Contact Forum Editor

Send an email to our Forum Editor:

PLEASE NOTE: Your name is used only to let the Forum Editor know who sent the message. Both your name and email address will not be used for any other purpose.

Tech Helproom

It's free to register, to post a question or to start / join a discussion

View Forum Rules | Contact Forum Editor

 

Adding graphics cards

adambucky

Likes # 0

Posted February 23, 2012 at 12:04AM

Hi If i have a computer with a dedicated graphics card then buy a further 3D card -

1) when playing 2d games are both cards used - ie giving a more powerful performance 2)Would i have to connect both cards to my monitor to utlize them?

Like this post
markd71

Likes # 0

Posted February 23, 2012 at 12:17AM

NO

Like this post
adambucky

Likes # 0

Posted February 23, 2012 at 12:46AM

Thanks for the reply markd71

Just to clarify Do you mean no to both questions?

1)when playing 2d games are both cards used 2)Would i have to connect both cards to my monitor to utlize them?

Like this post
markd71

Likes # 0

Posted February 23, 2012 at 12:51AM

Define dedicated graphic card , if both are pcie then you can join them with a ribbon cable but not 3d & 2d

Like this post
KRONOS the First

Likes # 0

Posted February 23, 2012 at 1:12AM

I am assuming you mean that your motherboard comes with in-built graphics. If you install a separate graphics card then the in- built graphics will be disabled. This usually happens automatically. But it would be useful if you could post make and model of motherboard and the graphics card you are getting. That way you will get more precise advice.

Like this post
adambucky

Likes # 0

Posted February 24, 2012 at 7:40PM

Hi markd71 Thanks for the reply, my knowledge is pretty limited regarding pc’s As I understand it by dedicated graphics/video card it is one that is attached to the pc via psie as opposed to a shared/intergrated/on-board graphics which takes up some of the pc’s ram.

Adam

Like this post
adambucky

Likes # 0

Posted February 24, 2012 at 7:42PM

Hi thanks for your reply Chronus, haven’t actually bough the pc yet

I am deciding whether to buy a PC with built in graphics (on the montherboard) and then add via pcie a specific graphics 3D card OR buy a pc with a dedicated separate 2D card and then adding a separate 3D card.

I have heard conflicting things regarding using 2D and 3D graphic cards

I have spoken to Nvidia via their chat help on their website – they claimed that if you add a 3D dedicated graphics card to a system that already has a 2D dedicated graphics (connected via psie) then BOTH cards will be used when playing 2d games and only the 3D card while playing 3d games. Others have suggested that both cant be used together (2D & 3D)?!

Like this post
rdave13

Likes # 0

Posted February 24, 2012 at 8:57PM

A dedicated GPU usually means onboard graphics, either on the mobo or CPU nowadays. To use two graphics cards, in two PCI-E slots your mobo supports, you should really use two gpu cards of the same specs. Search for 'Crossfire'(AMD) and 'SLI' (Nvidia). It should give you the info needed.

Like this post
D@ve

Likes # 0

Posted February 24, 2012 at 11:51PM

"A dedicated GPU usually means onboard graphics"

I've always considered a dedicated GPU to mean a graphics card. Don't you mean an integrated GPU means onboard graphics?

If you're going to have two graphics cards in the same system then you will need two cards from the same family in order for it to work which means they're both going to either support 3D or neither of them will. As far as I'm aware, pretty much all decent graphics cards support 3D these days anyway. It's been around longer than people realise - the nVidia 8800GTS that I bought 5 years ago supported stereoscopic 3D, but as this was long before cinemas started promoting 3D films, nobody really paid much attention to it.

Like this post
rdave13

Likes # 0

Posted February 24, 2012 at 11:55PM

D@ve, correct. Integrated = mobo,cpu. Dedicated = card. My humble apologies.

Like this post

Reply to this topic

This thread has been locked.



Check out PC Advisor's other tech forums

Send to a friend

Email this article to a friend or colleague:

PLEASE NOTE: Your name is used only to let the recipient know who sent the story. Both your name and the recipient's name and address will not be used for any other purpose.