Z97 Extreme6 GPU question

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   Yes the multi GPU implementation is handled at a software level. The iGPU would need to be enabled and drivers installed for DX12 to be able to access and utilize it. The iGPU does not need to be hooked up to a display as the "explicit asynchronous multi-GPU" feature of DX12 handles how data is distributed between the different GPUs, basically taking some load off the main GPU by handing off tasks to the iGPU that are less intensive. 
I can see this being a huge boon to mainstream gaming once proper optimization becomes common place. Having something like an iGPU handle collision for example while the main GPU tackles geometry and textures could result in a significant performance boost and that is in the most basic of example. I just wish I had a multiple GPU setup to dig deeper into how this works.

There would definitely be some extra heat involved having the iGPU active but unless there is significant overclocking going on it shouldn't be an issue. If you are overclocking and running at the highest OC your CPU can handle you may need to back off a little.

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Xaltar Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Joined: 16 May 2015 Location: Europe Status: Offline Points: 24398	Post Options Post Reply Quote Xaltar Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Z97 Extreme6 GPU question Posted: 26 Mar 2016 at 11:50pm
	Yes the multi GPU implementation is handled at a software level. The iGPU would need to be enabled and drivers installed for DX12 to be able to access and utilize it. The iGPU does not need to be hooked up to a display as the "explicit asynchronous multi-GPU" feature of DX12 handles how data is distributed between the different GPUs, basically taking some load off the main GPU by handing off tasks to the iGPU that are less intensive. I can see this being a huge boon to mainstream gaming once proper optimization becomes common place. Having something like an iGPU handle collision for example while the main GPU tackles geometry and textures could result in a significant performance boost and that is in the most basic of example. I just wish I had a multiple GPU setup to dig deeper into how this works. There would definitely be some extra heat involved having the iGPU active but unless there is significant overclocking going on it shouldn't be an issue. If you are overclocking and running at the highest OC your CPU can handle you may need to back off a little.


parsec Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Joined: 04 May 2015 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 4996	Post Options Post Reply Quote parsec Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 26 Mar 2016 at 10:54pm
	I see, so the combination of the GPUs is done at the software level of the game, with that enabled by DirectX 12? So is this independent of the IGPU Multi-monitor setting? Meaning it does not need to be enabled? I imagine in this scenario the discrete video card is connected to the monitor, while the IGPU is left unconnected to a monitor? Or does that matter? I'm thinking about other consequences of this, such as increased "CPU temperature", due to the integrated graphics cores being used during gaming, as well as the standard CPU compute cores. One main thing to know about this is it only occurs when the game is capable of using the IGPU, with DX12, and is not active/functioning while not gaming. I imagine we'll be asked how to tell if or when the IGPU is being used. What happens if the IGPU is trying to be used by the game and DX12, but the IGPU's voltage is not configured to allow it to operate appropriately? Fun stuff for us in the near future...


Xaltar Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Joined: 16 May 2015 Location: Europe Status: Offline Points: 24398	Post Options Post Reply Quote Xaltar Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 26 Mar 2016 at 2:17pm
	Parsec: DirectX 12 enables the use of multiple GPUs provided the application/game is optimized for it. There have been a quite a few benchmarks done using mixed GPU setups using "Ashes of the Singularity". It isn't widely used yet but I suspect it will become quite popular, especially for those with a spare GPU from their last upgrade still laying about (so long as it supports DX12). This is quite possibly the only reason I may consider upgrading to Windows 10 at some point once more titles use DX12.


parsec Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Joined: 04 May 2015 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 4996	Post Options Post Reply Quote parsec Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 26 Mar 2016 at 12:48pm
	Yes, enabling IGPU Multi-monitor in the UEFI, Chipset Configuration screen, will allow you to use the Intel integrated graphics and a video card at the same time. Yes you should install the Intel graphics driver for your processor's graphics version. I'm not sure what you mean by enjoying "that little boost on this system". The two graphics systems will not and cannot be combined into one. Are you thinking about the Lucid Virtu MVP software that was released over three years ago? That was the only way to combine the integrated and discrete graphics into one virtual source, with varying degrees of success. It never caught on or became popular, and is only supported by Windows 7 and 8. The last downloads for it were included with the Intel 7 series chipset boards, by ASRock. Will it work with your board? No idea.


gniblack Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 21 May 2015 Status: Offline Points: 76	Post Options Post Reply Quote gniblack Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 26 Mar 2016 at 8:51am
	I noticed that on my laptop DirectX 12 is utilizing both my nVidia dedicated GPU and the integrated GPU from my i7 processor. They both appear in my device manager. Now I looked at my device manager on my desktop, and only my dedicated GPU (AMD Radeon R9 290) appears there. How can I make it so that not only my dedicated GPU appears but also my Intel graphics? I would like to enjoy that little boost on this system as well. I don't want to mess with something in my UEFI and then lose my display even though I know I am more than capable of fixing it. It'd just be an annoyance. Edit: I did some digging around. It appears that there is an option called IGPU Multi-Monitor that when enabled leaves the Intel graphics still turned on. After turning it on do I just need to install the latest Intel graphics driver software, and then I'm good to go? DirectX 12 does the rest, right? No other configuration necessary? Edited by gniblack - 26 Mar 2016 at 9:00am