GTX 1070 + 980Ti - Two Different GPUs Working Together

The Performance of Explicit Multi Adapter with Different Graphics Cards

To test the performance of explicit multi adapter, we used two graphics cards that are very similar in terms of performance: the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070. Both cards were installed in a single rig, which was powered by an Intel Core i7 6700K at 4.6 gigahertz, 16 gigabytes of DDR4 RAM at 3000 megahertz, and an EVGA Supernova 700W power supply.

We were able to detect both cards using Windows and use the same driver for them since they utilize the same adapter. However, explicit multi adapter relies on DirectX 12 to function, so we had to run Ashes of the Singularity in DirectX 12 mode. This can be done by signing into Steam, right-clicking on the game within your library, and selecting "Run in DirectX 12 Mode". After loading, we selected the options tab, video, and enabled multiple GPUs. Ashes of the Singularity will now utilize DirectX 12 and both graphics cards to render images.

In our test, we compared the performance of the dual GPU setup to that of a single GTX 980 Ti running alone. We were surprised to find that the dual GPU setup received exactly a 50% frame rate increase in terms of overall average FPS from that of just a running single GTX 980 Ti. The overall average for the combo was 80.4 FPS, while our solo test showed an average of 53.6 FPS.

Another important finding was how well the combination performed during heavy batches of the benchmark when the cards were being stressed to unorthodox levels. Both the GTX 1070 and GTX 980 Ti struggled here, but when paired, they nearly doubled this average frame rate to 70.3.5 FPS versus about 43.

Inferences can be made about the current state of explicit multi adapter based on our findings. It behaves quite a bit like SLI or crossfire does in terms of performance benefits. This is great news for gamers who are looking to improve their performance with multiple GPUs. However, it's worth noting that the current state of asynchronous compute for both AMD and NVIDIA cards may impact the performance of explicit multi adapter.

In conclusion, we were pleasantly surprised by how well our pair of graphics cards performed in Ashes of the Singularity. Even though the GPUs are based on entirely different architectures, they managed to render separate titles of each passing frame without a hitch, reducing unwanted latency and boosting those good old frame rates. We expect more DirectX 12 games featuring explicit multi adapter to be released in the coming months.

As a final note, we'd like to thank our viewers for watching this video and giving us feedback on our content. If you liked what you saw, please give it a thumbs up. If you felt that the video was incomplete or had nothing to do with life, click the subscribe button. And if you're feeling generous, consider supporting us by clicking the link in the description box below.

Unfortunately, our attempt to get JJ to stay still for a filming of this YouTube video has been unsuccessful. He's about to move now, so we'll have to try again another time. Despite this setback, we hope you've enjoyed learning about explicit multi adapter and its performance with different graphics cards. We'll be back soon with more content, so stay tuned!