What do I need for...

Rollingskies · 10 Nov 2011 at 21:23

I have the following system which I built from the help of your guys two or three times now over the years:

Windows 7 Pro 64bit
Intel Core 2 Duo E2180 2GHz
GA-P35-DS3L Intel P35
Kingston HyperX 4GB (2x2) DDR2 6400C4 800Mhz
GeForce 8800 GT 512MB
2 x 22" monitors
200GB Sata
Be Quiet! Straight Power 650W

I have been a long time flight simulator fan. I've had FSX for some while, but now I want to go and build my own simple cockpit. I already have most of Saitek's pro flight range and I want to start putting something fancy together with it. To start with I need three monitors, (front left and right). They must be able to show seperate screens and not be clones. So no splitter. My graphics cards allows me to run my current two monitors.

The question:
How can I get 3 monitors to run on FSX on my current system as cheaply as possible?

Consider:
Is my system able to take (esp the PSU powerful enough?) if I was to buy another card?
Do I need a second card for more monitors?
Will I suffer adverse game performance as a result?
Do I need (can my computer also handle) a better more powerful card?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

stulid · 10 Nov 2011 at 21:28

For Nvidia you must use a pair of cards in SLI to be able to run three screens, these can all be DVI input displays.

For ATI you can run three screens of a single card (depending on the card) as long as you have one of the following,

• one of the displays has a Displayport input.
• you use a "active" displayport to dvi adapter - http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=4&gid=1010&sgid=1011&pid=357&psn=&lid=1&leg=0
• or you use a FLEX card - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-272-SP&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1752

Rollingskies · 10 Nov 2011 at 21:41

Thanks. So they are my options.
Obviously buying another card like I have is a lot cheaper - they go for nothing on auction sites. Would I have to get an exact absolutely identical match or would any GeForce 8800 GT 512MB do?

If I was to buy that flex card - (although is there nothing cheaper that does the same job?) could my computer handle it or is the motherboard too outdated? The PSU seems good enough to my surprise.

stulid · 10 Nov 2011 at 21:45

Well the bigger issue maybe the fact that your motherboard doesnt do SLI - http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=2629#ov

So you are looking at selling the 8800GT and replacing it with a ATI card then.

could my computer handle it or is the motherboard too outdated? The PSU seems good enough to my surprise.

Im worried about severe CPU bottlenecking, FSX needs as much as it can get.

Rollingskies · 10 Nov 2011 at 21:58

oh lol. Could be tricky then! I'd always presumed it was able to take two cards. Huh.
Well thankyou for your time. I'll see about getting it in the new year I think then!

stulid · 10 Nov 2011 at 22:03

Heres some blurb about the FLEX - http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1041&pid=1099&psn=&lid=1&leg=0

http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/sapphire_hd6950_flex/

fowler002 · 10 Nov 2011 at 22:28

cheap q6600/q9650 oced to 3.6ghz(think the q9650 can go higher) and the flex, but if waiting till the new year look out for the new cards being released.