If wanting to eyefinity or Surround question

[frawressvictoly]

Okay first off let me see if I understand this correctly. In order to use surround via nvidia you have to sli correct? I have not bought my 3 monitors yet or new gpu's. I am hoping the cost of current ati or nvidia cards drop soon. I was however playing w/ my current gpu (5870) I was able to hook up 2 monitors (I only have 2 atm) and it worked well. I was using hdmi and dvi and I still have 1 dvi slot open so it seems like that one single gpu would do it, am I right?

Anyways to the point. My current gpu is starting to struggle w/ one monitor connected and running games at full graphics so I know it wont work w/ 3 monitors.

I was thinking about getting 2 6970's but I have been researching and it seems like a better deal is to get 6950's and convert them (not sure how) to 6970's and sli that.

I was also going to get a single gtx 580 (but then I learned that I need 2 for surround, I think)

Soo.. This brings me to a list of which way should I go.

I dont want to buy the new 7970 (cost to much unless I can use just one for eyefinity)

Go w/
gtx 570 sli's (surround)
HD 6970's xfire (eyefinity)
HD 6950's converted to 6970's (if its easy todo) and eyefinity that (best price it seems)

or

If a single 7970 can do what I want would that be better?

Anyways what would you guys do and why?

My monitor is
Samsung syncmaster 245bw (getting 1 more to make 3) rez is 1920 x 1200 on single monitor.
rest of rig
i5 2500k at 4.5 (watercooled)
Asus sabertooth mobo
16 gig 1600 ram
ssd 120gig for os and my favorite game.
850 psu
0

 

[dummos]

amd cards would be the way to go as bigger resolutions use up a lot of vram if i was you i would get 2 6970's but im not exactly sure how the 7970 would handle it as it IS a 3mb card it may well be able to support it but probably not to as higher graphic settings as 2x 6970

 

[frawressvictoly]

Yea is all speculation I guess w/ the 7970 atm. Im still trying to figure out what this whole 6950 2gig converted to 6970's is.

Is this true, if so hard todo and worth the hassle.