Sapphire HD 7870 2GB OC GHz Edition slower than integrated graphics. Why?

[murchak]

I bought my graphics card from Amazon and installed it with the latest drivers. I connected the HDMI out of the graphics card to the monitor.

When I view pictures using Windows photo viewer, it takes longer to load them and view them. However, when I uninstalled the graphics card, and connected my PC to the monitor using the HDMI out of my mobo (obviously using the Intel's integrated GPU), the pictures loaded much faster. I could browse through them with no problem. These are big files (raw images).
What is wrong with this picture (no pun intended)?

My System:
---------------
cpu: i7-4770k
cooler: Hyper 212 evo
mobo: ASUS Gryphon Z87
ram: 16GB (2x8GB) Crucial Ballistix LP DDR3 1600Mhz
gpu: Sapphire HD7870 2GB OC GHz Edition
case: Fractal Design Define Mini
psu: SeaSonic 550W Gold Certified Modular
os: Win7 Pro 64-bit
od: LG 24x DVD RW
ssd: Samsung 840 Pro 256GB

 

[iam2thecrowe]

integrated graphics are often faster for 2d applications. What version of windows are you running and do you have aero turned on? if no aero, or win xp, then it doesnt surprise me that the integrated graphics is faster.

 

[johnnyb105]

Did you ever turn off your intel graphics while running the 7870? Have to ask.

 

[murchak]

I am running Win7 Pro 64bit.
I don't know what aero is.
I am really surprised that for 2D apps, integrated GPU is better. I thought HD7870 would kick butt in everything compared with the integrated GPU.

 

[murchak]

Did you ever turn off your intel graphics while running the 7870? Have to ask.

I guess I didn't. My understanding was that once you install a discrete graphics card, and connected it to your monitor, the integrated GPU would be automatically disabled. Should I go to BIOS and see if I have to disable the integrated GPU manually?

I am very new to discrete graphics cards. Once I install it and put the drivers, is there anything else I need to do before the card is ready for use? Sorry, this sounds like a stupid question.

 

[johnnyb105]

Yes go into the bios and disable it there should be a option for it like igp or igpu.

 

[johnnyb105]

Btw the 7870 should be getting the balls off that Igp thats on your board thats not a slow card what so ever.

 

[murchak]

Btw the 7870 should be getting the balls off that Igp thats on your board thats not a slow card what so ever.

Thanks Johnnyb105.

I did a couple of tests (with and without the graphics card).
1. The iGPU multi-monitor setting was on Auto in the BIOS, and the Primary Monitor was also Auto. I changed that to PCIE.
Still viewing pictures was slower compared with using IGPU.

2. I converted a 54MB movie file to MPG-4 format using PowerDirector 12 Ultra. The integrated GPU took 10 seconds, HD7870 took 16 seconds. To use the integrated GPU, I took my discrete card out of the computer.

I agree with you that HD7870 is a very fast card, that is why I bought it after all the great reviews. But for viewing pictures, and do a simple video conversion, my integrated GPU performed faster! I'll do a couple of more tests, but if HD7870 doesn't serve my purpose, I'll return it back to Amazon. Still have two weeks left.

I initially got the card for video and photo editing, not for gaming, with the idea that I might get into gaming.

 

[johnnyb105]

I total understand and your welcome if you would please suggest best answer in helping you with your problems also keep in mind a 7950 radeon is a bit faster then the 7870 and the prices are not that bad anyhow hope it all works out for you.

 

[johnnyb105]

From what I read in the past the Nvidia cards are better at....

I initially got the card for video and photo editing, not for gaming, with the idea that I might get into gaming.

 

[murchak]

From what I read in the past the Nvidia cards are better at....

I initially got the card for video and photo editing, not for gaming, with the idea that I might get into gaming.

From my readings, the GTX 6xxx are no better in video editing than much older 480, for example. The reason is that Nvidia purposely disabled 3/4 cores of the 6xxx series for video editing apps, because the GTX 5xxx cards were eating away profits from their "Quatro cards dedicated to video editing." Basically people could buy GTX 570 or 580 and be able to do excellent video editing and gaming. So Nvidia (shame on them) thought they should make GTX 6xxx more dedicated to gaming so people who wanted to do video editing and gaming should buy two separate cards.

 

[murchak]

I found these links, have pretty useful information:

http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/26167.page
http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/26138.page

Basically, a discrete card like HD7870 might be fantastic at gaming (high res monitors, max settings, more FPS, etc.), but has limited potential for video editing. At least I have a kick ass CPU!

 

[iam2thecrowe]

in the interest of converting/encoding video, intel has a hardware encoder called quicksync which is enabled with the integrated gpu. If you disable the intel gpu, no quicksync. You should be able to use both if your motherboard supports lucid virtue software.
http://hothardware.com/Reviews/Lucids-Virtu-Software-Combines-Best-of-Both-Worlds/

 

[murchak]

in the interest of converting/encoding video, intel has a hardware encoder called quicksync which is enabled with the integrated gpu. If you disable the intel gpu, no quicksync. You should be able to use both if your motherboard supports lucid virtue software.
http://hothardware.com/Reviews/Lucids-Virtu-Software-Combines-Best-of-Both-Worlds/

Thanks iam2thecrow2.

My motherboard is ASUS Gryphon Z87 (micro-atx, the TUF series). I am not sure if it supports lucid virtue software. I did a quick google search to no avail. However, since the mobo is pretty new mobo, it probably should. I also did a google search on lucid virtue, and it is a software that sells for $40-50. I don't know if I should spend money on it.

If the integrated GPU already beat my HD7870 (simply converting a movie file to MPG-4), what is the advantage of having both a discrete card and iGPU?

 

[sora]

From what I read in the past the Nvidia cards are better at....

I initially got the card for video and photo editing, not for gaming, with the idea that I might get into gaming.

From my readings, the GTX 6xxx are no better in video editing than much older 480, for example. The reason is that Nvidia purposely disabled 3/4 cores of the 6xxx series for video editing apps, because the GTX 5xxx cards were eating away profits from their "Quatro cards dedicated to video editing." Basically people could buy GTX 570 or 580 and be able to do excellent video editing and gaming. So Nvidia (shame on them) thought they should make GTX 6xxx more dedicated to gaming so people who wanted to do video editing and gaming should buy two separate cards.

This, I have the 580 and still love it.