Question / Help 2nd GPU to encode NVENC?

[Nathan Parola]

So I have a GTX 1080, sometimes clocks at 99% GPU usage when playing. Streaming with NVENC during this time cripples OBS's performance and results in frame loss in OBS and in-game. I understand adding a second (older) GPU to encode isn't the best decision, but how much can it really hurt?

 

[Osiris]

Since NVENC encoding has no performance impact on the GPU's ability to render the game, it won't help.
You wan't to make sure the game does not use all of the available GPU power (by limiting fps for example), so OBS can render the scene.

 

[Nathan Parola]

Since NVENC encoding has no performance impact on the GPU's ability to render the game, it won't help.

It does lower my in-game fps by about 5-6 frames, when using NVENC of course.

 

[Harold]

adding the second card will cause you to lose up to half of your fps.

 

[Nathan Parola]

adding the second card will cause you to lose up to half of your fps.

Not true. Just added it, no fps loss so far.

 

[KyaJumo]

I don't know why people still giving out somewhat-false information about "2nd GPU will make things go slower." I've seen a Youtuber using older Quadro as dedicated NVENC recording GPU.

Even with NVENC, single-GPU setup will take a hit in overall performance, because frames has to be processed for streaming/recording. If your PC (CPU and RAM bandwidth) is fast enough to handle two video cards doing separate things, dividing workload into 2 GPUs should work fine. I know a streamer who even added a capture card in a single-PC to minimize impact on his gaming GPU, as he wanted to play games in High settings. His YouTube video proves this workaround.

My real question would be; which video card is small but powerful enough to deliver good NVENC recording performance @ 1440p.