Basic PCIe question

[crypton]

I'll start by quickly saying the last time I bought computer hardware was about 4 years ago. So now that it's time to upgrade I have no idea what I'm doing with all this new technology.

I'm looking at getting an ASUS P5W DH DELUXE. However I've never had any experience with PCIe. My current computer is AGP. This mobo has 2 PCIe x16 slots. Does that mean I can put in two dual head video cards and run 4 monitors? I use my computer mainly for development, and would really like to get 3-4 monitors for productivity, however most of the cards I've found that allow for multiple display are very expensive and don't allow very high resolutions. It seems that if I'm going to spend the money, I might as well get two mid-range cards so I can run the resolutions I want and the cards can handle my wife's light gaming (Civ4, Zoo Tycoon, Sims, etc).

So can I do this? I noticed many PCIex16 cards take up two slots with the fans, but the mobo appears to have put adequate space between the pcie slots so that's probably not an issue.

Any help is appreciated, thanks!

-Crypton

 

[dougie_boy]

you can run four displays off the four card but not in SLi mode in games. but for development in windows im sure you will be fine. also about the space issue i cannot see a manufacture releasing a board with a lack of space for 2 cards with dual slot coolers. but PCIex is not a huge departure from AGP. just a bit faster.

id go with maybe 2 7300gt's

silent 7300gts

that will do you fine i expect. all for $180. not too shabby.

 

[crypton]

Thanks so much Dougie_boy, that's exactly what I needed to know!

 

[dougie_boy]

anytime. good luck with the build.

 

[darkstar782]

Not only that, but the board also has two PCI-E x1 slots, and Matrox do a reasonable PCI-Ex1 triplehead (3 monitor output) graphics cards.

Could easily build a monitor wall