 KoilPremium
join:2002-09-10
Irmo, SC | New system, need some input... Intel® Core™ i7-870 Processor (8M Cache, 2.93 GHz)
GA-P55-USB3 Motherboard
8 GB Ram (4x2GB ADATA)
2x GeForce® GTS 250 Green 1GB(1024MB GDDR3) NO SLI 
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V
2x Western Digital Caviar Blue 500 GB,7200 RPM (WD5000AAKS)
Asetek liquid CPU cooler
Ok, so I got the above system for a crazy price, which finally brings me into the 2010-ish era for my desktop, which is currently stuck in about 2001. (I use a gaming laptop currently and finally got a chance to upgrade the desktop)
Anyway, I know the mobo sucks due to SLI limitation, so why it comes with 2 vid cards is something of a mystery to me.
The video cards will definitely need to be updated, and this is really what I'm looking for advice on, in 2 areas.
I would like to setup a multi-monitor setup...3 ideally, as I don't have room for much more, and just seems over the top realistically for much more.
I was wondering what you guys thought would be the best way to go about achieving this video card wise?
Second question, monitors: I really like the idea of a 3 monitor setup, but is it really going to get me that much more of a gaming experience, or do you think I'd be better off getting just a larger (23-27") and running that alongside my current 19", which would be used for off browsing, video watching, etc?
I play everything from RPG's, MMO's, FPS, Racing, you name it
I know this isn't a power house setup and may require some more investment to get it where I want it, but would like some input on bang to buck ratio.
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I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.- Edward Everett Hale
My Blog - Raising Connor |
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 KrisnatharokCaveat EmptorPremium
join:2009-02-11
Earth Orbit
kudos:3
 ·Comcast
| I'd go for a Radeon Eyefinity set-up, not only does the mobo support ATI Crossfire (albeit at PCIe 4x), but AMD Radeon cards scale better than Nvidia GeForce cards do at the high end of resolutions.
I'd wait a month or two for the entire Radeon 7000 line-up to come out then pick a card that fits your budget.
Due to the Crossfire limitation, I'd recommend a single, more powerful card than two cheaper cards. Perhaps an AMD 6950 2GB (flashed to 6970 BIOS) or whatever its 7000 series successor is called.
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If we lose this freedom of ours, history will record with the greatest astonishment, those who had the most to lose, did the least to prevent its happening. |
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| reply to Koil
The mystery as to why those cards are in there is a moot point because they need to be replaced anyway.
What's your budget? |
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KoilPremium
join:2002-09-10
Irmo, SC | said by Dissembled:The mystery as to why those cards are in there is a moot point because they need to be replaced anyway.
What's your budget?
For the card, preferably at or below $200 |
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KoilPremium
join:2002-09-10
Irmo, SC | reply to Krisnatharok
said by Krisnatharok:I'd go for a Radeon Eyefinity set-up, not only does the mobo support ATI Crossfire (albeit at PCIe 4x), but AMD Radeon cards scale better than Nvidia GeForce cards do at the high end of resolutions.
I'd wait a month or two for the entire Radeon 7000 line-up to come out then pick a card that fits your budget.
Due to the Crossfire limitation, I'd recommend a single, more powerful card than two cheaper cards. Perhaps an AMD 6950 2GB (flashed to 6970 BIOS) or whatever its 7000 series successor is called.
I think that may be a smiiiiidge out of my price range, though I do appreciate the post.
Unless I'm mistaken, those are going to come out of the gate pretty high in price, no? If possible, I would like to stay in the 2 bills range.
I'm a little confused by your post, and its probably due to my lack of understanding...I haven't had to research cards in quite sometime, so I'm a bit behind the curve.
You say that you would go for an Eyefinity setup, but the recommend a single card...is that possible? I thought 2 cards were required for XFire?
Also...as you mentioned, Xfire at PCI 4x seems to, well sound like it would suck...would I be better of getting another mobo and maybe not so high end cards in either SLI / Xfire??
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I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.- Edward Everett Hale
My Blog - Raising Connor |
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| reply to Koil
Very few people run 3 monitors so is it going to get you that much more of a gaming experience? Probably not.
You have two cards and can drive multiple monitors so the key question is have you actually determined that a 250 graphics solution is inadequate for the games you are playing? If so then tell us the specific game, but based on the way you posed the question it sounds to me like you are not actually gaming on it yet. |
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KrisnatharokCaveat EmptorPremium
join:2009-02-11
Earth Orbit
kudos:3 Reviews:
·Comcast
| reply to Koil
Just confusion of terms:
Eyefinity = AMD technology that lets you drive three monitors with a single card or up to 5 or 6 monitors with multiple cards. »www.amd.com/us/products/technolo···ity.aspx
Crossfire = SLI.
I am not an expert on throughput, and would defer to someone else on how much bandwith PCI 4x allows.
HOWEVER, that's a pretty damn high resolution you are running, and would hiiighly recommend at least a 6950 or 7000 equivalent.
Most people running a triple monitor setup like that would probably be shooting for at least two 6950s.
If your budget ain't all that, I'd recommend a larger single monitor, like a 24" or 27", as a single GPU has much less trouble driving a single monitor than three 1920x1200 displays.
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If we lose this freedom of ours, history will record with the greatest astonishment, those who had the most to lose, did the least to prevent its happening. |
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KoilPremium
join:2002-09-10
Irmo, SC | reply to asdfdfdfdfdf
I'm pretty sure they're not going to handle Skyrim and BF3 where I want them...plus, unless someone can enlighten me, without the SLI, I won't get anything out of the second card, and there is no way the 250 will handle either one of those games, I don't think. |
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KoilPremium
join:2002-09-10
Irmo, SC | reply to Krisnatharok
Ah..okay..I knew XFire = SLI, but thought XFire would be required for an eyefinity setup...wasn't aware one card could do the job.
If that kind of hardware is going to be required, maybe the larger single monitor would be the way to go then...we'd be talking a lot of scratch before I even got the monitors. |
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| reply to Koil
I don't think you need to be worrying about crossfire or sli. I doubt that you need multiple graphics cards to meet your gaming needs. It isn't a problem running two monitors on many graphics cards and I really don't think you need to be focused on trying to get 3, especially as you presently only have one 19" monitor. |
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KrisnatharokCaveat EmptorPremium
join:2009-02-11
Earth Orbit
kudos:3 Reviews:
·Comcast
| reply to Koil
What products support AMD Eyefinity technology?
AMD Eyefinity technology was introduced in AMD's latest line of ATI Radeon™ HD 5000 Series graphics products which includes the following:
• AMD Radeon™ HD 6870 GPUs
• AMD Radeon™ HD 6850 GPUs
• ATI Radeon™ HD 5970 GPUs
• ATI Radeon™ HD 5800 Series GPUs
• ATI Radeon™ HD 5700 Series GPUs
• ATI Radeon™ HD 5670 GPUs
• ATI Radeon™ HD 5500 Series GPUs
• ATI Radeon™ HD 5450 GPUs
• ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 5400 Series or higher GPUs
Note: These products support up to 6 display pipelines per GPU and the total number of display pipelines depends on the GPU as implemented by the manufacturer.1 Also, at least 3 simultaneous, active display outputs, including one DisplayPort™ connector are required to support AMD Eyefinity technology. Please consult the manufacturer of a particular product to confirm if it supports this feature.
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If we lose this freedom of ours, history will record with the greatest astonishment, those who had the most to lose, did the least to prevent its happening. |
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KoilPremium
join:2002-09-10
Irmo, SC | reply to adfdfdfdfdfd
Well, it was a 2 stage question, meaning that once I'd determined the cards, I would buy the monitors afterwards, which is why I want to keep the card cost down, as I'm already budgeting for the monitors, too. |
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KoilPremium
join:2002-09-10
Irmo, SC | reply to Krisnatharok
I checked into the 6850 earlier on, when I was still trying to piece together a rig on my own. I think you can actually upgrade FW on that card and get it to 6870 specs...and I think its right at 200 bucks right now, give or take. Maybe that is what I'll do...and a nice 24" monitor. |
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KoilPremium
join:2002-09-10
Irmo, SC | reply to Koil
Actually, it was the 6950 I was looking at that can be upgraded... |
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KrisnatharokCaveat EmptorPremium
join:2009-02-11
Earth Orbit
kudos:3 Reviews:
·Comcast
| reply to adfdfdfdfdfd
said by adfdfdfdfdfd :I don't think you need to be worrying about crossfire or sli. I doubt that you need multiple graphics cards to meet your gaming needs. It isn't a problem running two monitors on many graphics cards and I really don't think you need to be focused on trying to get 3, especially as you presently only have one 19" monitor.
I agree, although I think the bang-for-buck ratio favors two mid-level GPUs over a single more powerful GPU.
For instance, I run a 20" Apple Cinema Display (1680x1050) as a browsing monitor and a 23" 2048x1152 main monitor (games, movies) off a single GTX 580.
If I had to do it again, I probably would have gone with two 6870s in Xfire as they would have been substantially cheaper and more powerful than the 580 (hell, even two 6850s pull down better frames in some games compared to a single 580).
That said, the trade-off is sometimes buggy Crossfire/SLI implementation, complete lack of support in some games, and twice as many hardware devices to fail/arrive DOA.
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If we lose this freedom of ours, history will record with the greatest astonishment, those who had the most to lose, did the least to prevent its happening. |
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| reply to Koil
"there is no way the 250 will handle either one of those games, I don't think."
I wouldn't assume that. People's expectations can vary immensely. I would worry about that bridge when you get to it. |
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| reply to Koil
Note if you want 3+ displays one of them is going to need to be displayport or you get into the tedium of having to get active displayport adapters.
Again 1 or 2 displays is easier, cheaper, less headache. |
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KoilPremium
join:2002-09-10
Irmo, SC | Point taken. I looked those up and evidently, they aren't cheap.
I think I'm going to go ahead and go with one 6950 and a 22-24" monitor, depending on what I can find on sale. Leaves me a little room to grow later, where I can add another card later on if needed, and the price will have gone down by that point, too...hopefully. |
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KoilPremium
join:2002-09-10
Irmo, SC | reply to asdfdfdfdfdf
said by asdfdfdfdfdf :"there is no way the 250 will handle either one of those games, I don't think."
I wouldn't assume that. People's expectations can vary immensely. I would worry about that bridge when you get to it.
I say that, as I'm already running a 260M in my gaming laptop, and while I understand its a mobile version, so a little strapped as opposed to the desktop version, I've got an idea of what it can handle, and while I *can* play Skyrim and BF3 on it..its at very low settings with almost everything turned off, which sucks....gets hot as a motherfucker, too...lol
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I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.- Edward Everett Hale
My Blog - Raising Connor |
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| reply to Koil
Two 6790's in Crossfire will give you a few more frames per second than a single GTX570. You can get those for like $125 each, so close to your budget.
The problem is, you're scrapping two cards when you upgrade. If you get a single $200-250 card now, you can add a second one in the future pretty easy but you won't be as powerful now. |
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