Two Geforce 450s or One 460? Whats better?

What are the brands and models of your motherboard and power supply unit (PSU)?

When two or more video cards are operating in SLI mode, only the two monitors connected to the primary graphics card are active.

So don't run them in SLI mode and you can have 4 monitors.

This is not true. Look up Nvidia 3D/surround vision.

Two GTS 450 will be faster than a single GTX 460 but it is always best to start with a more powerful single card IMO. Leave SLI as an upgrade path for when you need it.

It's my opinion that you are better off with a single card unless you can't get a single card for the performance you need. There are definately some single cards better than 2 450's.

The reason I say this, is there will likely be many situations were you are limted to using only one of those 450's or get the same performance as 1. When you are faced with those poor SLI situations, you now have a very weak card where as if you had a single more powerful card, these times don't come up.

Thanks for your replys. I have a asus rampage III extreme and my PSU is a 850 corsiar HX.

So it looks like you guys agree that i should get the 460 instead. It would be pretty sweet to have 3 monitors (i use my computer for work too).

And what I think some of you are saying that no all programs take advantage of SLI? is it similar to the hexacore stuff that some programming doesnt take advantage of the multiple cores or w/e?

There are more that take advantage of SLI/CF than hexacore. A lot more in fact. It's just that those times it doesn't, it would suck with an underpowered card. Also, there are more clitches and stuttering with multiple cards. Then theirs the heat and noise.

Just to be clear a single Nvidia card can support 2 monitors on its own. Two cards in SLI can support three monitors at once. Two cards with SLI disabled can support 4 monitors
AMD/ATI cards have "Eyefinity" and can support 3 monitors with one card on the HD5000 series and the HD6000 cards can use up to 6 monitors at once.

adding to what 'jyjjy' just said above -> since 'idkanymore' mentioned he wants to use 3 monitors... you're only 1 x card solution is a Radeon HD5000 / 6000 series...

if you want nVidia and your 3 monitors.. then you must go SLI with 2 x cards

i'd recommend you the Radeon 6850... it's the rival to the GTX 460 1GB... you'll get same performance / w up to 3 x monitors all in 1 card