Want to setup 4 monitors. Get another X1900XTX? Heres my options.

[CrewXp]

Hey, I want to setup 4 monitors, as it is really beneficial to me at school when I use 4 at once. I do lots of multi-tasking.


Anyways, here's my options I was considering. Please let me know if you have any suggestions.


1.) Get another X1900XTX (I have one), and crossfire it.
2.) Upgrade to two 2900XT's
3.) Upgrade to two 2600XT's?


Is there that much of a performance increase between the 2600 and 1900xtx? Because the 2900 seems really expensive for me.


...And I have to dish out the money for 2 new monitors also. I already have two.


Thanks.


Oh yeah, here's what I usually do with the computer and specs:
Specs:
One Gateway 24 Inch Monitor
One Gateway 22 Inch Monitor
(Looking at getting 2 Samsung 24 inch monitors)
Core 2 Duo E6600 Processor
X1900XTX Video Card (512mb)
2Gb DDR 800 Ram Crucial Balistix
Asus P5w Dh Deluxe Motherboard
LOUD Game X-stream 700W PSU
Liquid Cooling Setup
3 Hard drives.



Internet Browsing
Photoshop
Macromedia Flash Creation
Programming
Lots of Videos and Music

When I do play games...
Battlefield 2142
Command and Conquer 3

[tiro_uspsss]

ok, for starters, crossfire wont do 4 monitors - it will do three *if* u buy a matrox triple head-to-go (iirc thats what its called) - & even then, crossfire runs bad with it...

secondly, do u *need* a really fancy (pricey) GPU for the second card? if not, buy something waay cheap - u can even mix cards from ATI & nVidia, tho i suggest stay the same... I run a X1950Pro & a X1300 for 4x 21" CRT :D http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showpost.php?p=2337647&postcount=86

i dont keep check of gaming performance of GPUs, but i'm pretty sure ur X1900XTX is a fair bit more better than the 2600 in gaming...

[CrewXp]

Really? The X1900XTX is still in the league with Video cards? And thanks, I had no idea crossfire only did 2 monitors.

I'm thinking the next motherboard I get, I'll want it to be a SLI motherboard.

...so to save money, I'm thinking I'll keep my video card, and just add a second video card.

What would you reccomend for a second video card that won't hurt my pc's performance? the 8500GT you suggested?

[disruptfam]

the 8500GT is absolute garbage

[CrewXp]

So.. what'd be a good recommendation for a 2nd video card to hook the 2 others up?

Thanks.

[tiro_uspsss]

no, no - crossfire does only ONE monitor...

if the secong video card is merely providing extra monitors that u will use to browse net, word process etc, it can be something very lowly :) like my X1300 for example... I cant imagine y u'd want a second 'gaming-grade' video card (think power & heat) in a system - u'd have to be a pretty talented fellow to play 2 games at once! :D

[CrewXp]

I just ordered a 8400 GT for $50.00 to hook up my 3rd and fourth monitors. Do you think that's an okay card for this setup?

[tiro_uspsss]

I just ordered a 8400 GT for $50.00 to hook up my 3rd and fourth monitors. Do you think that's an okay card for this setup?

no garauntee that it'll work seeing as its a ATI & a nV in one PC, but hey, at the same time, there is no reason it shouldnt :D gl! let is know how it goes!