Putting together a list of components for a rig. Need advice on GPUs and cooling.

[Dayon]

I want to build a better rig because mine is getting old and outdated, and the games I want to play on the PC have steeper and steeper technical requirements.

I hope to build a rig that will support three monitors and run them all beautifully, and maybe get a four-way SLI set up.

I'm going to be starting slow, keeping to the two monitors that I have now. I'll get new ones as I can afford them, and probably after the main rig is set up.

I'll probably start the right with two GPUs in an SLI set up, but the intent is two have four-way setup, so I'm looking for motherboards that can handle four cards, PSUs that can handle the wattage necessary, and cooling system.

Water cooling scares me.

Can anyone suggest a GPU for a four-way SLI, and a motherboard that could support it?

Here are the games I'm mainly building this rig for:
Skyrim
Mass Effect 3
World of Warcraft

I appreciate any input. Thanks.

[Djinni]

How much money do you have to pour into this? 4way SLI isn't cheap .... your looking at likely £1000 for the graphics cards alone.

[Saithes]

4-Way SLI also runs insanely hot so make sure you get either liquid cooling or non-reference heatsinks.

[Djinni]

also look at:

http://www.nvidia.com/object/3dv-sys...echnology.html

[OhpUldum]

How to build a quad SLI system direct from nVidia's website includes a list of compatible motherboards and video cards capable of quad SLI.

[Dayon]

I might not have been clear enough.

Here's the plan so far:

-Build a rig with a motherboard that can handle four-way SLI.
-Start rig with one or two GPUs
-Add more GPUs and add different cooling systems as needed

I know that four-way SLI is pricey, but I'm going to stagger the budget accordingly. I can work between $1,000 and 1,500-ish, but I just want to know what the best stuff is.

[Uggorthaholy]

I might not have been clear enough.

Here's the plan so far:

-Build a rig with a motherboard that can handle four-way SLI.
-Start rig with one or two GPUs
-Add more GPUs and add different cooling systems as needed

I know that four-way SLI is pricey, but I'm going to stagger the budget accordingly. I can work between $1,000 and 1,500-ish, but I just want to know what the best stuff is.

You want Quad-SLI in the future, but you are afraid of water cooling?
I suggest conquering your fear or sticking to regular dual-card SLI due to heat projected.

[Deleted]

I might not have been clear enough.

Here's the plan so far:

-Build a rig with a motherboard that can handle four-way SLI.
-Start rig with one or two GPUs
-Add more GPUs and add different cooling systems as needed

I know that four-way SLI is pricey, but I'm going to stagger the budget accordingly. I can work between $1,000 and 1,500-ish, but I just want to know what the best stuff is.

1500 USD isn't good enough for Quad SLI if you want good cards.
On newegg, a Gtx580 costs ~500 USD, a Gtx590 ~750USD, and a Gtx570 ~325USD

[Uggorthaholy]

1500 USD isn't good enough for Quad SLI if you want good cards.
On newegg, a Gtx580 costs ~500 USD, a Gtx590 ~750USD, and a Gtx570 ~325USD

he said he would be adding cards over time, so he only need 2 to start (2X580 = $1,000.00)

[Dayon]

he said he would be adding cards over time, so he only need 2 to start (2X580 = $1,000.00)

Indeed.

I want to run graphic-intensive games across three monitors with ease. I'm sure a quad SLI set up of top-of-the-line GPUs would do the trick, but if slightly lesser GPUs would do the same thing then I would go that route.

But again, starting with one or two, and intending to have as many as four, I need to figure out what GPUs I want to start getting and what motherboard can support four cards of that size.

Putting water in a computer via a cooling system does scare me. I just don't like the idea of leaks. At all. Water + computer is generally a bad, bad thing. However, I am aware that it's better than air cooling, especially if I'm going to have to stack these four cards together and won't have room to leave slots open between them for air circulation.

But that's beside the point right now. Back to the original question.

If I want to set up a quad SLI rig, what motherboard would be a wise investment?
If I end up selecting GPUs that only take up one PCIE slot, then I could get a mobo that has 8 PCIE slots, and have enough room between each card and air circulation could be just dandy.
If I end up selecting GPUs that take up two PCIE slots each, I can either reduce the number of cards I intend to use (to like a tri SLI set up) or bite the bullet and look into water cooling.