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Upgrading To Eyefinity

R

Razer X

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Messages
1,169
I built a new rig 2 years ago and due to budget constraints I decided to forgo a monitor and just use my 40inch TV. That has worked pretty well, but now I'm wanting to put my computer in my office where I can use it while my wife and daughter use the TV. I would like to go to a 3 screen setup. This will primarily be used for gaming but I will watch the occasional movie as well. I would like to go with either 23 or 24 inch screens and I'm leaning toward IPS or VA.

My budget is $1500 absolute max. Really I'd prefer to keep it closer to $1000 if at all possible as there are other projects I would like to put that money toward. I have been looking into the Dell P2414H and Eizo Foris FS2333 but I am certainly open to other suggestions. From what I have seen the Dell looks like one of the more affordable options.

My current rig's specs are as follows:

i5 2500K
8GB RAM
Gigabyte 7950 3GB
Corsair 650TX V2 650W PSU

If I need to upgrade anything then that will also have to come out of the above budget. Any and all suggestions are appreciated.

Edit: I mostly play RPGs (Skyrim, Diablo 3, etc.) but I also play shooters (Bioshock: Infinite, Borderlands, etc.).
Edit 2: I would also like to make sure that the monitors can be wall mounted.
 
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I've been looking around and I noticed that Amazon has the U2414H from 2 different vendors, Dell and vernal.tech. The one from Dell is $259.99 and has an ASIN of B00GTV05XG where as the one from vernal.tech is $299.99 and has an ASIN of B00H4MJ1M0. Is there any difference between the 2 screens or is the one from Dell simply the better price?
 
I'd suggest not going eyefinity. Get a 2560x1440 monitor for a center monitor and 2 side screens in portrait mode if you want more screen real estate. Play your games and watch movies on the center monitor and you still have the 2 side screens for normal office usage.

I used to use 3 screens in eyefinity and don't think it's worth the effort at this point. You need more GPU to drive eyefinity and then run into eyefinity + crossfire or nvsurround + sli issues if you use more than one card. Even if everything is working perfectly with the hardware, there's still potential issues in games where UI elements can't be moved plus you'll have the bezels to contend with.

If you want to watch movies, eyefinity can become a problem because player software will want to play across all 3 screens and you probably only want the center monitor in use (assuming landscape eyefinity). If you planned on portrait eyefinity, the bezels will become an issue with any movie playback.
 
Is there a 27" that you might recommend then? And what would make good secondary? Also to one of my original questions would I need to upgrade anything to make good use of the new screens?
 
At this point I'm thinking I will either get 2 AOC Q2770PQU or 3 Eizo Foris FS2333-BK. Does anyone have any experience gaming on these screens?
 
Are you dead set on having 3 screens? Have you looked at the 34" LG UM95 that is a 21:9 aspect ration with a resolution of 3440x1440. These longer 21:9 screens can provide that wider aspect ratio into a single screen. You can see the thread about that monitor in this forum, it is quite popular.

Either way you will most likely need to upgrade your GPU or add another 7950 especially if you run the extra texture packs on Skyrim or more demanding shooters like Crysis 3. You also did not state if you like to turn up all the graphics settings or your preference on matte vs glossy. Dell usually have a reputation for having the most aggressive matte coatings. That being said Dell also has some nice IPS glossy monitors in the S series I believe.
 
I'm not dead set on 3, I'm just looking for the best gaming experience that fits my budget. I will, however, want at least 2 screens. I don't care too much between matte or glossy. I suppose I lean a bit more toward glossy which is one of the things I like about the AOC since they are semi-glossy. I certainly don't mind upgrading my PC. I would like to run games at ultra if possible, but I need to stay as close to my budget as possible.
 
Remember to get 2 screens only if with ATI gpus. From Nvidia - only if you have professional (quadro), not gaming ones (that have drivers with purposedly disabled nvidia surround support for 2*n displays).
 
I second the notion of the new LG, I currently have 3x24" Dell's, and it's been awesome but I'm looking forward to having the best of both worlds with an ultra wide 21:9. No bezels, more vertical resolution, and less gpu horsepower to run it.
 
I think those LGs are a little too rich to my blood. I don't think I could afford one and a second screen and a new video card.
 
Razer X said:
I think those LGs are a little too rich to my blood. I don't think I could afford one and a second screen and a new video card.
Click to expand...

Initially you probably wouldn't need any of that, just the 34UM95,....

At worst you might have to turn down some of the in game settings but with the LG 34UM95 you really wouldn't need another display because it would be an immersive experience on its own. You also cited a ~$1000 budget which should just about cover the price of the 34UM95.

I'm using a triple 27" monitor setup (3x 1920x1080) that I've had for years. I also have two 27" Auria 2560x1440 monitors (on two different systems) and a Samsung U28D590 28" 3840x2160 4K monitor.

I honestly think monitors like the LG 34UM95 make triple monitor setups virtually obsolete and are easier to drive then 3x 1920x1080 (5760x1080) as well as 4K 3840x2160.

The 21:9 ratio of the 3440x1440 screens also lends itself well to widescreen movie formats.
 
The more I see of the UM95 the more I want one. I'm a little concerned about the QC since it seems a little hit or miss, but that seems to be true of most monitors these days. It sounds like the biggest complaints are backlight bleed and IPS glow, but once again it seems to vary from person to person. I'll sleep on it, but unless someone wants to try and convince me otherwise I'd say there is a good chance I'll be ordering one this weekend. Then I can start working on deciding what to upgrade in my PC.
 
To run max/ultra settings at Eyefinity, 4k, or the 3440x1440 in the latest games you will need Crossfire/SLI if you are sensitive to fps below 60. The cheapest solution currently would be to get an R9 280 and crossfire it with your current 7950 (I think I remember reading they will CF since they are the same chip just renamed). Those cards can be had for around $200 and the price has been coming down fast lately if you take a peek at the Hot Deals thread on the forums here or check out some of the other deal sites (Slickdeals, etc).
As for the semi-gloss with AOC, my current monitor is the 29" AOC 21:9 monitor with their semi-gloss coating and I like it much better than the Dells I have seen/used. I would still prefer to have full glossy but those monitor choices are very limited.

Here is a link to the [H] 7950 review that has some Eyefinity benches and their settings so you can get a feel for where your fps will fall. You can always run with lower settings and save up for a more powerful single card solution. Monitors tend to pass from build to build rather than being replaced each time, so I would recommend getting something you really like whether its EF or 21:9.
 
Running a UM95 will be easier than triple screens I'm guessing due to the res difference. That's why I plan to get a UM95. There are pros and cons to either set up. Price just being one of them.
 
mlcarson said:
I'd suggest not going eyefinity. Get a 2560x1440 monitor for a center monitor and 2 side screens in portrait mode if you want more screen real estate. Play your games and watch movies on the center monitor and you still have the 2 side screens for normal office usage.

I used to use 3 screens in eyefinity and don't think it's worth the effort at this point. You need more GPU to drive eyefinity and then run into eyefinity + crossfire or nvsurround + sli issues if you use more than one card. Even if everything is working perfectly with the hardware, there's still potential issues in games where UI elements can't be moved plus you'll have the bezels to contend with.

If you want to watch movies, eyefinity can become a problem because player software will want to play across all 3 screens and you probably only want the center monitor in use (assuming landscape eyefinity). If you planned on portrait eyefinity, the bezels will become an issue with any movie playback.
Click to expand...

I agree with this 100%. I found Eyefinity to be a giant pain,eventually I got a 27" 1440p monitor and use the other three for multitasking. If you want Eyefinity get a UM95 (I'm looking into one now).
 
Well, I'm convinced. I guess I'll hop into line to get one from Amazon unless anyone knows of somewehere that has them in stock. Thank for the recommendations guys.
 
Razer X said:
It is definitely a tempting option.
Click to expand...

Have you seen this video review?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnrxNfxRK_4

I rather enjoyed that review and I have a 4K monitor (which I enjoy too). I can see a lot of potential in such 21:9 monitors at 3440x1440 even for work. For example I can VPN into a work / office computer (27" iMac with native 2560x1440 resolution) and still have a bit more room to spare. True this can be done on a 4K monitor too but the 34" size of the 34UM95 over a 28" comes in handy.
 
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