Both AMD and Nvidia offer solutions that run dual graphics cards.
Although adding a second card brings real benefits, a second card also carries some liabilities, too.
TheAMD graphics technology is CrossFireand theNvidia technology is SLI.
Or, look for the Crossfire or SLI symbol on the box the motherboard came in.
Finally, the SLI or Crossfire feature must be enabled in the GPU driver control panel.
Benefits
The primary benefit of running two graphics cards is increased video game performance.
This extra capacity improves the quality of the graphics in games.
Most graphics cards render games up to 1080p resolution.
In addition, several graphics cards can drive additional monitors.
Add a second graphics card later to boost performance without removing the existing graphics card.
Disadvantages
The primary disadvantage of running dual graphics cards is the cost.
Top-of-the-line cards can cost $500 or more.
Some games may show a decrease in performance over a single graphics card setup.
In some cases, stuttering makes the video game look choppy.
Graphics cards are power-hungry.
Two graphics cards installed in a computer can double the amount of power required to run them in tandem.
Most consumer desktops aren’t equipped with high-wattage power supplies.
Refer to thecomputer power supply wattageand requirements to determine if your system can run dual graphics cards.
The performance benefits of a dual-card environment vary depending on the other components in the computer system.
Dual graphics cards are typically recommended only in high-end systems.
Who Should Run Dual Graphics Cards?
The cost of the motherboard, the cards, and the other core hardware can be expensive.
