Second video card options

[natsibley]

I built an i7 system a couple years back and I'd like to add another video card to go to 3-4 monitors. The card in there is: EVGA 512-P3-N975-AR. I don't think I need SLI or anything fancy going on, but I could be wrong. I'm not particularly knowledgeable on that stuff. The question is, do I need to get another EVGA 512-P3-N975-AR (which I can only find at a decent markup since it's discontinued) or can I go another direction? I don't want to buy 2 new cards. The most I'll be doing as far as video goes would be some editing of HD videos.

Thanks.

 

[striker410]

Hi, Welcome to the forums.

It looks like you have a 9800GT, right? luckily for you 9800GTs are fairly common on ebay and other places so it shouldn't be too hard to acquire one. Off topic though. No, you don't need the exact same card. Any old 9800GT should do, just make sure you have an SLI compatible motherboard and a quality PSU.

 

[inzone]

If you go to Amazon or even e-bay you may be able to pick up a used one for a resonable price.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B001DDYSLA/ref=dp_olp_0?ie=UTF8&redirect=true&condition=all

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=EVGA+512-P3-N975-AR&_sacat=See-All-Categories

I don't know what you are willing to spend but for about $100 or less you can pick up a used one.

 

[ricardois]

you don't need another exacly equal just ened to be a 9800 same memory size and better to be the same clocks.

 

[inzone]

It doesn't even have to be the same memory as long as ti's the same gpu you can use Nvidia's registry fix called "COOLBITS" to let you use two 9800 video cards with different ram sizes.

http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=815

 

[ricardois]

you can use different memory sizes but they will run at the slowest one, that is why is going to be a waste of money buying one with different memory size, if it is less memory than the one you go, you will be lowering your maximum graphics memory, and if is more it will not go over your memory, both will be working at the slowest card memory size.