3 displays for WOW new build

[shlitz]

i curently have a 42 in display and was wondering how i should proceed if i bought 2 more of the same. my current pc is not gonna be used, i need to start from scratch. im expecting some good money coming in, and was wondering if it is possible for me to build my own tripple monitor display world of warcraft gaming unit. (world of warcraft only! im an addict, alliance all the way)
Any suggestion on case/mobo/vid cards and such that would do the trick, without reaching for the stars, just what id need to play wow on 3 42inch displays (as one) with really good performance/quality.
please any help on choosing realistic components for a new system that will not exceed there intended use (WORLD OF WARCRAFT)
if you could please list the hardware that you think would be needed to do this build at a min. or a system that is built and is the best discription of what i am looking for, i gratefully appreciate your time and effort and thank you in advance, thank you.

 

[gkay09]

3 Displays - No doubt ATI HD 57xx or the HD 58xx series...
The HD 5770 would best suit for WoW as it is not too costly but still powerful enough to push all the pixels...
This will give us more info about your requirements and from where you can source your parts... http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/261222-31-build-advice

 

[4745454b]

When you say 42" display I'm assuming you mean a 42" LCD TV. Is it a 720 or 1080P TV? You'll have no problems if its a 720P TV, but if you have a 1080P model then you're going to want the 5870. CPU can be any beefy quad core, might as well go i7. Toss in 4/6GBs of ram and a drive and your set.

 

[gkay09]

^ Well dont you think for his requirements(Playing WoW), the HD 5870 would be an overkill? The HD 5770 can max out WoW at 1080p resolution...

 

[4745454b]

Including x3? Don't forget we have an extra two pannels to power. Including during stressful times like raids.

 

[xbonez]

^^ I agree. Where youa re spending so much money to get 3 42 in displays, I don't see the point in saving $150 and going for the 5770.

With 3 displays you're gonna be playing at a resolution of 5760x1080. I would suggest 5870 for about $380.00

Other specs;

i7 920 2.66ghz procy (280.00)
EVGA E758 x58 mobo (285.00)
WD Caviar Black 1TB HDD (100.00)
Blu ray drive (150.00)
OCZ Gold 6gb (3x2GB) 1600Mhz (140.00)
Antec 900 chassis
Corsair 850TX 850W TS Series PSU (140.00)

 

[dndhatcher]

^ Well dont you think for his requirements(Playing WoW), the HD 5870 would be an overkill? The HD 5770 can max out WoW at 1080p resolution...

When you run 3 monitors you are tripling the resolution so you will need 3x the GPU power.

 

[paperfox]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dpBJq5nHs4

found this clip in another thread. its a 5770 running wow supposedly on max settings no aa on 3 24" screens, looks like 1080 resolution, consistantly getting ~15 fps in a 60 man raid.

so ya the 5770 appears to run wow well but the 5850 or 5870 will be needed to break 30 fps.

side note: one of the releasing articles for the 5780 eyefinity version said that it could run wow on max settings on 6 30" 2560 x 1600 with ~38 fps. just for comparison. (cant seem to find that article...)

 

[xbonez]

I wouldn't say 15fps is playable. Might as well, get the 5850

 

[dirtmountain]

First some benchmarks.
CPU - notice how it recommends shutting off TM and SMT off if you use an i5/i7
http://www.pcgameshardware.com/aid,693737/WoW-Wrath-of-the-Lich-King-CPU-benchmarks-with-Phenom-II-and-Core-i5/Practice/
3 displays = 5850 or 5870
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3650&p=7

Read this link. WoW is optimized for 2 cores, but runs better on 4 if you configure it properly. This WoW forums post includes numerous blue posts about how you do it.
It starts off in 2007, but quickly moves to 2009. If you're going to be using 3 screens, you should read it.
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=1778017311&ST=US-2827325-LXWTbKxu4bk0WfXlatDdUhFvjhwnNYFhfHk&rhtml=true

A trial $1,100 AMD build complete with OS, uses a single 5850, but configured to crossfire.

CPU/mobo combo - $335 PhenomII 965BE/790FX AM3 mobo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.270890

Case/HD combo - $100 Coolermaster690/ WD 640GB SATA
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.273732

RAM - $100 Mushkin 2x2 GB DDR3 1600 7-7-7-20
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146871

PSU - $110 Corsair 750w
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006

Burner - $26 Samsung SATA
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151192

GPU - $290 5850
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131175

OS - $110 Windows 7 home prem 64bit
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116754

 

[4745454b]

Not a bad build seeing as it includes an OS. You could possibly get it down to $1000 if you buy a slightly weaker CPU such as the 955 or 940. Or if you pair the AM3 chip with an AM2+ board with cheaper DDR2 memory. Performance in either case shouldn't be much less. Either way, nice what $1000 will get you and hopefully leaves you with enough for the screens. Remember when we spent $2500 on just the computer?

 

[dirtmountain]

They've dropped the price of the 965 to $195 and the mobo combo drops it to $170

 

[gkay09]

^ Yes I would have to agree going with atleast HD 5850 for 3 displays...
And you can easily bring the cost of the above build with few changes -
1. This CPU + mobo combo also will do...
X4 955 + Asus 790X EVO
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.273337

or if you want to go more chaepr, then there is another very good option... - X3 730
X3 720 + ASUS 790X
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.273353

2. RAM - Other low power options...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231276
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231303

3. If the OP will not be adding one more HD 5850( I think WoW doesnt support SLI/ Crossfire), then a 500/ 550W would suffice...

 

[4745454b]

Actually Eyefinity doesn't support CF yet either. AMD is working on it, but not yet.

 

[beauchee]

I'm just saying (might just be me) but i'm running 3 x 22inch asus monitor and i have the ATI Radeon 5850 and i'm also a wow addict...for FPS on a 5040x1050 resolution the 5850 is more then enough BUT i'm not sure wow is working 100% with eyefinity...just saying this cause once in a while i get glitches from wow and eyefinity witch i don't get else where (like blink from the 3 screens and stuff...i'm waiting for an answer from blizzard too see if its me or wow and eyefinity GL !