GPU options for triple monitor setup

[Hades]

I'll shortly be having three a triple monitor setup. I appreciate this particular setup won't work with eyefinity (I think?) because ther are not identical monitors and resolutions:

Middle monitor - Dell 3007 (2560 x 1600)
Two monitors, one either side of the main one - Dell 2407 (1920 x 1200).

I plan to rotate the 2407's into portrait mode either side of the main 3007 as they will be very similar physical heights:

24" portrait ----- 30" landscape ----- 24" portrait

My question - For gaming - Considering that I don't think eyefinity will work then the two side monitors are unlikely to be used for gaming. The 30" is big enough anyway. So the two side 24" screens would be for "work" rather than gaming. Would I be better off with a single GPU able to drive all three monitors or two GPU's (one GPU running just the main 30" screen in games and a second GPU running the two smaller side monitors).

The reason I ask is that I assume it would be better to have a dedicated GPU just for games, which doesn't have any overhead on running the other two monitors. Or potentially if the second card is nvidia then when the two side monitors are not in use for gaming the GPU could be used for Physx?

 

[Screv]

Eyefinity would work, however the resolution would be a compromise to fit the smallest monitor resolution. The effect would mean your 30" screen would probably look god awfull. I ran two 23" dell U2312's and a 22" lg in eyefinity and after about 60 seconds switched back as it just made no sense to keep it on. That said, don't let this alone turn you off from AMD GPU's, the new range is being announced soon.

Running three screens of this size, even if you don't run an eyefinity or similar setup, dual GPU's would be my recommendation but you could go for a single high end card with a large vram to run all three displays, this just depends on what you view as acceptable performance.

Currently I run 3 23" Dell U2312's on an MSI 6970 2gb GDDR5, I can only game on one screen with really good performance in most high end games (BF3, modded Skyrim, Metro and so on) however running a workstation (IE not for heavy game use) my card can handle anything with lots of capacity to spare. Extra screens let me play a game, view my browser (dayz map, IRC clients etc) and watch a film all at the same time. Or if like me you play EvE, you can run multiple games at once and do a good mentat impression.

 

[Tonester0011]

To game with acceptable settings/FPS @1600p you're going to really need two GPUs, unless like me you're happy with turning settings down in what case a single GPU like a 7950+- will do. Running three screes and just a single for gaming off a single card works flawlessly the only negative is the increase in temps @Idle. As for your final option, i have no experience with PhysX or indeed dedicated PhysX.

 

[Hades]

Thanks guys.

 

[MeMeMeMe]

My question - For gaming - Considering that I don't think eyefinity will work then the two side monitors are unlikely to be used for gaming. The 30" is big enough anyway. So the two side 24" screens would be for "work" rather than gaming. Would I be better off with a single GPU able to drive all three monitors or two GPU's (one GPU running just the main 30" screen in games and a second GPU running the two smaller side monitors).

The reason I ask is that I assume it would be better to have a dedicated GPU just for games, which doesn't have any overhead on running the other two monitors. Or potentially if the second card is nvidia then when the two side monitors are not in use for gaming the GPU could be used for Physx?

The extra overhead required for the extra 2 monitors is completely negligible, if they aren't gaming. It's a long, long time since running one or two 1920x1200 displays for general usage has placed any kind of noticeable strain on graphic cards.

You may as well plug all three into the same card. If you were budgeting for a second powerful card, you could crossfire/SLI iit instead.

The Physx question is a bit more complicated.
In theory you can use the second card for physx, especially if your primary card is physx - but the days when you got any kind of useful benefit for it seem to be behind us.
If your primary card is AMD, it's very hacky to get working, and generally stops working every now and then when nvidia release new drivers.
I'd say its not worth the bother.