A common question that many PC enthusiasts ask is whether it is possible to install two graphics cards on the same motherboard. The short answer is yes, it is possible to run two graphics cards in tandem, but it is a bit more complicated than just adding another RAM or graphics card. Having two cheap graphics cards rather than just having one expensive could give you better performance for less cost.
However, how can we make sure two graphics cards would work together? There are a few things to check before installing two graphics cards on the same motherboard. Firstly, check whether the motherboard supports two graphics cards. Secondly, check whether the graphics cards support SLI or crossfire. Thirdly, check whether the two graphics cards are compatible with each other. Finally, check whether the existing power supply you have can supply the extra power requirement for the extra graphics card.
For NVIDIA graphics cards, the two graphics cards should be identical. You should buy another GTX 1080 Ti if you already have one in order to make it work together. However, you can’t buy a GTX 1080 without the Ti and combine it with a GTX 1080 Ti. They can be from different manufacturers. One of the most popular graphics cards which is GTX 1060 doesn’t support SLI, so it is very important to check whether graphics cards do support SLI or crossfire.
On the other hand, AMD provides more choices of compatible graphics cards. Nevertheless, the AMD graphics cards have to be from the same series. For example, if you have an HD 6970, you could buy an HD 6950 as both are from the same series. If you want to learn more about the specific graphics cards that support SLI or crossfire, please let me know in the comments below.
After successfully installing both the cards, you would still need to go to your graphics cards software and enable the SLI or crossfire. However, there are still a few things to consider before going ahead and buying two graphic cards. Firstly, having two graphics cards would consume more power which in turn would produce more heat and noise. Secondly, unfortunately not all games support SLI or crossfire. This is because NVIDIA and AMD have to update their video card drivers to support new games. Thirdly, there is a risk of micro stuttering, meaning the video could look a bit more choppy.
In conclusion, you’ll have to do some tweaking on your side to make sure the two graphics cards would run smoothly. In my humble opinion, if you’re building a new PC, then having one graphics card is a better choice. However, if you already have a comparatively good graphics card that supports SLI or crossfire, then adding the same graphics card might not be a bad option. Let me know in the comments below whether you think it is worth having two graphics cards and if so, why.