SLI: Fullscreen VS Windowed

[SenpaiSilver]

Hi,

 

I'd like to start by saying I didn't do any research yet, and while I'm a programmer I never touched to a graphic API to do some rendering besides drawing windows with windows forms (I didn't have a reason to do it another way).

 

I know that there are different performances whenever you play in fullscreen or windowed (borderless is a window). If I had to explain why there is a difference I'd say that:

• In windowed you write the frames to a window that is then rendered by the Desktop, let's say I get 95FPS in a game here;
• In fullscreen you write the frames directly onto the output that appear on you screen without using the desktop, here I get 100FPS in a game.

 

If I run a SLI but I play games in windowed, do I miss out on the SLI ?

Like if only one card was used ?

 

If so or if not, could you explain please ?

 

Thanks.

 

[helping]

Yes, I believe, if SLI works like Crossfire you will be limited to 1 GPU in windowed. 

 

(assumptions made)

 

SLI does appear to work fine in windowed mode. 

[SenpaiSilver]

Since screenshots with Fraps doesn't capture the overlay, here are the pictures that made me think about this thread:

• Fullscreen: http://uppix.net/bWMzd7.jpg
• Windowed (borderless): http://uppix.net/d5JlT0.jpg

On a side note this is interesting: http://uppix.net/n3UZUc.png
I don't know why PhysX (on the overlay) talks about a CPU, I'll try setting a GPU for that.