Build, cards, eyefinity, help please!

[moldyglint]

I have a rather large question, sorry if it doesn't exactly fit this category as it involves more than just graphic cards and displays.. I've always been a console gamer, but want to get into pc gaming..
I'm going for an affordable mid range build, right now i have a standard HP desktop, specs being -

-CPU
AMD Phenom(tm) II x4 840T Processor 2.90 GHz

-RAM
6GB DDR3

-OS
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

-Graphics Card
ATI Radeon HD 4200

Like I said its just a pretty new, standard work computer.. I'm not sure if it's even possible but I'm willing to spend the money to turn it into a gaming computer, not even necessarily a "gaming rig"

Now obviously I would have to change the graphics card, and probably with such a Mid to higher end card a different power supply, processor etc.. what I would like to upgrade the parts to if I had to would be as follows -

-Motherboard
GIGABYTE GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3 Intel Z68 Motherboard

-CPU
Intel Core i5-2500K BX80623I52500 Unlocked Processor

-RAM (if I had to change it for more power or whatever reason).
Kingston KHX1600C9D3B1K2/8GX DDR3 8GB (2x4GB) RAM

-Graphics Card
EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Ti 1GB GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0
or (since as far as I'm reading you need to SLI a second GTX 560 to use eyefinity)
MSI Radeon HD 6950 2 GB GDDR5 TWIN FROZR III PE OC (I think I'd prefer this one if possible)
I want to use eyefinity with three 24" led monitors, each have HDMI and of course VGA so I won't have a problem using all 3 in one graphics card if using the Radeon 6950 which is why I might prefer that. But I would also like to know if with all of this if I needed to buy ALL of this, would three 24" monitors on eyefinity with the one 6950 run most or all new games on max settings with the right resolution with nice FPS?


-Power Supply (if needed change.. I don't know what mine even is..)
OCZ ModXStream Pro Power Supply 600-Watt (read about this one with the GTX 560.. Might have to go up to 850 for 6590?)

-Case (If necessary)
Cooler Master HAF 922M ATX Mid Tower Case

Apparently this is supposed to be a very nice Mid to higher end build, (being cost efficient)
If anyone could tell me if this would work, or if there is something I would have to change or something I could even keep the same, and if this setup would be able to run newer DX11 games on max settings.. (BF3 perhaps, Dragon age 2, maybe even Crysis 2)

Whoever takes the time to read all of this and help me build a nice computer, I can't even begin to thank you enough.

 

[Mousemonkey]

I have a rather large question, sorry if it doesn't exactly fit this category as it involves more than just graphic cards and displays.. I've always been a console gamer, but want to get into pc gaming..
I'm going for an affordable mid range build, right now i have a standard HP desktop, specs being -

-CPU
AMD Phenom(tm) II x4 840T Processor 2.90 GHz

-RAM
6GB DDR3

-OS
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

-Graphics Card
ATI Radeon HD 4200

Like I said its just a pretty new, standard work computer.. I'm not sure if it's even possible but I'm willing to spend the money to turn it into a gaming computer, not even necessarily a "gaming rig"

Now obviously I would have to change the graphics card, and probably with such a Mid to higher end card a different power supply, processor etc.. what I would like to upgrade the parts to if I had to would be as follows -

-Motherboard
GIGABYTE GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3 Intel Z68 Motherboard

-CPU
Intel Core i5-2500K BX80623I52500 Unlocked Processor

-RAM (if I had to change it for more power or whatever reason).
Kingston KHX1600C9D3B1K2/8GX DDR3 8GB (2x4GB) RAM

-Graphics Card
EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Ti 1GB GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0
or (since as far as I'm reading you need to SLI a second GTX 560 to use eyefinity)
MSI Radeon HD 6950 2 GB GDDR5 TWIN FROZR III PE OC (I think I'd prefer this one if possible)
I want to use eyefinity with three 24" led monitors, each have HDMI and of course VGA so I won't have a problem using all 3 in one graphics card if using the Radeon 6950 which is why I might prefer that. But I would also like to know if with all of this if I needed to buy ALL of this, would three 24" monitors on eyefinity with the one 6950 run most or all new games on max settings with the right resolution with nice FPS?


-Power Supply (if needed change.. I don't know what mine even is..)
OCZ ModXStream Pro Power Supply 600-Watt (read about this one with the GTX 560.. Might have to go up to 850 for 6590?)

-Case (If necessary)
Cooler Master HAF 922M ATX Mid Tower Case

Apparently this is supposed to be a very nice Mid to higher end build, (being cost efficient)
If anyone could tell me if this would work, or if there is something I would have to change or something I could even keep the same, and if this setup would be able to run newer DX11 games on max settings.. (BF3 perhaps, Dragon age 2, maybe even Crysis 2)

Whoever takes the time to read all of this and help me build a nice computer, I can't even begin to thank you enough.

To use 'Eyefinity' you need AMD/ATi cards, Nvidias version is called 'Surround Vision' and this thread belongs in the 'New Build' section.

 

[Mousemonkey]

This topic has been moved from the section Graphics & Displays to section Systems by Mousemonkey

 

[k1114]

IMO you could just buy a gpu+psu and be good. Then if it's not enough upgrade the cpu+ram+mobo. But that cpu shouldn't bottleneck a single 6950. A good 550w would be fine for a single 6950 though the card won't be maxing hardcore games like crysis on 3 monitors. The 6950 actually uses a little less power than the 560ti and nvidia cards only support 2 monitors on a single card.

 

[moldyglint]

IMO you could just buy a gpu+psu and be good. Then if it's not enough upgrade the cpu+ram+mobo. But that cpu shouldn't bottleneck a single 6950. A good 550w would be fine for a single 6950 though the card won't be maxing hardcore games like crysis on 3 monitors. The 6950 actually uses a little less power than the 560ti and nvidia cards only support 2 monitors on a single card.

Alright thanks very much.. But say I went a little bit all out and got the gpu+psu and the cpu+mobo.. I don't know if the 6gb ram will be a huge deal right away, but say I got that extra stuff, would that be enough power to crossfire another 6950? if it could, do you think all of that together with a crossfire 6950's be enough to power the 3 monitors maxed out? Also not only would I have to maybe increase the ram, but the Psu also with crossfire? thanks again for the reply.. I'm starting to feel the higher end of PC gaming come on lol.

 

[k1114]

You don't seriously think 2500k+2x6950 on 3 monitors is a mid-high range do you?

You'll want a 750w psu for 2x6950 which should be enough to handle gaming on 3 monitors. No game uses more than 4gb ram and faster ram makes pretty much no difference on sb. But it would probably be easier to sell your old pc as a whole since this "upgrade" is pretty much a whole new system. Ram is just so cheap right now so most people are getting 2x4gb.

 

[moldyglint]

You don't seriously think 2500k+2x6950 on 3 monitors is a mid-high range do you?

You'll want a 750w psu for 2x6950 which should be enough to handle gaming on 3 monitors. No game uses more than 4gb ram and faster ram makes pretty much no difference on sb. But it would probably be easier to sell your old pc as a whole since this "upgrade" is pretty much a whole new system. Ram is just so cheap right now so most people are getting 2x4gb.

Ok thanks, one last question, to crossfire 6950's, do they have to be the exact same card?

I have the "MSI Radeon HD 6950 2 GB GDDR5 TWIN FROZR III PE OC"..

could I crossfire this card with the "Sapphire DIRT 3 EDITION Radeon HD 6950 2 GB DDR5" or the

"HIS Radeon HD 6950 IceQ X Turbo 2GB (256bit) GDDR5"?
As far as I've read you can only crossfire the same kind of card, but can you crossfire different brands like that?

One other thing I was just curious about, could you tell me why the "MSI Radeon HD 6950 2 GB GDDR5 TWIN FROZR III PE OC" is apparently the same kind of card as the others but on say Amazon its $387 down to $280.. When the dirt 3 edition and IceQ Turbo are both only $300 down to $270? Is the TWIN FROZR III somehow superior to the others?

 

[k1114]

Any 6950 2gb can cf with any 6950 2gb. The sapphire and his are reference designs and the msi is a custom pcb and is also said to be made with better components. It doesn't make much difference but I would go with any dual fan model to stay cooler and just get the cheapest one I could find.

 

[moldyglint]

Any 6950 2gb can cf with any 6950 2gb. The sapphire and his are reference designs and the msi is a custom pcb and is also said to be made with better components. It doesn't make much difference but I would go with any dual fan model to stay cooler and just get the cheapest one I could find.

Sweet, thank you very much for your time, that's all I need for right now I think. You're the best, thanks again for all the help.