3 monitors on one graphics card?

[celliott]

If I want a 3 monitor setup can I do this with one graphics card or do I need two?

Currently have a 6950 2gb, don't mind upgrading as just starting to struggle on latest games maxed out

Any recommendations on a new card?

Thanks

 

[wkingsnorth]

Budget?

 

[Rusty0611]

You could consider cross firing them. Other than that the only meaningful upgrade would be a 7970/670 route or 7950 if you want to go cheaper.

7950 crossfire is the cheapest way you'll get what I would say are acceptable frame rates across 3 screens.

You'll have to drop settings a fair amount if you play triple screen across one card if you're even slightly sensitive to FPS drops.

 

[Confused Stu]

Simplified version:

- NVidia Kepler-based 6xx - 3 screens on one card
- NVidia 4xx, 5xx, Fermi-based 6xx - 3 screens needs 2 cards
- AMD 5xxx, 6xxx, 7xxx - 3 screens on one card as long as the card has a Displayport output. At least one of the 3 screens must use the Displayport output (but you can use an ACTIVE DP-DVI adapter to then attach this to a DVI screen)

 

[RichIbizaSport]

I'm currently using a 7950 overclocked with 3 screens (5760x1080). It plays fine, though I've only been playing DayZ (arma II) and Sleeping Dogs so far. Settings at high ish. Putting the card back to stock it struggles very slightly, so I really wouldn't go lower than a 7950.

I also had a 670 and a 7970, both of which were RMA'd for unrelated reasons. These again played fine, 7970 being a little a head.

 

[tommybhoy]

Simplified version:

- NVidia Kepler-based 6xx - 3 screens on one card
- NVidia 4xx, 5xx, Fermi-based 6xx - 3 screens needs 2 cards
- AMD 5xxx, 6xxx, 7xxx - 3 screens on one card as long as the card has a Displayport output. At least one of the 3 screens must use the Displayport output (but you can use an ACTIVE DP-DVI adapter to then attach this to a DVI screen)

Sapphire 7950 Flex can power 3xDVI screens on one card:

Sapphire HD 7950 FLEX DUAL-X 3072MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card @ £254.99 inc VAT

The SAPPHIRE HD 7950 FleX is now the highest performing card with this feature, allowing gamers to use low-cost DVI monitors for all three screens. Additional monitors can be added to the setup, but must be DisplayPort connected. With its core clock speeds of 860MHz and 1250MHz (5 Gb/sec effective) for the memory this model is faster than the HD 7950 standard edition and brings easy to configure multi-screen enjoyment to even hard-core gamers.

Features:-
- Core Clock: 860MHz
- Memory: 3072MB GDDR5
- Memory Clock: 5000MHz (Effective)
- Memory Interface: 384-Bit
- Processing Cores: 1792
- Bus Type: PCI-Express 3.0
- Display Connectors: 1x Dual Link DVI, 1x Single Link DVI, 1x HDMI & 2x Mini-DisplayPort
- HDCP Capable
- DirectX 11 Support
- OpenGL 3.2 Support
- ATI CrossFire Ready
- ATI Eyefinity Technology
- ATI Avivo HD
- ATI Stream Technology
- ATI HD3D Technology
- Warranty: 2 Years


Was [£279.99] Inc. VAT

Only £254.99 inc VAT.

ORDER NOW

 

[Orcvader]

If you don't plan to game across all three, your 6950 is capable, you just need to hook the third monitor to the Displayport.

If you do plan to game across all three though, then the 7950 or above will do fine.

 

[Rusty0611]

1 single link DVI? Disgusting

Tommy on that link it also says that one must be display port connected so isn't that kind of what he was saying?

 

[Confused Stu]

Sapphire 7950 Flex can power 3xDVI screens on one card:

Very good point - forgot the FLEX series! D'oh!

1 single link DVI? Disgusting

Tommy on that link it also says that one must be display port connected so isn't that kind of what he was saying?

The FLEX range can support 3 monitors without using the DP connector, but the link says any additional monitors (after the 3 on DVI, DVI, HDMI) must use the DP.

 

[cjph]

Hi
Can you unlock that 6950 ? My XFX 6950 is unlocked to a 6970 bios and handles three 22" screens quite well (although they are lower total res of 5040x1050). I play mostly Arma 2 and some Battlefield 3 though I am not very skilled (I blame sub 40 fps and not my complete inability to play). The card is slightly clocked to 900/1425 (from memory) using 15% power increase in CCC.

You probably know that Arma / DayZ is very CPU dependant, so don't expect too much improvement if your system is CPU bound (I run a 2500K at 4.5GHz). Thats what is keeping me from upgrading currently - a 7970/7950 crossfire is currently the way forward for me.

cj

 

[Rusty0611]

Picture only shows 2 DL connectors. Is it a wrong picture?