Best setup for 3x1440p eyefinity

A

antirush

Limp Gawd
Joined
Dec 1, 2004
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I'm looking to build an eyefinity rig and these $400 2560x1440 monitors are awfully tempting:
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1675393

The monitors I'm looking at purchasing only have a single dual-link dvi input on them. I want to build an eyefinity setup with 3 of them.

What sort of a graphics card setup would be best to drive them? I've been out of the system building game for a few years so I'm a little out of touch, but there are two main points:

  • It has to physically work - drive all 3 displays in eyefinity
  • It needs enough horsepower to run games at a decent framerate (this might be the hard part?)

I'm mostly doing this build as a racing/flight sim build so I don't necessarily need 60fps on the latest impossible-to-run first person shooter, but I would like to be able to play most current games and have some room to grow.

Soo, what are my options? Thanks!
 
3x DL DVI would require two DP -> DL DVI adapters (expensive).
Since the res is huge, you might need two R7950s in CF or so.

If I were to do Eyefinity, I'd pick monitors with DP inputs.
 
If he wants this eyefinity setup with the 85Hz config for Amd or 100 Hz config for nvidia, how would he manage that? I dont think there are any adapters that can handle it or?
 
He can't, Radeons can only drive one DL DVI monitor without adapters.
 
I should clarify I'm not married to an ATI setup. Is there an nvidia solution that makes more sense (doesn't need adapters)?

Thanks!
 
I was/am contemplating this very question now. As far as I know there are very few cards that nVidia makes that can drive more than 2 monitors. I was looking at this - http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicat...DOCPFORM&cm_mmc_o=-KeCjCZ-qKR2VCjCqRmCjCdByAF since it was listed in the Hot Deals and thinking the exact same thing as you were in terms of monitor config. I'm getting one of those 1440p monitors and I'm going to place it inbetween my two 1080p asus (and maybe put my 1200p benq on top). I know that the GTX 460 2Win card won't work for games at that area, but would the 560 Ti 2Win card work? It has the right number of outputs, but the downside is you can't SLI with it. Otherwise you would need to SLI with this kind of config right?

Wings
 
wings2004 said:
I was/am contemplating this very question now. As far as I know there are very few cards that nVidia makes that can drive more than 2 monitors. I was looking at this - http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicat...DOCPFORM&cm_mmc_o=-KeCjCZ-qKR2VCjCqRmCjCdByAF since it was listed in the Hot Deals and thinking the exact same thing as you were in terms of monitor config. I'm getting one of those 1440p monitors and I'm going to place it inbetween my two 1080p asus (and maybe put my 1200p benq on top). I know that the GTX 460 2Win card won't work for games at that area, but would the 560 Ti 2Win card work? It has the right number of outputs, but the downside is you can't SLI with it. Otherwise you would need to SLI with this kind of config right?

Wings
Click to expand...

"560 Ti 2Win card work"

I would not recommend it. Not that great gpu power and too little memmory on the cards for the resolution you want. Do not get a card with less than 2-3gb ram.
 
XTF said:
3x DL DVI would require two DP -> DL DVI adapters (expensive).
Since the res is huge, you might need two R7950s in CF or so.

If I were to do Eyefinity, I'd pick monitors with DP inputs.
Click to expand...
Then you run into the problem of getting a card w/ 3 DP outputs. If you want to run 7000 series (and at these resolutions, you probably do), the single option (Asus) is not available anywhere and NewEgg has deactivated the item after being on sale for a few weeks, and loads of people here have reported problems with the card.

I'm in the same boat right now with 3 1080p 120Hz displays and I'm stuck waiting for something with 3 DP outputs to be able to enable HD3D.
 
svideo said:
Then you run into the problem of getting a card w/ 3 DP outputs.
Click to expand...
Monitors with DP inputs usually have DVI inputs too.

Don't DVI -> DP or HDMI -> DP adapters exist?

For Eyefinity the standard port configuration is problematic. You're basically required to mix DVI/HDMI and DP.
Was there no space to fit one more DP port? Maybe by using a micro HDMI port instead of a normal HDMI port.
 
XTF said:
Monitors with DP inputs usually have DVI inputs too.

Don't DVI -> DP or HDMI -> DP adapters exist?

For Eyefinity the standard port configuration is problematic. You're basically required to mix DVI/HDMI and DP.
Was there no space to fit one more DP port? Maybe by using a micro HDMI port instead of a normal HDMI port.
Click to expand...

Yeah that part is annoying, all thou there is a asus card 7970 dc2 that has 3 dp.
 
Nvidia might be easier for this sort of setup, since you would want to run multiple cards due to the high resolution. Nvidia allows for you to plug screens into whichever card you want on a multi-card setup, unlike AMD which forces all connections to the primary card. Unfortunately, that leaves you considering last-gen tech as Kepler still isn't here yet. Maybe something like the Asus 7970 DCII that has 4xDP on it already (its an eyefinity 6 edition) to make adapting it a bit easier would be the best choice? Its hard to say without knowing what exactly your performance goals are.

wings2004 said:
I was/am contemplating this very question now. As far as I know there are very few cards that nVidia makes that can drive more than 2 monitors. I was looking at this - http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicat...DOCPFORM&cm_mmc_o=-KeCjCZ-qKR2VCjCqRmCjCdByAF since it was listed in the Hot Deals and thinking the exact same thing as you were in terms of monitor config. I'm getting one of those 1440p monitors and I'm going to place it inbetween my two 1080p asus (and maybe put my 1200p benq on top). I know that the GTX 460 2Win card won't work for games at that area, but would the 560 Ti 2Win card work? It has the right number of outputs, but the downside is you can't SLI with it. Otherwise you would need to SLI with this kind of config right?

Wings
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what you're planning to do with those, but 560SLI is a little weak for surround gaming unless you don't mind settings turned down. Also, surround requires all three monitors to have the same resolution, so you would be gaming on one screen at a time anyway.
 
antirush said:
I should clarify I'm not married to an ATI setup. Is there an nvidia solution that makes more sense (doesn't need adapters)?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

2x nVidia cards would be fine as they all have dual link DVI - especially for use with 3D gaming.

I use 2 580's all with DVI to 3 1080P monitors w/o issue.
 
wait for kepler, there should be those gtx 680 with maybe 4 gb of ram to make sure you wont hit the Vram wall.
 
What's wrong with 1xd dvi and2x dp to dvi adapters? They are not that expensive. Monoprice can sell you them for around $5 for a direct cable.

just one would have to be powered which does cost about $30
 
Last edited:
virtualleader said:
What's wrong with 1xd dvi and2x dp to dvi adapters? They are not that expensive. Monoprice can sell you them for around $5 for a direct cable.

just one would have to be powered which does cost about $30
Click to expand...
Are those SL DVI or DL DVI adapters?
 
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