Computing across 3 monitors with 2 video cards...

dme92189

Senior member
Dec 26, 2005
687
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Hey guys,
So, I currently have two of these monitors:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16824254001
with a single 7900GT. Now, say I would like to have one more of these monitors, I would need another video card, preferably PCI-E since I have an SLI mobo. (I know I cannot run 2 cards in SLI mode if I do this, just using the extra slot). Would it be possible to do this using 2 video cards (either 2 7900GTs or a different one) and be able to play games like WoW and CSS across the 3 monitors. I have tried playing with tow, and its amazing but my crosshair is cut off in the middle and my character in WoW is cut in half since I only have 2 monitos now. I don't want to use the Matrox TripleHead2Go either FYI. Is this feasible?
Thanks!
Dan
 

Skyguy

Senior member
Oct 7, 2006
202
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3 monitors with a Matrox TripleHead will work, but since you said you don't wanna consider that, then the other solution is to run 2 monitors off your one PCI-e card. Then just get another cheapy PCI card (FX5500 or something) to run the third monitor.

2 monitors, you can go SLI with 2 7900's, then a PCI card to run the 2nd monitor.
 

dme92189

Senior member
Dec 26, 2005
687
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ok, cool! How would a cheap PCI/PCIE secondary card affect performance across all 3 monitors? If i have everything on high in WoW, would two monitors render with high FPS and one with crappy FPS or what would go on?
Thanks!
Dan
 

dme92189

Senior member
Dec 26, 2005
687
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Anyone know how one crappy card could affect perdormance on one of the screens for gaming?
 

Lonyo

Lifer
Aug 10, 2002
21,938
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You can't game over 3 screens with 2 cards, you would be gaming over 2 screens and have the 3rd show your desktop with the other card. If you want to game over 3 monitors you need 3 outputs hooked up to 1 card, which either means a Parhelia or dual/triple head2go.
 

Skyguy

Senior member
Oct 7, 2006
202
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True. I had assumed that the OP could use the 3rd monitor completely separate, for Teamspeak, Xfire, whatnot.

If you wanna game across all three, then a TripleHead2Go is probably the route to take. Not cheap for the box and 3 monitors, but it's one HELLUVA experience!