What are the benefits of having more than one graphics card installed on a Mac Pro? I know it allows you to have more than two monitors, but will it speed up graphics intensive work when its not being used to power a display? Thanks for your help. 
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What are the benefits of...
- Thread starter JasonK
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Yes, at least for gaming I know it does.
A simple 9400m ran a certain game at 35 - 40 fps (Frames Per Second) whereas if you have a 9400m with a 9600m the speed went to around 80 -100 fps.
So yes, I think it does. Best have someone who has used a mac before just to clarify (I'm still saving!)
A simple 9400m ran a certain game at 35 - 40 fps (Frames Per Second) whereas if you have a 9400m with a 9600m the speed went to around 80 -100 fps.
So yes, I think it does. Best have someone who has used a mac before just to clarify (I'm still saving!)
You can run more than two monitors.
That's it.
It does NOT help with games.
It does NOT help with general processing.
It does NOT help with graphical performance.
That's it.
It does NOT help with games.
It does NOT help with general processing.
It does NOT help with graphical performance.
Yes it does.
As you can see the normal macBook has one GPU and performs at around 14fps in medium
The macBook Pro however has two graphics cards and performs at around 30fps in medium.
Note that the description for the macBook Pro says 9600m GT but it also features a 9400m.
So having two of the same graphics cards wouldn't give it that much of a boost which it does there. But would actually speed up games by about 60-80%.
No, it doesn't.
I quoted this because it is MY argument.
The MacBook is using the 9400M in this test. The MacBook Pro is using the 9600M in this test. NOT BOTH. IT CANNOT USE BOTH AT ONCE.
And those are laptops, not the Mac Pro, which also cannot use multiple graphics cards for anything other than extra monitors.
Ah, so you don't mean using CrossfireX or SLI.
Ah ok then, very sorry. It does speed up games if you SLI (nVidia) or CrossfireX (ATI) although I don't know if you can do that on a mac.
Ah ok then, very sorry. It does speed up games if you SLI (nVidia) or CrossfireX (ATI) although I don't know if you can do that on a mac.
Thanks guys! I know snow leopard is going to help with the use of multiple gpu's but does anyone know if it will be able to perform the functions of Crossfire/SLI? I haven't heard anything about this but I figure it is a worthy question.
Also, if you are only using one monitor per card, will that speed up your usage (or I guess, not bog it down)?
Also, if you are only using one monitor per card, will that speed up your usage (or I guess, not bog it down)?
We know nothing about what Snow Leopard will actually do, but if it does what we have been TOLD it will do, we won't get CrossFire or SLI, but having another GPU in your machine, even if it isn't driving a monitor, should give you a speed improvement.