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Helpful Reply2-way SLI / Dual Monitors - Connection question

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2010/04/21 09:20:56 (permalink)
I have two GTX 480's in SLI. Do both monitors have to be connected to the same gpu, or can I connect one to each? Does it even matter?

The reason I'm asking is because, due to airflow, the video card in slot 1 gets hotter than the card below it. As of right now, I have both monitors hooked up to the card in slot 1 because if I move them to the second card, I can't see anything during the initial boot up process. They just remain off until Windows comes up.......BUT......if I connect my monitors to the second (lower) card with better airflow, my two cards run more even temps instead of one being 10C hotter than the other.

I'm thinking about maybe hooking up my main monitor to the first card, and the second monitor to the second card. Will this be a bad idea??

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    ajr23
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    Re:2-way SLI / Dual Monitors - Connection question 2010/04/21 09:33:13 (permalink)
    should work just fine when i had quad sli and a physx card i had my primary gaming monitor hooked up to the top card, and my second monitor hooked up to my physx card and i had no problems at all

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    sormaz
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    Re:2-way SLI / Dual Monitors - Connection question 2010/04/21 10:04:27 (permalink)
    interesting that you are seeing those temp differences. I have a 470 SLI setup and notice a fairly consistent 8C difference, but I hadn't investigated if it was actually the card orientation or something else

    good to know


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    Re:2-way SLI / Dual Monitors - Connection question 2010/04/21 15:35:51 (permalink)
    Yeah, I don't know if it's the placement of the two cards, or if one card just runs that much hotter than the other. What I do know is that when my two monitors are hooked up to the card in slot 1 that card will run 10C hotter than the other card, and with them hooked up to the alternate card, the temps are even.

    Both cards have identical BIOS's (I know because I flashed them myself), both cards are linked and running the same stock clocks, both fans are running at 70%, and I even reapplied the TIM on both cards, yet one remains to be hotter than the other.

    I'm going to swap the placement of the two cards to see if its an airflow issue, but I doubt it seriously because they both have plenty of breathing room.

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    ajr23
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    Re:2-way SLI / Dual Monitors - Connection question 2010/04/21 16:23:24 (permalink) ☄ Helpful
    when you have the two monitors hooked up to one card the card doesn't down clock since it stays in 3d mode

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    Re:2-way SLI / Dual Monitors - Connection question 2010/04/21 17:13:45 (permalink)
    ajr23

    when you have the two monitors hooked up to one card the card doesn't down clock since it stays in 3d mode


    You're absolutely correct. After doing some testing, both cards run the same temps, and it's purely the clocks that are controlling the temps.........I know, this is obvious, but what I mean is, both gpu's are downclocking but the one with the monitors isn't downclocking *as much*.

    Primary GPU with both monitors - 405MHz after being downclocked
    Secondary GPU no monitors - 51MHz after being downclocked

    The temp. difference from 51MHz to 405MHz is 10C. Mystery solved.

    Thank you!

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    hombredelassrtas
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    Re:2-way SLI / Dual Monitors - Connection question 2010/04/21 17:15:15 (permalink)
    yup. my temps went down 20 deg when i moved the 2nd monitor off the 1 card. split them up and save temps :D

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