Should I add another (different) Nvidia GPU?

[Pr3di]

Hello guys,

I`m currently running a multiseat config off my build (in the sig), and have two monitors (one for each workstation), both connected to the GTX 970.

Now, I`m trying to figure out if getting another lower-end card for the second monitor would help me or hurt me.
I was looking at a GT720/730/740 or GTX 750/750TI because of the fact that they use the same driver as the GTX 970.

Now, I would have my monitor connected to the GTX 970 (mostly gaming), and the other monitor connected to the lower end card (mostly web browsing).

The thing is that in multiseat with both monitors on the 970, I`m getting FPS loss and BF 3/4 will only run windowed, and the other monitor will black-screen whenever I go in and out of the game.

Now, I am aware I will not be able to SLI (not my intention), just to know if I will have any benefits/drawbacks from this.

Also, this is only for multiseat (running two user accounts at the same time - different Desktop screens, different monitors, different users, different peripherals).

If you have any questions/inputs, hit me!

 

[giantbucket]

question - have you tried running the "other" monitor from the onboard graphics? it costs nothing since the hardware is already there, just hop into BIOS to re-enable the IGPU. worth trying at the very least.

 

[zyche01]

If you don't mind me asking what software you use either he dual workstations. My immediate thought was that you're trying to run windows multipoint.
Right off the bat without fully understanding your situation the dual workstation setup is going to hinder you gaming experience no matter what you do. Obviously your gaming is going to be better if the other station isn't being used at the time.
I checked out the graphics card and it looks alright to me. Your i5 might also be an issue if your losing fame rate. I'd suggest opening task manager and looking at how hard your cpu is working when both stations are being used. I gained about double my frame rate with watchdogs when I upgraded my amd from a 4 core to an 8 core.
Overall it just depends what you want to do, I wouldn't add another gpu because I don't really think it's worth the money for the improvement you're gonnna get.
Let me know what your decide to do and good luck man.

 

[Pr3di]

Well, I did try to use the integrated HD 4600, but it seems that SoftXpand (the software that I`m using for Multi-seat) will not work for it.
I did notice some people on the internet using it this way, but couldn`t find the correct settings to make it work.

Also, I`m worried that this will cut on the CPU power while I`m gaming.

 

[Pr3di]

If you don't mind me asking what software you use either he dual workstations. My immediate thought was that you're trying to run windows multipoint.
Right off the bat without fully understanding your situation the dual workstation setup is going to hinder you gaming experience no matter what you do. Obviously your gaming is going to be better if the other station isn't being used at the time.
I checked out the graphics card and it looks alright to me. Your i5 might also be an issue if your losing fame rate. I'd suggest opening task manager and looking at how hard your cpu is working when both stations are being used. I gained about double my frame rate with watchdogs when I upgraded my amd from a 4 core to an 8 core.
Overall it just depends what you want to do, I wouldn't add another gpu because I don't really think it's worth the money for the improvement you're gonnna get.
Let me know what your decide to do and good luck man.

I`m using SoftXpand for the multi-seat config.
The thing is that I`m not looking for improvement with the new card, just to reduce the impact by adding the second card.

I did check the load on the CPU at multiple times, and it never reached 100% (or close to it), but I don`t remember if both workstations were in use at that point.
I can check that again and see the results.

Now the question is, will the second card take some of the weight off the GTX 970, thus decreasing the damage in gaming, or will I see even worse results?
I`m thinking if maybe the PCIe bandwith is going to switch to 8x/8x, meaning cutting the slot of the GTX 970 (16x) in half and maybe impacting the performance. Or maybe other damaging effects from using two different cards (also worried if maybe the VRAM on the 970 will be reduced to the amount and speed of VRAM on the lower end card).

 

[giantbucket]

you could try to install the other (second) card into the last 4x slot which is usually run from the chipset rather than the CPU itself. that ought to leave the main card running at 16x right to the CPU.

is it worth buying a card locally and trying that approach? worst case you return it and eat a small restocking fee. in a store near me, it's 10%, but if i buy an "open box" item which someone else returned, it's priced 10% lower AND if i return it there's no restocking hit. win win.

 

[Pr3di]

Well, based on this, I`m no longer too worried of running the two cards in the 16x and 8x slots (thus reducing the initial slot to a 8x), since performance-wise the difference is very small:
http://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Impact-of-PCI-E-Speed-on-Gaming-Performance-518/

Also, since I have a SFF, I`m not sure if any card would fit in my case.

Now, the remaining question is: If I run with both cards, not in SLI (DUH!), will I in some way limit the VRAM of the GTX 970? Or is this the case only in SLI?

 

[Pr3di]

Ok, so I got my "fix", just in case someone with a similar problem stumbles into this thread.

I finally managed to connect the second workstation to the integrated graphics.
Initially I tried with a VGA cable, which failed. However, it seems that with a DVI Cable, the problem was fixed.

The FPS is not dropping in games anymore, no more black-screen on the other workstation when I go in and out of the game, fulscreen gaming is back, and the CPU usage with me gaming and the other workstation being used never reached 60%.

This being said, I`m really happy now, since I have similar performance to what I had before using multi-seat.