Can I put 2 or more video cards in my computer?

My computer has a bunch of open AGP and PCI slots. I have a pretty good
video card from nvidia in one of the AGP slots. Can I put another video
card in another AGP/PCI slot? Will it work?

Basically: Can I put two different video cards in a computer and have
them kind of double graphics power?

On 8/12/2005 1:40 PM brightened our day with:

My computer has a bunch of open AGP and PCI slots. I have a pretty good
video card from nvidia in one of the AGP slots. Can I put another video
card in another AGP/PCI slot? Will it work?

Basically: Can I put two different video cards in a computer and have
them kind of double graphics power?



I've never heard of a motherboard with multiple AGP slots. You can put
another PCI card in but it won't combine with your AGP, it'll just
enable you to run an independent second display.
The idea you're getting at is called SLI and only (currently) works with
PCI-Express motherboards and cards. Look up "nVidia, PCI-E, SLI" on google.

--
"I don't feel tardy"

Steve ¤»Inglo«¤
www.inglostadt.com

kirjoitti:
My computer has a bunch of open AGP and PCI slots. I have a pretty good
video card from nvidia in one of the AGP slots. Can I put another video
card in another AGP/PCI slot? Will it work?

Basically: Can I put two different video cards in a computer and have
them kind of double graphics power?


No you can't. AGP boards have never supported multiple graphic cards.

Some new PCI-E boards on the other hand do support SLI graphics, which
basically offers exactly what you are describing. But even then the
graphic cards have to be identical and support SLI-mode.

Back in PCI graphic days (some ten years ago or so) there was a similar
technique used by 3DFX on their Voodoo 2 series cards (you could put two
in one computer to get double performance). But those have long since
been obsolete.

wrote:

My computer has a bunch of open AGP and PCI slots. I have a pretty good
video card from nvidia in one of the AGP slots.

What kind of machine do you have that has more than one AGP slot? That
would be very, very unusual.

Can I put another video
card in another AGP/PCI slot? Will it work?

Basically: Can I put two different video cards in a computer and have
them kind of double graphics power?

You can, but to increase graphics power rather than just attach more
monitors you need boards and motherboard designed for the purpose, and this
would be PCI Express with SLI.

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

Using two video cards will allow you to add more monitors. It will NOT
increase your video power!
And it will have to be a slow PCI card, since motherboards only come with
ONE AGP slot.

--
DaveW



wrote in message
oups.com...
My computer has a bunch of open AGP and PCI slots. I have a pretty good
video card from nvidia in one of the AGP slots. Can I put another video
card in another AGP/PCI slot? Will it work?

Basically: Can I put two different video cards in a computer and have
them kind of double graphics power?

wrote:
My computer has a bunch of open AGP and PCI slots. I have a pretty good
video card from nvidia in one of the AGP slots. Can I put another video
card in another AGP/PCI slot? Will it work?

Basically: Can I put two different video cards in a computer and have
them kind of double graphics power?

You only have one AGP slot. You can put other PCI cards in to give you
multiple monitors, but they will not provide more speed. Only SLI does
that, which requires a PCI Express motherboard and graphics cards.

--
Robert Hancock Saskatoon, SK, Canada
To email, remove "nospam" from
Home Page: http://www.roberthancock.com/