# SLI/multiple video card question...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sli-multiple-video-card-question/632957>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 28, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sli-multiple-video-card-question/632957 "2012-08-28T19:13:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bauble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f6c823/32.png) [@bauble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bauble)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sli-multiple-video-card-question/632957/1 "2012-08-28T19:13:45Z")

</div>

Can I have two different models of (Nvidia) video cards on one system, one for video and one for Physix (not sure if I spelled that correctly)? If so, do they have to be linked via SLI?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sli-multiple-video-card-question/632957/2 "2012-08-28T19:44:46Z")

</div>

Unless things have changed since I did it with the 400-series cards, SLI requires the same model of card to work.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sli-multiple-video-card-question/632957/3 "2012-08-28T19:44:55Z")

</div>

You can use different models as long as you are using the other card for Physx and aren’t planning on using SLI. And you won’t need an SLI bridge.

However, given the handful of games that support Physx, and given that most single mid-range cards can handle those physx effect fairly well, I would absolutely not recommend you buy another card just for physx.

Going SLI would get you much better performance, or sticking to a single mid-range or high end card should handle the Physx effects just fine.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2012, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sli-multiple-video-card-question/632957/4 "2012-08-28T19:45:29Z")

</div>

From [their FAQ](http://www.nvidia.com/object/physx_faq.html#q4):

> [@](#):
>
> How does PhysX work with SLI and multi-GPU configurations?  
> When two, three, or four matched GPUs are working in SLI, PhysX runs on one GPU, while graphics rendering runs on all GPUs. The NVIDIA drivers optimize the available resources across all GPUs to balance PhysX computation and graphics rendering. Therefore users can expect much higher frame rates and a better overall experience with SLI.
> 
> A new configuration that’s now possible with PhysX is 2 non-matched (heterogeneous) GPUs. In this configuration, one GPU renders graphics (typically the more powerful GPU) while the second GPU is completely dedicated to PhysX. By offloading PhysX to a dedicated GPU, users will experience smoother gaming.
> 
> Finally we can put the above two configurations all into 1 PC! This would be SLI plus a dedicated PhysX GPU. Similarly to the 2 heterogeneous GPU case, graphics rendering takes place in the GPUs now connected in SLI while the non-matched GPU is dedicated to PhysX computation.