Video card upgrade - need advice

So here's my situation. I recently received my new primary LCD, a 22" screen that does 1920x1080 resolution (was previously running two 17" LCDs at 1280x1024 each).

My main client runs windowed, maximized at 1920x1080 on the primary display, the two slave wow's run at 800x600 each on the 2nd screen (17" LCD).

I'm running kinda low fps now with the higher res on the primary display so I think it's time to upgrade my graphics.

I've done a bit of shopping around to find prices and such, and found two similar-priced solutions that are very different. I want to know what you guys think would work best, since I have zero experience with multi-GPU solutions.

Currently I'm running:
* a cheap board with just one PCI-Ex slot, and only 2 DIMM slots maxed out at 4gb RAM (running win7-64 so I could use more RAM if possible)
* nVidia 9600GSO 796mb PCI-Ex card
* 4gb single-channel (yuck, that's all the board does) DDR2-800


The two possible upgrades are:
* a bundle which contains a new SLI-ready nVidia chipset board, with two PCI-Ex slots, *FOUR* DIMM slots and support for more ram, and comes bundled with the exact same manufacturer/make/model of 9600GSO graphics card that I currently have
* or just buy a nVidia GTX260 PCI-Ex card for slightly cheaper


So...in terms of expandability, getting the new board would be better, I could add more RAM in the future and run my RAM at dual-channel too.

But in terms of graphics power, would two 9600GSO's perform as well as, worse, or better than a single GTX260?

Why not run your 22" monitor at 1680x1050?


Also, what are the other specs for your computer? Anyways, since you're only running three clients and are just having fps issues due to your screen resolution, try running at a lower res like I mention above.

would need to know what cpu and power supply, and everything else you have.

if you buy a gtx260, your cpu might become a bottle neck for the graphics card and you will still get low fps, that is if you have a last gen processor like pentium 4 or something like that. also I am not sure, but single channel ram can have a impact on stability and loading if you have a lot of windows open(i.e wow windows)

so you might be better of just limiting fps to 60 on main instance of wow and slave instaces you could lower that to 30fps, depending on the program you use to broadcast keys.

I would just save up for a better computer parts rather then buying 1 piece of hardware and hoping it will improve fps across the board. this way you can go all out and know you will have a decent computer rather then putting together a frankenstein computer :P

Thanks for the advice guys. I did a bit of research and it indicated the GTX260 is far superior to SLI'ed 9600GSO's.

In reference to the other questions, my computer is:
* OCZ 4GB dual-channel DDR2-800 kit (but running at single-channel due to the board)
* Core2Duo E7400 CPU (2.8GHz)
* nForce 6-series based m/b


I always upgrade a piece or two at a time, money just doesn't last long enough to save up for a full system when you've got a wife and kids to pay for! :)

So I bought the 260GTX, and will be picking up a high-quality power supply on my way home to make sure the system isn't going to fail due to the PS (I have a high-quality one but too low wattage/amperage per rail/etc for the demands of the new vid card).

In a few months (probably about when my pre-ordered Win7 is sitting on my shelf waiting to be installed - running RC now), I'll probably spend another couple hundred on a new board and then everything in the case will be new (within 8 months of age).

"Frankenstein", well, like I said I always upgrade piecemeal, I never have 2 grand to blow all at once on a whole new system! Plus I don't think the wife would ever let me spend that much at once if I did! When I spend a couple hundred here, a few hundred there it just doesn't raise her eyebrows as much ;)

lol hehe

well enjoy your new card :)