3 Monitor Setup with 1 GPU

[Gath88]

Hello, I'm wondering if anyone can help me out here.

I'm trying to run a 3-monitor setup with a single GPU, and after my searching, found that only some GPUs can do it alone while most need SLI/Crossfire, thereby needing a second graphics card similar to the first, or at least compatible (if I'm understanding these correctly).

The GPU I currently have is a GeForce GTX 550 Ti. The motherboard is an Asus P8Z77-V LX

Setup-wise, I have an Acer 21" monitor for gaming, and 2 17" Dell monitors for non-demanding tasks (internet, music, etc). The only gaming I'll be doing is on the 21"

My questions, specifically, are these:

1) Can I somehow force the GPU to use all 3 ports on it? (It runs 2 just fine, but kicks one off whenever I try to turn on the third).

2) If not, what GPU could I potentially get in order so that I could run 3 monitors off of 1 GPU? (NVidia preferred. I've seen mostly 660, 670 and 680, but just want to be sure)

3) Is there other options to potentially explore?

Thanks for any and all help. Cheers

 

[ingtar33]

mmmm... you know you can plug one of those secondary monitors into the motherboard and use the igpu on the cpu to drive it... since you don't seem to be planning on doing much with the extra monitors.

 

[Gath88]

mmmm... you know you can plug one of those secondary monitors into the motherboard and use the igpu on the cpu to drive it... since you don't seem to be planning on doing much with the extra monitors.

I did try this. Same thing happens; disconnects one of the already-active two.

 

[ingtar33]

well the cheapest solution would be to hunt down a 2nd 550ti for SLi... but if you want something new... pretty much any nvidia or amd gpu released in the last 2 years will give you 3 monitor or more support... and a 660ti or 760 would be about as fast as 2 550tis in SLi... so there you go.

 

[Gath88]

well the cheapest solution would be to hunt down a 2nd 550ti for SLi... but if you want something new... pretty much any nvidia or amd gpu released in the last 2 years will give you 3 monitor or more support... and a 660ti or 760 would be about as fast as 2 550tis in SLi... so there you go.

I see. Thanks. I might end up doing that then, depending on what other replies I get here. From what I can tell in my Google searching, it looks like I'll have to do that eventually anyway

 

[k1114]

You don't need sli for more monitors and can just get a cheap 610 or something. But the igpu did not shut off one of the other monitors. 2 only worked which were most likely the ones on the 550ti because the igpu was probably still disabled. You need to enable igpu multi monitor which is disabled by default and install the intel drivers.

Any kepler card can support 4 as long as it has enough ports. Kepler starts at the 630 models but there are multiple 630 models which are also fermi. Fermi will only do 2. With amd cards it just needs dp which can even be found on a 7750. Or if it's a flex card then any with 3 ports.

 

[giantbucket]

Almost any 640-or-higher card will do it, as will a 7790.

Cheap solution: buy a GT610, put it into the black slot, and run 2 monitors from that. Use your 550 as your gaming card. Be sure to disable SLI if it gets automatically turned on.

$40. Done deal.

 

[t21]

did you try to set the bios to pcie and then plug the other two in the mainboard?

 

[Gath88]

You don't need sli for more monitors and can just get a cheap 610 or something. But the igpu did not shut off one of the other monitors. 2 only worked which were most likely the ones on the 550ti because the igpu was probably still disabled. You need to enable igpu multi monitor which is disabled by default and install the intel drivers.

Trying this now. I'm assuming this option is in the BIOS?

did you try to set the bios to pcie and then plug the other two in the mainboard?

I think it's already set to PCIE, but I can check. The other two are currently on the 550 as well.

 

[Gath88]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I used k1114's suggestion and I got it working. Thanks again everyone