Photoshop Uses Wrong GPU on Dual Monitor/GPU Setup

[Silversurfer1221]

Hello all,

My current system has two Nvidia graphic cards, one running a separate monitor each. The first is a GeForce GTX 1070 running a large monitor where I do my 3D modeling. The second is a GeForce GTX 970, connected to a Cintiq, where I do my digital drawing and painting. When I look under Edit>Preferences>Performance, it shows that Photoshop is using the 1070 and not the 970. I've tried using the Nvidia Control Panel to "force" Photoshop to use the 970 GPU, but no matter what I do, Photoshop reports it is using the 1070.

Since the Cintiq is connected directly to the 970 and I am running Photoshop on the Cintiq, I'd like Photoshop to use the 970's GPU. But I can't seem to find a way to make this happen.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

[D Fosse]

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/photoshop-cc-gpu-card-faq.html

"Multiple graphics cards with conflicting drivers can cause problems with graphics processor accelerated features in Photoshop.

For best results, connect two (or more) monitors into one graphics card.

If you have to use more than one graphics card, make sure that they are the same make and model. Otherwise, crashes and other problems can occur in Photoshop."

[Silversurfer1221]

Thank you. However, this is not a solution. Both the 1070 and 970 use the exact same drivers. As a result, there is no driver conflict. My other software uses the correct GPUs based on which screen they are on.

Secondly, connecting two monitors into one graphics card defeats the purpose, right? With two graphics card, each powering a different screen, you get the full power of each GPU on each monitor for doing multiple tasks. For example, I do 3D modeling on monitor 1 (which is connected to my GTX 1070) and use Photoshop on monitor 2 (which uses the GTX 970). If Photoshop were recognizing the 970, then the full power of the 1070 could be dedicated to my modeling/rendering while I paint textures in Photoshop on the second monitor using the 970. Often I have both a modeling and paint program open so I can adjust textures for my 3D model in my paint program.

So, we are back to square one. Both cards use the same drivers. Only one driver is installed on my system. The Nvidia Control panel correctly shows that monitor 1 uses the GTX 1070 and that monitor 2 uses the GTX 970. So, why is Photoshop NOT using the 970? It should.

Any help getting this to work would be appreciated. Thank you.

[D Fosse]

I agree, there should be a more flexible solution to this. I suspect it's a limitation in Photoshop's basic architecture, and changing it requires a major re-write. But there it is.

[Silversurfer1221]

I found a solution of sorts. If I make monitor 2 (the Cintiq directly connected to the GTX 970) the MAIN MONITOR via Window's Display Settings, then Photoshop uses the 970. This introduces other, minor issues (like the main toolbar being on my secondary monitor), but I believe there are workarounds for that.

Even so, Photoshop knows to open on monitor 2. It remembers that it was on monitor 2 and closed there and, thus, opens there when restarted. Photoshop should also know which GPU to use. After all, Windows knows there are two GPUs and knows which one is controlling which monitor.

[Silversurfer1221]

I was able to get Photoshop to recognize the correct GPU while it is on Monitor 2. Using the Nvidia Control Panel, I went to Manage 3D Settings and clicked the Program Settings tab. Once there, I added Adobe Photoshop CC 2018 and adjusted the following settings in the panel beneath:

CUDA - GPUs set to GeForce GTX 970 (since this is the card powering the second monitor)

OpenGL Rendering GPU set to GeForce GTX 970

Now when I open Photoshop on the second monitor, it uses the correct GPU.

[Jerome35718383u9sm]

Thanks worked for me to