Alright...so i have a couple of friends that are really big in the online poker scene and they want me to build them desktops so that they can play. They both play a ridiculous amount of tables at once, while having a very demanding program open that records all of their moves and stats. The thing is, they want to be able to play on three 24" samsung monitors (NOT TVs). I've asked around how to have three monitors connected to one pc and people have told me that I need similar video cards connected to the mobo. I really haven't got much clarification on this, so hopefully someone might clear this up for me....Anyways, this is the setup I have put together real quick...they didn't give me much notice...I usually spend like 4 months planning my builds so this one feels a little rushed...Any feedback will be much appreciated...
 
Case:  Thermaltake M9 VI1000BWS Black SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/product/prod [...] 6811133058
 
Mobo:  GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-DS4 AM2+/AM2 AMD 790X ATX Ultra Durable II AMD Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/product/prod [...] 6813128075
 
Chose this because first of all, there aren't many options for dual pci-e mobos for AM2+...and my friends really don't want to skimp out on quality...hopefully the mobo lives up to its "Ultra Durable" name...
 
CPU:  AMD Phenom 9550 Agena 2.2GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 2MB L3 Cache Socket AM2+ 95W 65nm Quad-Core Processor  
http://www.newegg.com/product/prod [...] 6819103251
 
-I know im gonna get complaints about this...lol...
 
Video cards: 2 X  ASUS EAH3650 SILENT MAGIC/HTDP/512M Radeon HD 3650 512MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/product/prod [...] 6814121243
 
Chose these because they are relatively cheap, they each have 2 dvi outputs, and they passively cooled...
 
PSU:  SILVERSTONE SST-ST75ZF ATX 12V 2.2 & EPS12V 750W Power Supply 100 - 240 V OCP,OVP,SCP,NLO  
http://www.newegg.com/product/prod [...] 6817256006
 
-I know that the PSU is something you never want to cheap out on...
 
RAM:  G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory
http://www.newegg.com/product/prod [...] 6820231122
 
HDD:  EXCELSTOR Jupiter Series ESJ8160S 160GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/product/prod [...] 6822210004
 
They told me that they wouldn't need a huge hard drive because they both have 500gb externals.
 
DVD-Burner--won't waste ur time with link...
 
 
Thx

If you want to go AMD, you could probably get cheaper by getting a 780G motherboard and doing a hybrid crossfire with a HD 3450. If all they're playing is online poker, it should be more than enough for them. I believe hybrid crossfire allows you to run up to 4 monitors at once, but I haven't done it personally. Hopefully someone else can shed some light on this. Do they do any other gaming besides poker?
 
The PSU you chose is more than you'll need. A Corsair 550VX should be enough: http://www.buy.com/prod/corsair-vx [...] 52646.html

alright...well i checked some HD 3450s out but not many of them had 2 DVI outputs...so hopefully this will work: ?
 
New Mobo:  GIGABYTE GA-MA78GM-S2H AM2+/AM2 AMD 780G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/product/prod [...] 6813128090
 
New Video card:  SAPPHIRE 100235L Radeon HD 3470 256MB 64-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card  
http://www.newegg.com/product/prod [...] 6814102728
 
hopefully someone can tell me that setup will allow 3 monitors...

Your first build would do fine even if it is over the top in MB and PSU.
A hard drive upgrade to WD or Seagate would be the only suggestion.
It would handle 4 monitors fine.
 
The 2nd option also looks good and it will also allow 4 monitors.  
The 780G motherboard has two independent display controllers (through 1 DVI and 1 VGA connector)
I'd even go so far as to suggest the Corsair 450VX will easily power either system.  
The Antec Sonta III case and its Earthwatts 500w PSU would also be a good case/PSU combo for either of those build options.
http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCat [...] uter-Cases

The 780G and 3450/3470 will do Hybrid Crossfire but I think thats limited to 1 monitor.  I don't think that CF or SLI Hybrids do multi-monitor support.

^ According to Tom's review of the 780G chipset, "When equipped with a hybrid-enabled ATI graphics card, the system can drive up to four monitors, with the add-in card providing connectivity for the additional two displays."
(source: http://www.tomshardware.com/review [...] 785-5.html )

I've never actually tried it, I'm just going off what I've read. I know you can only use one monitor at a time when using multiple cards in SLI, but Crossfire is supposed to have better results with multiple monitors.

Edit: fixed the link

I didn't see the Hybrid CF mode enabled till they did the gaming
testing.  The 4 monitor support looked to be done prior to that.

I don't think that means that without a hybrid-enabled ATI graphics card (say a ASUS EAH 3650 SILENT MAGIC/HTDP/512M Radeon HD 3650 video card) the 780G motherboards could not drive 4 monitors.  And I don't think THG was implying that a Hybrid CF capable card could drive 4 monitors in 3D gaming.   Im just not sure that Hybrid CF 3D gaming can be utilized on more than 1 monitor.

For the OP oushi link to the THG article is broken but it does a good job outlining the 4 monitor support of the 780G
 
 Quad Monitor Configuration
 

THX A LOT GUYS! Using the 780G and another video card really saves money ...I'm also thinking of downgrading the PSU like you guys have mentioned...

The 450watt PSU is really quite a bit more than you need with that motherboard and video card combo.  It would be very safe to go with a high quality 380watt PSU but the one I'd recommend (Antec Earthwatts 380) is currently more than the Corsair 450 with its current rebate.
 
Let us know how things go when you get the chance.  

oh ****...alright guys, I got another question for ya. My friend just explained to me that he wants his 24" monitors side by side, but vertical instead of regularly horizontal (he wants them in portrait mode instead of landscape mode). Will the integrated 780G with the radeon 3570 be able to support this to all four monitors??? hopefully you guys can help...

All current ATI video cards have native support for Portrait Mode monitors.
I couldnt find anything thing that said the HD 3200 integraged graphics processor (IGP) on the 780G motherboard didnt also support native Portrait mode.
I know previous AMD/ATI IGP's supported Portrait so I feel its safe to assume the better performing HD3200 also does.  
As long as the LCD monitors will run in Portrait mode the HD 3450 and 780G/HD3200 will support them.

....phew....thank god....almost got a heart attack there...thx for the quick response WR2

quick question...can I run DDR2 800 with the AM2+ board and chip or does it have to be 1066...and if I can, is it really worth paying more for the 1066???
 
 
....sorry i've asked sooo many questions...

...just realized that I should probably go with the 1066 anyway...not too much more than the 800...

Hey folks, I've never posted here but Ahslan was my friend.
 
I setup the entire configuration and mounted the monitors but I have come to the realization that the ATI Radeon HD 3200, the onboard video card doesn't allow you to orient the monitor in portrait mode through the ATI catalyst program, but the other monitors attached to the video card do.
 
 
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, not sure where to go from here.

Bobobn, get owned....noob...lol....
post some pics of the beautiful comp I made!!!

Here are two pics Bobobn sent me to show you guys the end result...unfortunately he didnt take a pic of the effin desktop itself...lol...
 

 

 
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR ALL YOUR HELP!!!! MUCH APPRECIATED!!!