Is there a way I can pair my graphics card AND my integrated graphics to work together?

[jamspls]

Hi, just curious if I can run my graphics card and integrated graphics at the same time. Here is my build:
http://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/jvXf9W

The reason I want to do it is just to see if my graphics can be improved in the future (when I need it of course) without having to buy another card. (My theory is that they can just work together, but idk lol)

I don't know much about computers, so forgive me if this is overall just a silly question HAHA

 

[WiiUMasterGman]

Ya you do but you will need a mobo that supports dual graphics mode

 

[Gam3r01]

With your build it is not possible.
There is such a thing as dual graphics, but that is only present on AMD APUs, coupled with specific, low end cards.

When your graphics card is no longer up to the task, you will need to upgrade.
I also highly recommend a larger PSU of a better quality.

 

[poweruser_24]

Not strictly true. Directx12 has MultiAdapter, which, if any game supported it, would potentially be able to leverage the intel GPU. But as the linked article shows, during testing so far the improvement has been fairly pitiful when using the intel GPU. Who knows, it may get better, but by the time it makes it into games I suspect there load for games will probably be heavier, and you'll get almost no noticeable benefit.

http://www.pcgamer.com/directx-12-will-be-able-to-use-your-integrated-gpu-to-improve-performance/

 

[rhysiam]

There are relatively new avenues with DirectX12 which allow game developers to use a different graphics hardware at the same time. We've seen it with "Ashes of the Singularity" where an AMD and Nvidia card together can provide a quite substantial performance boost over a single card of either. That, of course, opens the possibility to make use of integrated graphics in the same way however...

The problem with the plan for your set up is that your current GPU (the R9 390) is already 10 times faster (possibly more) than your integrated graphics. So even if developers found a way to perfectly use both GPUs at the same time (basically impossible - you never get perfect scaling), you get maybe 10% performance boost at best. It's a little bit like a fit, healthy adult moving house and trying to get a 3 year old child to help. Sure there are probably things the 3 year old could carry, but the logistics and hassle of trying to find appropriate tasks that the 3 yr old can do will invariably cost way more time than just letting the healthy adult get their head down and do the packing on their own.

So theoretically yes... but will it help you in your situation... almost certainly not.

 

[g1abhi]

Nope, no matter what you do , thy wont ever work together. Its a concept solely implemented by AMD. and works only for AMD integrated and dedicated graphics , and that too is a very non significant boost.

edit: DX 12 offloading is a game specific feature and I dont see any game (unless its Project Cars) to bother even using it since a game studio is inclined to either of the red or green team and Intel is nowhere in the league of dedicated so again no one will bother to optimize Intel cards to work along flawlessly. Its a project with good usage but the development cost is rather prohibitive and neither beneficial to any developer.

 

[rhysiam]

Nope, no matter what you do , thy wont ever work together. Its a concept solely implemented by AMD. and works only for AMD integrated and dedicated graphics , and that too is a very non significant boost.

edit: DX 12 offloading is a game specific feature and I dont see any game (unless its Project Cars) to bother even using it since a game studio is inclined to either of the red or green team and Intel is nowhere in the league of dedicated so again no one will bother to optimize Intel cards to work along flawlessly. Its a project with good usage but the development cost is rather prohibitive and neither beneficial to any developer.

I've done a bit more digging. WCCFTech did a write up that is a bit more positive. Based on an (almost certainly "best-case-scenario") MS tech demo they demonstrated more that 10% boost from using Integrated GPU with a Titan X: http://wccftech.com/directx-12-multiadapter-technology-discrete-integrated-gpus-work-coherently-demo-shows-big-performance-gains/

Rather than a "game-specific" feature, it's more correct to call it a game-engine feature. Big game engines like Unreal 4 are much more likely to implement features like this. They want their engine to appeal to as many game devs as possible which means targeting all tiers of performance and hardware.

Having said all that, I really only see this being significant on entry level GPUs where the performance of the discrete card and onboard graphics are much closer together.