Multi Monitor Advice - 17" + 23" + 17"

Hi there,

My PC Spec:
Intel i7 2600k overclocked to 4.2
Asus P8Z68 Pro
Noctuah NH D14
Corsair AX 850
Mushkin Redline Ridgeback 8GB
Dell 2311h
MSI Gtx 560 ti
1Tb Western Digital Caviar Black
Samsung Blu-Ray Drive
Corsair 600t

I am an Aria customer but not joined to any forums but was hoping you can help.

I have found myself donated with two Dell 1710 (17”) monitors (max resolution at 1280 x 1024) that I am hoping to add to my main U2311h display to make a multi monitor setup of (all in landscape) of:

Dell 1707 [ 17”] + Dell U2311h [23”] + Dell 1707 [ 17”]
(1280x1024) (1920x1080) (1280x1024)

My aim of this setup is to have more 2D screen room. I had managed to connect one of the Dell 17” monitors as a left side monitor through my MSI Gtx 560ti but I want to use the 3rd monitor also to add space on the right. I would ideally like to have the 3 monitors connected seamlessly by having the Windows start icon in the left most Dell1707 but don’t want an application to be spread across all three screens if maximised. However, I would like to drag application windows across screens seamlessly. So I don’t want to drag an application from the left Dell 17” and it then jumps to the right sided Dell 17” without going through the U2311h for example. I don’t want to play games across all three screens but if it fits in to my original needs then great but it’s not essential.

My budget for any addition hardware would be around £170 i.e. extra MSI 560 ti but hope there is a simpler way.

I believe the 560ti will not accommodate 3 monitors through one card, and attaching the additional 17” monitor to the Z68 motherboard DVi output doesn’t work as it seems to be deactivated if a discrete video card is being used? I do realise that the native resolution is not the same throughout so may have an effect.

I’m not sure if buying an additional MSI 560ti will fulfil my objective by somehow being able to run all three monitors in 2D surround? Would that need to be done through SLI or will they have to be separate? Can I just buy a cheaper Nvidia video card and run the two 17” monitors off that one - and will that allow me to use all the three monitors as one space? Can I just buy a ATI eyefinity card and run all three monitors off one card for that purpose using Display Port? I’m totally confused as to what the best way would be to get this done.

My question is then what would be the best way to add the extra 17” monitor in order to achieve my objective of having more 2D screen space without having to spend too much and the most efficient way (i.e. not having to use SLI, run more 6-pin powers)?

Thank you in anticipation.