Simple Clarifying two video card question

Tyrael · 08-04-2009, 04:20 PM

ok just clarifying that i can indeed have two video cards without some kind of bridge. is this true? also this may not be the right section, however i was wondering if i have two of the same video cards would i have to install the drivers for both of them or install it only once since its the same drivers. thx in advance

Phædrus2401 · 08-04-2009, 04:28 PM

That depends.

If you want the cards to work in tandem, like in SLI or CrossFireX, then for SLI you require the bridge, while for CrossFireX it's optional but will improve performance. If you just want two separate graphics cards running, like if you wanted to run more than two monitors, then no bridge is needed. If the cards are from the same manufacturer and series then you will not need to install separate drivers, otherwise, if one is from Nvidia and one from ATI, or if one is a GeForce 9000 and the other a GeForce 8000, then you will need separate drivers. Note, Windows Vista will ONLY take one graphics card driver because of a rather annoying software limitation. So if you want two graphics cards on a Vista machine they must at least be from the same manufacturer and series. Note: XP and Windows 7 do not have this problem, nor do most Linux distros.

Tyrael · 08-04-2009, 04:34 PM

ok cool thx. im kinda mad that crossfire doesn't let you have like 3 monitors otherwise i totally would have it. also i am definitely not going vista. I've had some problems with it in the past so i just try to avoid it now. i'll probably just get xp because windows 7 just seems like a pretty version of windows xp only more expensive.

Phædrus2401 · 08-04-2009, 04:37 PM

Right now Windows 7 RC is free, but you will have to pay for it eventually. It is basically Windows Vista except with a few performance tweaks, an improved version of the WDDM driver system (so now you can have graphics cards from two separate manufacturers), and a more confusing UI. Either XP or 7 will be fine, it's up to you.

Tyrael · 08-04-2009, 04:46 PM

kk sweet thx. what kind of video card would you recommend?

**emosun** · 08-04-2009, 11:20 PM

post system specs and budget.

Windows 7 is actually pretty good. I'm a die hard vista hater and I gotta say , 7 is pretty good.

Tyrael · 08-05-2009, 01:05 AM

well im still in the process of getting all of my parts but my budget is probably between $1200.00 and 1500.00 roughly

**emosun** · 08-05-2009, 01:47 AM

I actually meant the budget for just the card , but when you know what system it's going in we'll need that info as well.

Tyrael · 08-05-2009, 04:22 PM

oh sorry, probably between $200.00 and $400.00 depending on whether or not i get two video cards.

Phædrus2401 · 08-05-2009, 04:25 PM

It's always better to go for one high-end card rather than two mid-range cards. More bang for your buck. For $200 the best on the market is the Radeon 4890, I recommend this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102841
It will run any game currently out there at max detail, including Crysis, on a 1680x1050 screen at a good framerate.

We recommend a 700w+ PSU for it, 650w at a bare minimum. The Corsair tx750w would be a good fit.

Tyrael · 08-05-2009, 04:41 PM

wow ok cool um i dont think i would even need it to play crysis because ive never gotten into those games, but if it could thats always nice to have handy. i'm mainly going to play hl2 engine games like team fortress two, half life, day of defeat and stuff. however im hoping my build will be able to play diablo 3 but since I have no idea when its coming out i dont know how good of a video card to get =/

Phædrus2401 · 08-05-2009, 04:46 PM

If you want to spend all of that $1200 then you're going to have to get a good graphics card. ;)

If that's all you're going to be playing then you could drop the graphics card down to a Radeon HD 4850 or GeForce GTS250 or 9800GTX+. That would also let you drop the power supply down to a 650w. In fact you could lower your whole budget, you could play the games you want and more for less than $800. Try looking here:
Want to Build A New Intel or AMD Computer? Here are 6 suggested models with Spec
Take the $800 build, cut out the Zalman CPU cooler since you won't be overclocking, and replace Vista with the (semi-)free Windows 7 RC, and you have a computer capable of playing everything you want for ~$650, plus $100 for Windows 7 when the RC's time limit starts running out.

Tyrael · 08-05-2009, 04:58 PM

hah sweet sounds good! this has helped a lot now i can get my computer even sooner

08-04-2009, 04:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tyrael Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 74 OS: windows xp	Simple Clarifying two video card question ok just clarifying that i can indeed have two video cards without some kind of bridge. is this true? also this may not be the right section, however i was wondering if i have two of the same video cards would i have to install the drivers for both of them or install it only once since its the same drivers. thx in advance

08-04-2009, 04:28 PM	#2 (permalink)
Phædrus2401 Hardware Tech Team Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New Orleans Posts: 3,851 OS: Vista Ultimate x64 SP1 + Ubuntu 9.04 My System	Re: Simple Clarifying two video card question That depends. If you want the cards to work in tandem, like in SLI or CrossFireX, then for SLI you require the bridge, while for CrossFireX it's optional but will improve performance. If you just want two separate graphics cards running, like if you wanted to run more than two monitors, then no bridge is needed. If the cards are from the same manufacturer and series then you will not need to install separate drivers, otherwise, if one is from Nvidia and one from ATI, or if one is a GeForce 9000 and the other a GeForce 8000, then you will need separate drivers. Note, Windows Vista will ONLY take one graphics card driver because of a rather annoying software limitation. So if you want two graphics cards on a Vista machine they must at least be from the same manufacturer and series. Note: XP and Windows 7 do not have this problem, nor do most Linux distros. __________________ Good PSU brands: Corsair, SeaSonic, CWT, PC Power and Cooling, Thermaltake Toughpower, CoolerMaster Real Power Pro On 80+ Certification - PSU Information and Selection - Power Supply Myths You don't get what you don't pay for.

08-04-2009, 04:34 PM	#3 (permalink)
Tyrael Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 74 OS: windows xp	Re: Simple Clarifying two video card question ok cool thx. im kinda mad that crossfire doesn't let you have like 3 monitors otherwise i totally would have it. also i am definitely not going vista. I've had some problems with it in the past so i just try to avoid it now. i'll probably just get xp because windows 7 just seems like a pretty version of windows xp only more expensive.

08-04-2009, 04:37 PM	#4 (permalink)
Phædrus2401 Hardware Tech Team Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New Orleans Posts: 3,851 OS: Vista Ultimate x64 SP1 + Ubuntu 9.04 My System	Re: Simple Clarifying two video card question Right now Windows 7 RC is free, but you will have to pay for it eventually. It is basically Windows Vista except with a few performance tweaks, an improved version of the WDDM driver system (so now you can have graphics cards from two separate manufacturers), and a more confusing UI. Either XP or 7 will be fine, it's up to you. __________________ Good PSU brands: Corsair, SeaSonic, CWT, PC Power and Cooling, Thermaltake Toughpower, CoolerMaster Real Power Pro On 80+ Certification - PSU Information and Selection - Power Supply Myths You don't get what you don't pay for.

08-04-2009, 04:46 PM	#5 (permalink)
Tyrael Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 74 OS: windows xp	Re: Simple Clarifying two video card question kk sweet thx. what kind of video card would you recommend?

08-04-2009, 11:20 PM	#6 (permalink)
emosun Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: usa Posts: 7,034 OS: xp pro sp2 My System	Re: Simple Clarifying two video card question post system specs and budget. Windows 7 is actually pretty good. I'm a die hard vista hater and I gotta say , 7 is pretty good. __________________ Gpu Benchmarks Cpu-Z Power supply information and selection Gpu-Z Video card quick list

08-05-2009, 01:05 AM	#7 (permalink)
Tyrael Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 74 OS: windows xp	Re: Simple Clarifying two video card question well im still in the process of getting all of my parts but my budget is probably between $1200.00 and 1500.00 roughly

08-05-2009, 01:47 AM	#8 (permalink)
emosun Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: usa Posts: 7,034 OS: xp pro sp2 My System	Re: Simple Clarifying two video card question I actually meant the budget for just the card , but when you know what system it's going in we'll need that info as well. __________________ Gpu Benchmarks Cpu-Z Power supply information and selection Gpu-Z Video card quick list

08-05-2009, 04:22 PM	#9 (permalink)
Tyrael Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 74 OS: windows xp	Re: Simple Clarifying two video card question oh sorry, probably between $200.00 and $400.00 depending on whether or not i get two video cards.

08-05-2009, 04:25 PM	#10 (permalink)
Phædrus2401 Hardware Tech Team Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New Orleans Posts: 3,851 OS: Vista Ultimate x64 SP1 + Ubuntu 9.04 My System	Re: Simple Clarifying two video card question It's always better to go for one high-end card rather than two mid-range cards. More bang for your buck. For $200 the best on the market is the Radeon 4890, I recommend this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102841 It will run any game currently out there at max detail, including Crysis, on a 1680x1050 screen at a good framerate. We recommend a 700w+ PSU for it, 650w at a bare minimum. The Corsair tx750w would be a good fit. __________________ Good PSU brands: Corsair, SeaSonic, CWT, PC Power and Cooling, Thermaltake Toughpower, CoolerMaster Real Power Pro On 80+ Certification - PSU Information and Selection - Power Supply Myths You don't get what you don't pay for.

08-05-2009, 04:41 PM	#11 (permalink)
Tyrael Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 74 OS: windows xp	Re: Simple Clarifying two video card question wow ok cool um i dont think i would even need it to play crysis because ive never gotten into those games, but if it could thats always nice to have handy. i'm mainly going to play hl2 engine games like team fortress two, half life, day of defeat and stuff. however im hoping my build will be able to play diablo 3 but since I have no idea when its coming out i dont know how good of a video card to get =/

08-05-2009, 04:46 PM	#12 (permalink)
Phædrus2401 Hardware Tech Team Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New Orleans Posts: 3,851 OS: Vista Ultimate x64 SP1 + Ubuntu 9.04 My System	Re: Simple Clarifying two video card question If you want to spend all of that $1200 then you're going to have to get a good graphics card. ;) If that's all you're going to be playing then you could drop the graphics card down to a Radeon HD 4850 or GeForce GTS250 or 9800GTX+. That would also let you drop the power supply down to a 650w. In fact you could lower your whole budget, you could play the games you want and more for less than $800. Try looking here: Want to Build A New Intel or AMD Computer? Here are 6 suggested models with Spec Take the $800 build, cut out the Zalman CPU cooler since you won't be overclocking, and replace Vista with the (semi-)free Windows 7 RC, and you have a computer capable of playing everything you want for ~$650, plus $100 for Windows 7 when the RC's time limit starts running out. __________________ Good PSU brands: Corsair, SeaSonic, CWT, PC Power and Cooling, Thermaltake Toughpower, CoolerMaster Real Power Pro On 80+ Certification - PSU Information and Selection - Power Supply Myths You don't get what you don't pay for.

08-05-2009, 04:58 PM	#13 (permalink)
Tyrael Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 74 OS: windows xp	Re: Simple Clarifying two video card question hah sweet sounds good! this has helped a lot now i can get my computer even sooner