Physic on a crossfire MB

[Wurmer]

Ok Folks, just want to check some facts with you here.

The MB I am using is not SLI capable but can support Xfire. Obviously, I can't run an SLI setup but I should still be able to run an Nvidia GPU + a physic card right ?

Also, when using a second card as physic, no SLI bridge is required right ?

I am planning on using a GTX460 as my main GPU and a 8800 GT as physic. I think this would make a good match, what do you think ?

[_dangtx_]

if you try the driver thingie and it tells you sli ok? get a second card

else yeah you can use the gt for physx

[AstonM]

It will work just fine. I've used a few combo's of cards without a problem, most recently a 4870+gts250, a gts 250+9800gt as well.

[Wurmer]

Originally Posted by AstonM

It will work just fine. I've used a few combo's of cards without a problem, most recently a 4870+gts250, a gts 250+9800gt as well.

To use an ATI GPU with a Nivdia physic you must have used hacked drivers yes ?

[MacJunky]

I used to use a r3850+gf9600 then r5750+gf9600 and now I am using a gfGTX460+gf9600 with my AMD mobo&CPU. Works fine.
*IF* you are using an ATI card as your primary, read below.
Hybrid PhysX mod v1.03 / v1.04ff

*IF* you are using an nvidia card as your primary, you do not have to do anything but set the card you want as the physx card in the nvidia control panel.

[rjbarker]

imho.....I cannot see the 8800 GT provided anything but a headache trying to use it to carry PhysX in game.....for games such as Metro33 or Mafia II forgetaboutit.......even Batman AA recommends a GTX 260 for dedicated PhysX.......go for it, don't expect your PhysX capable games suddenly come to life with that GPU.

[MacJunky]

RJ, that is not an option for some people but they would prefer at least mild physx with their existing hardware than none at all.

[dustin1706]

Physx should work fine on that board. I am running 2x 5870s and a GTS450 for physx with no problems using the hybrid driver tweak.

[belgolas]

You don't need SLI for physx. You also don't need the SLI bridge in.

I agree with RJ that the 8800 GT is a bit weak for physx. So you wont be able to max out physx on games like Batman AA but it will run at medium physx.

[MacJunky]

Originally Posted by rjbarker

for games such as Metro33 or Mafia II forgetaboutit.......even Batman AA recommends a GTX 260 for dedicated PhysX.......go for it, don't expect your PhysX capable games suddenly come to life with that GPU.

I just ran through the Mafia II demo (yeahyeah, demo, not real thing, different, w/e) and with my 9600GSO doing PhysX with the PhysX set to high in the game(and a GTX460 as primary card) I was seeing during the active scenes low 60% to mid 70% usage on the 9600GSO.
When running the benchmark the utilization being reported was lower at around low 50s to mid 60s.

Now, I do not know how an 8800GT compares to this 9600GSO for PhysX specifically, but I would be tempted to say that in the case of Mafia II unless the full version is capable of an even higher setting that an 8800GT or 9600GSO would do PhysX just fine. For future games you would certainly want to get a better card. I have of course not tried out metro 2033 or batman aa yet. Perhaps tomorrow.