Can the DVI/HDMI/Display ports on the mobo AND the GPU be used simultaneously?

[radhak]

Do the output ports on a mother board get disabled when the GPU's ports are used? Or can I use them simultaneously?

(Think two monitors - one using the DVI ports on the mobo and another on the GPU. Or, a TV on the HDMI of the mobo while the monitor is on the DVI/HDMI port of the GPU).

 

[Ken g6]

Usually there's an option in the BIOS to enable the onboard GPU while also using a discrete GPU.

 

[radhak]

Great! That should make it easy!

Does that vary with the mobo manufacturer, or is it standard? IOW, how does one find out before buying if the bios would allow it? (After you post I googled to find that Asus mobo's definitely allow it : http://techtips.salon.com/enable-onboard-video-asus-3131.html)

 

[mfenn]

Standard on all Sandy Bridge and newer Intel motherboards. It's very common on AMD Fusion boards as well.

 

[Zap]

On Intel boards, I believe Z68/Z77/H77 support it. I think H61/H67 does not. Not sure about B75 but it probably does.

 

[piasabird]

Depends on the chipset. I can use two monitors on both of my computers without a video card. After the intel chipset Q68 they implemented a method to use both the Video on the Processor and the video from a video card and to be able to switch back and forth or use 3 video sources at once. You might need the high-end versions of the chipset to do this. The idea behind this is that some tasks dont need a video card so maybe you should have the ability to use a low power integrated video on the processor to save power or to be able to switch back and forth.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews...art-response-technology-ssd-caching,2938.html

I think you need the Virtu software to do what you are talking about.

 

[mfenn]

On Intel boards, I believe Z68/Z77/H77 support it. I think H61/H67 does not. Not sure about B75 but it probably does.

My cheap little MSI H61 can do it, I know that the chipset itself allows it.