Video Card and Integrated Graphics Simultaneously

I recall reading some time back that some video cards/motherboards can run without disabling the onboard graphics card, allowing you to add extra monitors through the onboard graphics card. (provided you're not using them for any graphics-intensive tasks of course).

Is this true, or just a bunch of filthy lies? If it is true, which video cards would support this feature?

 

None.

It is not the card (or integrated video) that must support it, it is the motherboard's chipset.

Understand for the vast majority of motherboards with integrated graphics, when you insert a graphics card, the motherboard (chipset/BIOS) will automatically disable the integrated graphics to free up stolen... err, I mean previously "shared" system RAM and other resources. If supported, the motherboard will allow you to enable the integrated graphics in the BIOS Setup Menu again.

That said, unless you have a higher-end motherboard with better integrated, it is generally best to use just the card instead of both card and integrated. This is because with both, you will need both set of resource consuming drivers installed. But of course, much depends on how many monitors you want to run too.

 

Older boards you could add a video card and still use the onboard video.. back in the PCI, AGP days from my experience. Flash forward to these days, I can tell you from experience again, Dell desktops will not let you use the onboard once you install a video card. There is no BIOS setting to fix it either. But, most cards today have dual heads, either two DVI or a DVI and VGA, you'll need an adapter maybe.

So you just might have to try it out and let the computer tell you if it will work.
If you have a modern system (PCIe) just get a dual head card and don't worry about it.
If you have an older system, good luck finding an AGP card, but if you do look for a dual head unit, just in case.

Might help if you posted the MOBO model? or Manufacture model number.

 

You can on newer boards too. And sorry, but it not completely true about Dell desktops as some let you use both. It varies by model number and board features.

And FTR, AGP cards are still fairly plentiful, and PCI (different from PCIe) cards are even more so. Note Newegg has 10 AGP cards and over 40 PCI.

In any case, many factory made computers come with power supplies that are barely adequate for the hardware they come with. Also it is important to remember graphics cards can easily be the most power hungry devices in our systems. Therefore, when upgrading or adding a graphics card, it is ESSENTIAL to ensure your power supply can support the increased demand, and if not, that you replace the PSU when upgrading.