Multi monitor setup

[Grondir]

Liking the idea of having a seperate monitor for each toon when 5-boxing. When I update my rig to an i7 platform with a triple SLi/Crossfire mobo, if I install 3 graphics cards do they all have to be the same if i'm not linking them? i.e. a HD5850 as main gpu and 2xHD4850 or 9600gt's for the other displays? Or would I need to get 3 identical cards?

Thanks in advance

[Sajuuk]

You don't need identical cards, but I'd personally wait until the 58XX card that supports six monitors comes out. You'll definitely pay a price premium, but it should be worth it. (Less heat than three cards, takes less power than three cards, etc)


http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/video/display/20090911152000_Eyefinity_ATI_Set_to_Offer_Six_Moni tor_Solution_for_Consumers.html

[Grondir]

Will definately generate more heat and use more elcetric than a 6 output card. But I've read somewhere that for each 'eyefinity' monitor (the 3rd and 6th) you will need a seperate external power adaptor to plug into the HD58xx and these will be retailing at £100 each :(.

For WoW purposes only would I be better getting 1 HD5850 and 2 HD4850's, all unlinked or get 3 HD4850's and CrossfireX them?

[Jafula]

Liking the idea of having a seperate monitor for each toon when 5-boxing. When I update my rig to an i7 platform with a triple SLi/Crossfire mobo, if I install 3 graphics cards do they all have to be the same if i'm not linking them? i.e. a HD5850 as main gpu and 2xHD4850 or 9600gt's for the other displays? Or would I need to get 3 identical cards?

Thanks in advance

No, they will not need to be the same, unless you want to sli/crossfire and then I'm not sure whats compatible with what.

Be warned that WoW always renders on the primary graphics card and you will get a performance drop when you try to move a WoW window onto a second/third graphics card as data needs to be pushed from the primary graphics card to the others.

I believe InnerSpace can make WoW render on the correct graphics card each time, but you might want to check that with Lax.

Here you go: http://www.dual-boxing.com/showthread.php?t=21233

[Grondir]

So if software can force each WOW to render on a specific graphics card, I would be ok getting different spec'd GPU's & this would give me the abiltiy to play one toon on each monitor?

[Sajuuk]

Will definately generate more heat and use more elcetric than a 6 output card. But I've read somewhere that for each 'eyefinity' monitor (the 3rd and 6th) you will need a seperate external power adaptor to plug into the HD58xx and these will be retailing at £100 each :(.

For WoW purposes only would I be better getting 1 HD5850 and 2 HD4850's, all unlinked or get 3 HD4850's and CrossfireX them?

That does seem correct. You would need an active DisplayPort->DVI adapter if your monitor did not have a displayport plug.

[Jafula]

So if software can force each WOW to render on a specific graphics card, I would be ok getting different spec'd GPU's & this would give me the abiltiy to play one toon on each monitor?

Yes, different graphics cards will work fine, just get InnerSpace (the only program I know of) to force the WoWs onto the correct gpu.

[Grondir]

Cheers for the help guys, much appreciated