Dual GPU setups (Not SLI)

[Mayonnaise]

I've recently upgraded from an GTX 1070 to an RTX 4070 GPU, and I've been wondering if keeping both would be useful if I were to run a multiple monitor setup with different type monitors (different refresh rates, hdr vs non-hdr, etc), in a way to minimize issues with the main monitor while running games.
I know that I would need a mobo with enough pci-e lanes and the setup does at least work, but does it cause more issues than it solves in terms of driver issues, cpu load, etc.? I never ran such a setup before so wanted to get advice from people who have.

 

[Count von Schwalbe]

I have done it with different brands; it had certain benefits in terms of reducing overhead on the GPU. I suspect CPU performance was reduced, but I was never having major issues with that. I was using an Intel iGPU for auxiliary screens and a R7 450 for the main screen.

I do not know how a older model of the same brand of GPU would work. I tried installing two different Radeon drivers at once (one for an old card out of support and another for a newer one that the old driver did not have support for) and bad things happened.

 

[dgianstefani]

No, because of the additional heat dumped into your case.

If you use iGPU it's suited for this but not a second GPU.

 

[Count von Schwalbe]

No, because of the additional heat dumped into your case.

Interesting perspective. Depends somewhat on the case and the cards. Should not be an issue if the PSU can handle it and the cards have decent coolers.

 

[thesmokingman]

No, because of the additional heat dumped into your case.

If you use iGPU it's suited for this but not a second GPU.

This, waste of energy, heat and just flat out wasteful as one card can run surround.

 

[Mayonnaise]

This, waste of energy, heat and just flat out wasteful as one card can run surround.

Even if it's a low-end gpu? Again, the intention is reducing issues with the same gpu running different monitors each running their own applications that might also use gpu acceleration (one example scenario being game streaming), so yes, a single gpu can run plenty monitors by itself, but the issue here is reducing problems that come with such setup, so the energy/heat angle is not a primary concern

 

[Toothless]

I did this with a Titan Xp and 1070. Heat and power was not a concern and it kept hardware acceleration off the primary. It works, just ignore all the nay sayers.

 

[thesmokingman]

Even if it's a low-end gpu? Again, the intention is reducing issues with the same gpu running different monitors each running their own applications that might also use gpu acceleration (one example scenario being game streaming), so yes, a single gpu can run plenty monitors by itself, but the issue here is reducing problems that come with such setup, so the energy/heat angle is not a primary concern

The only time I might entertain a 2nd low end gpu is for dedicated TV display. HW accel is better addressed thru afterburner and whatever app controls. If you're not running surround then different sized panels is a non-issue.

 

[lordmogul]

You could run PhysX on the second card to take that off the main card like in the old days
If cooling is sufficient, power supply is sufficient, and both run on the same driver, there shouldn't be any issue.
I'm running a GTX 1060 and the Intel iGPU together in one system. Mostly to connect more monitors. Seen no difference in gaming performance between putting a secondary monitor on the 1060 or the iGPU. Running a video on the secondary does impact some games, but also independent on where the monitor is plugged in.

 

[Edwired]

I done a similar setup with two gpus one is primary evga gtx 1060 6gb sc for running games and display and the other is Asus gtx 1050ti oc 4gb expedition esport for running pcsx2. Had no issues runn
ing this on Asus P6x58d-e with xeon x5675. I can set up multi display easily enough if I wanted to. Other than that I can set up per software and game to run off one gpu or the other depending what I be doing on the computer.
You can set up different refresh rate per gpu depending on what display is capable of as I can set independently 50hz or 59hz on an older Samsung 22" monitor on gtx 1050 ti for pcsx2 and 60hz Samsung 22" curved lcd on evga GTX 1060 and don't see any issues doing this. But all depends on the purpose of doing dual gpu setup