, so you'd be better off running the second screen off your main card.

Also, just to be pedantic, 2560x1440 isn't quad HD - that's a name used for the new 4k resolutions at 3840x2160. 2560x1440 is more 1.78 HD.

 

[Enigma_exe]

Ahh cheers MeMeMeMe, so the HD6950 is able to handle what is effectively a 5760x1080 setup comfortably, during standard use?

Hahaa, I've never quite got what they called 2560x1440, it's like it was just forgotten about XD

 

[MeMeMeMe]

Ahh cheers MeMeMeMe, so the HD6950 is able to handle what is effectively a 5760x1080 setup comfortably, during standard use?

Yes, easily. In fact, even low end GPUs can manage that these days without issue, as long as they have the outputs for it.

A 5760x1080 display at 32bit colour only needs around 24MB of VRAM for general use - by modern graphic card standards, that's negligible.

 

[Enigma_exe]

Yes, easily. In fact, even low end GPUs can manage that these days without issue, as long as they have the outputs for it.

A 5760x1080 display at 32bit colour only needs around 24MB of VRAM for general use - by modern graphic card standards, that's negligible.

You're making this upgrade all the more easier, thanks!

 

[Devrij]

To be fair, you could game at that res with a 6950, just don't expect to have any AA and you will have to turn down some bells and whistles for more demanding games.