Question Can i use two different GPUs ?

Dec 9, 2018
6
0
10
I'm doing renderings with Vray.
The problem is that while i'm rendering in hybrid mode (CPU+GPU) the mouse's cursor and any possible video in background are lagging considerably.
I've talked about this problem with other guys that are using the same software for work: and it seems a common "issue", because the software is using the cpu and gpu at the 100% .....so the gpu while rendering has some trouble in delivering the output for the monitor....when the rendering ends everything come back to normal.
I can use vray only with the CPU, but is slower(obviusly).
So for the next pc the plan is this:
Nvidia quadro RTX 4000 >>to take charge of the computations.
Nvidia quado P400>> only for the output to 2 monitor full hd.

Can i use two differents cards? I don't want to pair them in SLI: i just want use the P400 just for the monitors outputs, and the RTX for the heavy software's computations.
Can i have some problems with the drivers?
(win 10 home 64bit)

thanks
 
Not only can you use two cards, but you can use a workstation card AND a GTX or RTX card, which may be less expensive by a long shot, for the display to the monitors while using the Quadro for the productivity.

I don't think you'll have any driver issues as using mixed cards that use different drivers have been in use for a long time, as well as using a graphics card along with the integrated graphics from the CPU or on older systems, the motherboard.
 
I used to use Rx 580 and an R9 390x for different things.
As to do what you are doing, I never did that, but both worked in the machine fine.

Yes, but workstation cards MIGHT be a whole other can of worms. I don't think it's problematic but I'm guessing there COULD be instances where there might be driver conflicts between different models of workstation card or mixed gaming/workstation cards.

I can't really seem to find anything definitive that there WOULD be a problem, so I'm assuming it would be no different than two different gaming cards in the same system.
 
Nobody said anything about IRQs. It's a matter of compatibility between the potentially different driver frameworks. Workstation cards use driver frameworks that are COMPLETELY different from what gaming cards use. Often they must even use a SPECIFIC driver for one application if that is the application you primarily use, and another is preferred for a different application, and often these are custom tailored drivers from the application developer.

Obviously not everybody is that deep, and a lot of people will use just the standard Nvidia supplied driver package for the given card model but even that might be entirely different for two different cards despite them both being Quadro cards. I'm not 200% sure on that compatibility issue like I said, but there are definitely considerations outside what we'd be concerned with if these were gaming cards. Completely different considerations.
 
Dec 9, 2018
6
0
10
Ok thanks guys: maybe i have to ask to Nvidia, to be 100% sure, before spending money.
i write the complete configuration that i was thinking for:
Intel Core i7-9800X
gigabyte X299 AORUS MASTER
Nvidia quadro RTX 4000
Nvidia quadro P400 (only for monitors outputs: two full hd)
32gb ram 2666mhz corsair vegenance lpx
nzxt kraken x72
2x 250gb samsung evo 860, 1 1tb samsung evo 860
windows 10 home 64

I'm going to use mostly this softwares: the foundry modo+vray, substance painter, photoshop, 3ds max (maybe)
 
So, this is what Nvidia has had to say about it, taken directly from another thread asking similar questions on the Nvidia forum.

Thank you for contacting NVIDIA Customer Service. My name is Alex and I will assist your request today.

I am happy to hear that you are interested in our products :)

So, we recommend that you do not use GeForce and Quadro cards in the same system as it may cause unpredictable results, because this is not considered a supported configuration and there are no unified drivers.

GeForce and Quadro graphics cards are intended for very different uses (GeForce cards are intended for recreational use and Quadro cards are intended for professional use).

As a result, the GeForce and Quadro drivers have different features available in the NVIDIA control panel. If you use both GeForce and Quadro cards at the same time, it is unpredictable which control panel features will be available and how they will work.

When using two or more NVIDIA cards in the same system, both cards must use the same NVIDIA driver to avoid conflicts.

As indicated above, the GeForce and Quadro drivers support several control panel functions and it is unpredictable which features will be available and how they will work if the same driver is used for the GeForce and Quadro cards.

Yours sincerely
Alex
NVIDIA Customer Service

Which is as much of a confirmation that two Quadro cards can be used together as I feel is required to say yes it will be fine, so long as BOTH cards are supported by the same driver. If one card is only supported up to a certain version of the Nvidia drivers while the other is supported on newer versions, then I would avoid using the card model that doesn't have the newer support and opt for a card that is closer to the age of the higher end card so that there will be no discrepancies in the driver framework that might cause issues. Probably it would not, but when you get into using some of these professional applications there are a lot of things that can be factors in ways unlike those you'd experience or expect from gaming cards, not least of which is application specific support, although you'll only be using one of these cards for display, not compute, so it's probably ok either way.

And I think it also clarifies whether or not you should consider using a mix of Quadro and GTX/RTX cards together in the same machine, with at least a moderately certain "no".
 
Dec 9, 2018
6
0
10
Thanks
i wasn't gonna use gtx and quadro at the same time anyway because one of the two monitor will be an eizo (that require the QUADRO to let you visualize the wider gamut).
i've thought to use the P400 for the monitors because another RTX 4000 would be a waste of power and money.

Maybe a solution could be: 3 quadro M4000 (second hand on ebay)
2way SLI
1 for monitors
And is still a waste an M4000 just for the monitors.....but could be the solution.




So, this is what Nvidia has had to say about it, taken directly from another thread asking similar questions on the Nvidia forum.



Which is as much of a confirmation that two Quadro cards can be used together as I feel is required to say yes it will be fine, so long as BOTH cards are supported by the same driver. If one card is only supported up to a certain version of the Nvidia drivers while the other is supported on newer versions, then I would avoid using the card model that doesn't have the newer support and opt for a card that is closer to the age of the higher end card so that there will be no discrepancies in the driver framework that might cause issues. Probably it would not, but when you get into using some of these professional applications there are a lot of things that can be factors in ways unlike those you'd experience or expect from gaming cards, not least of which is application specific support, although you'll only be using one of these cards for display, not compute, so it's probably ok either way.

And I think it also clarifies whether or not you should consider using a mix of Quadro and GTX/RTX cards together in the same machine, with at least a moderately certain "no".
 
Dec 9, 2018
6
0
10
i'm thinking now that maybe for avoid driver's issues is better use GPUs with the same chip.
All M (maxwell), oder all P (pascal) oder all RTX.
For each of these "editions" the driver should be almost the same (altought with different models), because the chips have the same architechture: less powerfull<with less cuda cores / more powerfull<with more cuda cores.

i'm having a Quadro brainstorming :)
 
Staying within the same generation might not be a bad idea, but it's probably not 100% necessary because there are multiple generations of cards, both Quadro and GTX/RTX, that are supported by the same drivers. So, likely that improves the chances of not having any issues, but I don't know that it's totally necessary either.