What video card to get so I can run 3 monitors with my setup

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cyates1

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Hello,

I just bought a 30" monitor and I was already running two 20" monitors. I would like to swivel the two 20" monitors and put the 30" in the middle (the 20" monitor in portrait mode is the same height as the 30")

The problem is that my motherboard only has one PCI-e slot so I can't just buy another eVGA 9800 GTX+ and SLI. My question is what PCI graphics card should I get that will allow me to use all three monitors? I'm assuming it has to be nVidia, but how do I know the card will work with the same driver I'm using now?

System:

Motherboard: Gigabyte P35C-DS3R
Video Card: eVGA 9800 GTX+
OS: Windows 7 64bit
Power Supply: 550 watt

Also, I would like to run the 30" at 2560x1600 and the other two at 1600x1200.

Thanks for your help!
 
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yannifb

yannifb

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Has to be Nvidia?? The new ATI 5xxx series cards (waaay more powerful than any nvidia) can run up to 6 monitors, building in resolution- so you can easily reach resolutions waaay past 2560x1600 with 3 monitors.
 
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redwolfexr

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well, a bit of qualification to that... which 30" monitor did you buy? If it was a new Dell that has a Displayport you have a bit more options that include ATI.

You can only run 3 monitors with the ATI boards that are currently out and one must be a DP. They also ALL need to be running the same resolution which would exclude your setup from Eyefinity.

You should also consider that USB based solutions (most laptop expanders) would work. It doesn'thave to be an Nvidia based solution, since Windows allows expanded desktops in any combination as long as they can be "seen" by the OS. In fact an ATI card may work in this mode, without the unified one-screen span for games.

In any case, buy Ultramon (or similar) to control it with if you aren't able to Eyefinity it. I have been using dual displays for years, and its a lot easier now than it used to be.

Setting up an Eyefinity rig tomorrow, if my 5970 arrives.
 
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TheViper

TheViper

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Cyates1, even with new nVidia cards you'd need to update the drivers just as you would getting ATi cards.

And I completely agree with Yannifb. The HD 5xxx series from ATi is a multi-monitor owners dream come true.
 
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yannifb

yannifb

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Lol, i'd have been happy trading my GTX 295 for a 5870 :/ ... When i bought the 295 i completely forgot about the dx11 cards that would be released in a month and a half and that my board was a crossfire board :pfff:
 
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cyates1

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The reason I figured it would have to be an nvidia is because I've read somewhere that in order to use two graphics cards simultaneously in order to go beyond two monitors they have to be of the same type so you use the same driver. Also note that the total resolution would be 4960x1600 - one 1200x1600 on left, one 2560x1600 in middle, and one 1200x1600 on right.

I bought the LG W3000H monitor from newegg. I can only use DVI-D so no display port. I believe my only options are (A) SLI or (B) add a second video card using a PCI slot.

I realize that the best way would be to just upgrade my video card and/or go to SLI but that's also the priciest. It would be a lot easier and cheaper if I could just buy a PCI VGA card and have that run the 3rd monitor.

Thanks for your help and suggestions guys but I'm still not sure what card I need.
 
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yannifb

yannifb

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If you want a res of 4960 x 1600 you'd need eyefinity- which means a 5 series ATI card.
 
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cyates1

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I don't think that is the case because I read an article about a guy with the exact setup I have over a year ago, so he did it before eyefinity even existed. I can't find the article now though.

None of my monitors have a displayport so that's just not going to work for me, unfortunately.
 
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liquidsnake718

liquidsnake718

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I also have a 9800GTX+, In my opinion I would get the GTX285 and eventually SLI it if you are only looking for an Nvidia setup. I am also thinking of getting the GTX285 before it gets harder to find. The Fermi (New GTX3xx series)cards are going to take at least 4-5months according to recent reports plus they will be overly expensive.....

If you really want great 3 monitor support you can go with the 5870 or the 5970 which will cost $400 and $600! I was so tempted to get an ATi card but I am still waiting if the prices for the GTX285 will go further down to at least $250.... Eyeinfinity is supposed to be great and 3 screens can easily be run at the highest resolutions 2560x1600 and with DX11. The new catalyst drivers are also said to be out or coming out soon. I don't care however because I think I will wait to build my next system next year.

 
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cyates1

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I would switch to an ATI 5 series in a heartbeat if one of my three monitors had a display port. Since none of them do that wont work for me.

I ordered a GeForce 6200 PCI card since I found out it uses the same driver as the 9800 GTX+ and according to what I'm reading on the internet this should work. If not I'll just return the card and upgrade to SLI.
 
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redwolfexr

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ANY videocard that you use will be able to work, as long as all three monitors can be seen (assuming WinXP or newer)

What you won't get (without Eyefinity) is a setup where applications treat that huge space as one monitor. DESKTOP will expand across, so you can span a window across all of them, but any fullscreen application will only see the monitor its launched in. If you maximize a window it will fill the monitor your mouse was in.

I have used 2 displays as one desktop workspace for a long time, and its hard to go back -- in fact I have a similar setup at work.

Just plan to peg games to the 30" and use the satelites for other things.

I have not seen anything that suggests you can run 3 monitors from an ATI 5000 card without running them as one spanning workspace and all of them must run the same resolution. I can answer that for you tomorrow, I hope. If they CAN run in that mode they are easily the best answer for your situation.
 
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Ghost_Roadie

Ghost_Roadie

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i agree with red ^

it also depends on what you plan on using those monitors for, if it is as a giant gaming screen you wont be able to get playable framerates with anything under a GTX260's and you can't use SLI with multi monitors (at everything lowest possible and maybe mid on older games) or a 5870 for newer games and the next gen DX11 games.

if you only game on the 30" and use the other 2 as side extra screen space for other programs and graphic easy applications you could even get away with using a pair of USB to DVI-D adapters which will run them the same as a second graphics card.

the ideal set-up would be a higher end card running the 30" then a secondary running the pair of side monitors as you would have the heavy load on the main card.
 
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redwolfexr

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Also, an ATI 5000 card is not going to work for you anyway. Not unless you add a powered DP adaptor.

To slot it you would have to remove your current card and then you are back in the same place you are now.

(powered connectors run about $100 by themselves)

Also, its not an SLI configuration -- you cannot SLI unless you have a pair of matched boards on a supported platform. You will just have a multiple GPU configuration.

I used SLI for a little while, then went back to two monitors with each driven by a GTS8800. SLI didn't help as much as I had hoped. Last system upgrade I bought an early GTX280 and just ran both monitors off of it. Its what I am currently running, until the UPS guy gets here...

 
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Ghost_Roadie

Ghost_Roadie

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I'm hoping the 5770 will run dual monitors as a single desktop/extra wide gaming set-up with only 2 monitors but it would have to be set to lower graphics if i am extending the window across both monitors at once

 
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redwolfexr

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There is no reason it won't, you will find that playing games across two panels doesn't work well though -- at least for FPS/RPGs. Its great for Civilization though... The center of the action will end up split with two monitors in action games. Thats why three-screen works best.

You may be surprised at what the 5770 can handle as far as resolution though. Remember that card is intended as a Mainstream board. The entry levels are still unreleased. Since Eyefinity was intended to be a major selling point it should work fine. I have run 2 monitors off a comparable 8800GTS and a GTX280 -- always running at 1920x1200 or 1920x1080 depending on the monitor. I never had FPS issue in anything, except games that themselves had issues serverside. (I am looking at YOU, WAR....)

New 5870 arrived just as I left for work, so will have more information for you about it tonight...
 
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Ghost_Roadie

Ghost_Roadie

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I'll be getting myself a third Samsung 2270 with the powered display port adapter as a nice x-mas gift to myself.
it's just a matter of staying within budget right now with the 5770 and the 2 monitors i already have on my current system
(Pent-2 1.3ghz and a 9400GT running both for general tasks and lowest game settings and around 1024x768 on single monitor gaming even older games like halo 2 and half life lag my current card so i'm hoping for a major visual difference once i upgrade)
 
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cookies

cookies

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From what I see, most 5XXX cards have 2 DVI, 1 HDMI and 1 DisplayPort ports. Wouldn't it be feasible to use 3 monitors with two connected via DVI and one connected through the HDMI port?
 
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Ghost_Roadie

Ghost_Roadie

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nope, the HDMI port does not link into the Eyefinity system yet.

if you are only wanting to run 3 separate screens you can hook them into the 2x DVI and the HDMI but not extending the desktop across the 3 or gaming across the 3.
 
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cookies

cookies

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You learn something new every day. That's a bummer. I'm surprised that it won't extend the desktop across all three though, as that capability has been around forever (or so it seems). Is this just a limit with HDMI, or is it an express Eyefinity issue?
 
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Ghost_Roadie

Ghost_Roadie

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it has been around for a very long time but the HDMI port is actually running off the same module as one of the DVI ports. the only way to use Eyefinity is to use a
a - powered 4x DVI to Display port adapter+the 2x DVI on the card
b - powered 3x DVI to Display Port
c - 2x DVI's and a powered DVI to display port adapter

most of the newer or yet to be released monitors will support display port lines so they can go above 2560x1600 or daisy chain them together
 
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