Rig specs almost determined, but need some graphics card help

[dfreemanfso]

All,

I am going to build a new rig and have most of the components set. I7 2600K OCd to 4.4, 8Gb DDR3/1600 RAM. However, I have yet to decide on a graphics card set up. I know FS runs better on a single card and likes NVIDIA over ATI. However, I will have a three monitor set up. The current plan is for a single GTX 470, 480, or 580pumping to all three monitors through a Matrox TH2G. I want to make sure my graphics set up will support three monitors without performance issues. Perhaps with three monitors, dual cards would be better. I have three dell 19 inch vga/dvi LCD monitors.

Thanks,

Dave

[Avi8orX]

I am not very knowledgeable when it comes to hardware but I personally think that a GTX580 will pull through in your case the best. Good luck!

[fxsttcb]

I was trying to decide what direction to go also. After reading a lot of reviews and tech, I've pretty much settled on a pair of X-Fired 6970s using the native 2 DVI and one/two Mini-DP with a PowerColor Active mDP-DVI(sl) adapter.
@5760x1080 that combo seems to be hard to top in the Price/Performance(< GTX580 + TH2G) bracket, and also allows me another adapter/monitor(my GPS etc).
I have seen 2 HD 6870s in a X-Fire 3 monitor setup and was impressed. Unfortunately the rig itself was, IMO, woefully inadequate for bumping up the sliders.
AMD PII 955 @3.4GHz and 4GB DDR3-1333 won't give me the results I'm intending with only 1 monitor, let alone 4.

The GTX 580 or new GTX 590 + TH2G may offer better performance with only 3 monitors.
My concern there, was overall throughput without the benefit of an SLI boost. Which would put my wallet in the hurt locker.
EVGA's website has some interesting info on using multi-monitors with the newest nVidia based GPUs.

I have yet to find someone that has compared those two video configurations using the same basic rig specs, so, it is a guess as to what may be best...Don

[dfreemanfso]

Cool, thanks guys...It looks like I'll go for the 580 or 590 with TH2G and let you know how it works out. If it doesn't provide good performance I'll have the expansion space to go to a multi card X-fire setup.

Dave

[mgovernali]

..i know what i am about to state will attract some heat and difference of opinions but I am only stating the facts. I own a computer repair shop. for every 10 video cards we replace 8 are nvidia 2 ati. when it comes to laptops even worst, every time a graphic chip fails it is always an nvidia, customers call me with vertical lines and other artifacts on their laptop screens, i ask them if they have an nvidia sticker on their laptop they reply " how did you know that". personally , I have experimented with nvidia cards in my systems, it drives me bananas that in order to get decent antialiasing you must play with the settings for hours and you must install a third party application in order to get what you want. i use ati cards for my simming, i get immediate results with the smoothest flying and the smoothest antialiasing, all settings to the max and still getting framerates from 150 to 200.. I have posted several screenies that show the framerates. for me it is a no brainer.. nvidia might be a good choice for shooters, driving games etc, for flight simming and ease of setup and use my choice is ATI.
mark (calgarypcmedic.com)

[foibles]

for every 10 video cards we replace 8 are nvidia 2 ati. when it comes to laptops even worst, every time a graphic chip fails it is always an nvidia, customers call me with vertical lines and other artifacts on their laptop screens, i ask them if they have an nvidia sticker on their laptop they reply " how did you know that".

Nvidia has a much larger marketshare than ATI for desktop GPUs. Isn't that also the case in your area?

There's also the consideration of what kinds of systems the customers are using -- are nvidia and ati cards equally distributed among different systems? (For people who buy ready-made systems, do those who buy from company x tend to have more nvidia gpus while those who buy from company y tend to have more ati's? Are overclockers overrepresented among nvidia users vs ati users? etc)

Not that I discount what you've observed. I wouldn't be surprised if ati's are just made better or made to last longer.

[mgovernali]

Foibles, you are somewhat right with your observation, it is true that nvidia sells slightly more cards than ati, but that might be simply because the wast majority of games out there are shooters and the like.. in the city where i live (calgary) we have access to any and all hardware. if you go to any large computer parts store they will have an equal number of ati and nvidia cards.. all i was pointing out was what we observe in our shop, I mean, I have nvidia decals and promotional material everywhere in my shop and even on my company car.. but unfortunately it has let us down, everytime we have to install an nvidia card we must spend at least one hour making it work right, ati, you are done in 5 minutes and never a glitch. to give it the benefit of the doubt once in a while i buy whatever happens to be the top of the line nvidia card and test it in my system, and everytime i am disappointed and find myself removing it within a few hours. I go back to ati (always the xx70 series of course) and i am a happy simmer within minutes... my sim looks fantastic on a 42 inch 1080p lcd or even on a DLP projector and frame rates that makes your head spin... mark.

[rss0900]

The GTX580 is 500 dollars the GTX590 700 dollars. Now on average it appears 1 590 outperfoms a single 580 between 25 and 50% FPS(dependant upon which review your reading). It will not outperform 580 SLI though. To me the GTX590 seems a better value if your buying a card now. I'd only go EVGA since they offer a lifetime replacement warrantly provided you don't do anything dumb to the card. A GTX580 is plenty for any game on the market today, but the 590 will last you longer until next upgrade.

Power Supply should be a minimum of 800W from the best I can tell on the GTX590. I think they recommend a 700, but I would stick with no less than 800. Heat should be a concern on the 590 as it blows air out both ends of the card, thus blowing hot air in your case. If you don't have a good case and inernal cooling, may consider another card.

The 590 I hear and read has no issues running 3 monitors. A single 580 would struggle at times due to limited vram.

[fxsttcb]

The GTX 590 is a Dual GPU unit with native 3 monitor support included. No TH2G necessary. Two 590s in SLI get you a virtual Quad-SLI using only 2 slots.
I'm not sure about using a tandem 580 for Tri-SLI.

Never mind the wattage! EVGA has graciously supplied the minimum 12v current the PSU should have: 50Amps. I have seen plenty of 700-750w PSUs that only provide 40-45Amps on the 12v Rail/Rails. Do your homework there. Mfgs already calculated a cushion I'm sure. The certainly don't want failures when using their spec.
If you are even considering SLI or Crossfire with the top-end cards, look for a PSU with a minimum of 75Amps on the 12v Rail.
Multi-Rail PSUs will work, but you must know exactly what to connect where to avoid an "over-current" on any one rail.

On the other side of the Dual GPU fence is the HD 6990. XFX offers a lifetime warranty there. You can add a $30 adapter for each extra monitor.
I have yet to see a 6 monitor configuration using the 6990, so I don't know how well, or even if, that extreme works.
With the 6990 you can add a 6970, which is basically half a 6990, for Tri-Fire, or another 6990 for Quad-Fire...Don