Dual GPU by way of a DX12 API plugin?

[Mahigan]

This looks pretty interesting. Basically it's a plugin for DX12 that allows you to mix and match various GPUs for extra performance.

http://venturebeat.com/2016/03/13/s...you-mix-amd-and-nvidia-video-cards-in-one-pc/

So basically you could have NVIDIA and AMD GPUs mixed in the same system. I think it would be using SFR (Split Frame Rendering) by the way it is described because using a weaker and faster GPU in AFR (Alternate Frame Rendering) wouldn't double your FPS but instead limit your scaling by the speed of your weakest link.

 

[LTC8K6]

That's been known for a while now, and posted about often.

 

[Mahigan]

That's been known for a while now, and posted about often.

The plugin has been known about or the mixing and matching in AotS?

This is the first time I hear of a general plugin which allows any DX12 game to benefit.

 

[LTC8K6]

There were articles out long ago about DX12 being able to use mixed GPUs. An early one used an Intel IGP and a GTX980, I think.

It's called Multiadapter, I believe.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/microsoft-directx12-amd-nvidia,28606.html

http://techreport.com/news/28196/di...-shares-work-between-discrete-integrated-gpus

 

[Bacon1]

There were articles out long ago about DX12 being able to use mixed GPUs. An early one used an Intel IGP and a GTX980, I think.

It's called Multiadapter, I believe.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/microsoft-directx12-amd-nvidia,28606.html

http://techreport.com/news/28196/di...-shares-work-between-discrete-integrated-gpus

He isn't talking about the DX12 features itself, but the stuff discussed in the link...

Stardock is about to revolutionize the video-card market for PCs. Not only will it make high-end gaming more affordable, but it also will put virtual reality within reach of millions of consumers.

In an exclusive interview with GamesBeat, CEO Brad Wardell laid out the PC utility and gaming company’s initiative for this radical idea. It’s a software solution that’s part of DirectX 12, and some might forget that Stardock’s main business is making utilities like Fences for Windows. The solution enables you to use AMD and Nvidia video cards in one PC, and you don’t need cumbersome setups like AMD’s CrossFire or Nvidia’s SLI (which link multiple cards together — but only of the corresponding manufacturer, and the cards must be identical). You just plug into your existing PCIe ports. The company and Microsoft plan to talk about this exciting innovation this week during the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.

“We will come up with a cool marketing name for it,” Wardell said with a laugh. “Basically, it’s multi-GPU. You can mix and match cards however you want.”

 

[Mahigan]

There were articles out long ago about DX12 being able to use mixed GPUs. An early one used an Intel IGP and a GTX980, I think.

It's called Multiadapter, I believe.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/microsoft-directx12-amd-nvidia,28606.html

http://techreport.com/news/28196/di...-shares-work-between-discrete-integrated-gpus

Yeah this leverages multi-adapter but isn't developer bound.

This is a piece of software, plugin, that you install on your PC and it allows any game, whether coded or not coded to leverage multi-adapter, to be able to work with multiple adapters.

This is new

 

[Erenhardt]

It can revolutionize PC gaming,
or can die a slow death with compatibility issues between drivers (unexpected issues and planned ones)

 

[3DVagabond]

I have zero hope for this tech.

 

[LTC8K6]

I think it needs to be developer bound to have any hope of working well.

 

[Dygaza]

Running an external program should add latency, no?

 

[Good_fella]

Software Lucid Hydra.

 

[Kenmitch]

Why would anyone want to benefit from the strengths of both red and green in a single rig? The thought of having Christmas colors in the same rig all year round is stomach turning to say the least....Just kidding.

 

[Dygaza]

Why would anyone want to benefit from the strengths of both red and green in a single rig? The thought of having Christmas colors in the same rig all year round is stomach turning to say the least....Just kidding.

While it works with 2 different graphics cards from different vendors, it is not a requirement. Nothing stops from using 2 similiar cards with it. So games that don't have native multigpu support, should work (they still need to demonstrate this tech in action).

 

[2is]

I have zero hope for this tech.

Agreed, this will go nowhere.

 

[tential]

While it works with 2 different graphics cards from different vendors, it is not a requirement. Nothing stops from using 2 similiar cards with it. So games that don't have native multigpu support, should work (they still need to demonstrate this tech in action).

Yup, you don't have to throw the 980Ti in the trash when Pascal comes out. You can use the 1080 with the 980Ti.

 

[Mahigan]

Agreed, this will go nowhere.

I'm not sure about that as it would work quite nicely with a Radeon Pro Duo.

 

[3DVagabond]

I'm not sure about that as it would work quite nicely with a Radeon Pro Duo.

I didn't think about getting MGPU support out of games that don't offer it. That seems like a good feature. Mixing vastly different GPU's though is a non starter, IMO. Unless it can divide the workload tasks up. Like what a PhysX card does. AFR or SFR with different uarch's though just seems ridiculous.

 

[tential]

I'm not sure about that as it would work quite nicely with a Radeon Pro Duo.

Ya, it just has to release first.....

 

[Denithor]

Let me guess. AMD will waste more of their scarce resources supporting this, while nVidia will find a way to sabotage it (much like disabling PhysX when an AMD card is detected as primary in a multi-GPU setup).

 

[Fox5]

This is pretty light on details so it's impossible to know what this is, but here's my bet: forced DX12 multiadapter in any game. That explains the wording (a pairing of a weak gpu with a strong one rather than a SLI type setup), and it really is something that could be forced.
Post processing effects, such as FXAA and Ambient Occlusion operate entirely or almost entirely on the final rendered image, so you could do the post processing on the integrated graphics or a secondary weaker card.

 

[2is]

I'm not sure about that as it would work quite nicely with a Radeon Pro Duo.

I'm willing to put money on it. This will gain minimal to zero traction.

 

[Mahigan]

I didn't think about getting MGPU support out of games that don't offer it. That seems like a good feature. Mixing vastly different GPU's though is a non starter, IMO. Unless it can divide the workload tasks up. Like what a PhysX card does. AFR or SFR with different uarch's though just seems ridiculous.

SFR would divide workloads nicely. AFR is a non-starter.

 

[Erenhardt]

Let me guess. AMD will waste more of their scarce resources supporting this, while nVidia will find a way to sabotage it (much like disabling PhysX when an AMD card is detected as primary in a multi-GPU setup).

Yep. Exactly was I was mildly hinting in my post.
But hey, we can always hope nv will not screw with gamers this once.

 

[Mahigan]

Let me guess. AMD will waste more of their scarce resources supporting this, while nVidia will find a way to sabotage it (much like disabling PhysX when an AMD card is detected as primary in a multi-GPU setup).

Nope,

This solution doesn't require anything other than DX12 support. This plugin is for the DX12 API. Neither AMD or NVIDIA require driver support or profiles to get it working.

 

[3DVagabond]

Nope,

This solution doesn't require anything other than DX12 support. This plugin is for the DX12 API. Neither AMD or NVIDIA require driver support or profiles to get it working.

What would stop nVidia's drivers from shutting down their card if it detects another card in the system?