Installing two or more graphics cards working together can provide better video, 3D, and gaming performance than using a single graphics card. Both AMD and Nvidia offer solutions that use two graphics cards. While adding a second card has real benefits, it also comes with some drawbacks.
Why are there SO MANY graphics card manufacturers?
To use dual graphics cards, your computer needs AMD or Nvidia technology that connects the cards to produce a single output. AMD's graphics technology is CrossFire and Nvidia's technology is SLI. For either of these solutions, your computer must have a compatible motherboard, and the motherboard must have the necessary PCI Express graphics slots.
Dual graphics cards will also require a desktop case large enough to house the additional hardware and a power supply capable of driving dual cards. The cards will need to be connected using a bridge connector, which may be included with the GPU or motherboard. Finally, the SLI or Crossfire feature will need to be enabled in the GPU driver control panel.
The primary benefit of using dual graphics cards is improved video game performance. When two or more cards render the same 3D image, PC games run at higher frame rates and resolutions with additional filters. This extra capacity improves the quality of the graphics in games. Most graphics cards can render games up to 1080p resolution. With dual graphics cards, games can run at higher resolutions, such as on 4K displays, which offer four times the resolution. Additionally, multiple graphics cards can drive additional monitors.
