Compatability of nVidia graphics cards

Does anyone know if it is possible to fit both a 7800 GTX and an 8800 GTX to the same motherboard?

I am not considering SLI at all, I just need more monitor outputs.

 

Both PCI-E? Nope, shouldn't work.

Unless there's a PCI version of a 7800GTX?

 

I already have a PCIe 16 version of the 7800, I am thinking about adding a 8800.

Is it just nVidia being annoying, as I know you can mix and match ATI cards?

 

It's more the chipset's fault (NVIDIA nForce?).
I say "shouldn't" as every time I've tried to run PCI-E cards together, the motherboard has decided that it will only want to work if the cards are identical (even if they aren't running in SLI).

Any way you could borrow a card of someone to check your board?

 

Unless CapnPedro is speaking from personal experience, I think he is probably mistaken. While I've never done what you hope to do, I know from experience that you can run two of the same card at the same time in non-SLI mode. I don't see why two different cards wouldn't work. After all, they both use the same driver, and we've come a long way from the days of AGP.

Edit: I see that he is speaking from personal experience. In that case, do as he says - if nobody else comments with a certain answer, try to borrow an example of the card you want to add to see if it works.

 

crazybob, yup I'm speaking from experience, but on second thought, I feel like I've seen this working before. I've just only ever got it working with an AGP/PCI combo.

So yeah, I could be wrong.

 

Well I was thinking of buying one of the new Intel X38 chipset, which wouldn't suffer any problems in trying to do SLI (as it can't), and it also has 3 PCIe 16 slots.

 

The three PCI-E slots are mainly to support those Crossfire peeps out there and a possible physics card. I'd give it a go and see what ya get.

 

doubt it will work, but give it a try, would be intressting if it did work none the less...

 

I've tried two graphics cards using PCI-E on an asus p5n-3 and it wouldn't work.

 

I've done it with ATI cards, never tried with different Nvidia cards sorry. If I have time (doubtful this week ) I'll give it a whirl for ya.

 

When I was testing a 7900GS(which turned out to work) I put it in as a second video card in my friend's Asus A8N-SLI with his 6600GT and the switch card was set to single card and windows booted fine and detected both cards. It should in theory work(all PCI-E slots should accept any PCI-E expansion card), but I think some motherboards have strange issues preventing it from happening.

 

If you have issues, I think Matrox (yes they still exist) made a special device where you can add more monitor (not split) from 1 DVI port.
http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/gxm/products/th2go/digital/home.php
Max resolution supported: 3840 x 1024
They also have a version for 2 monitors instead of 3.