Going from 2 monitors to 3 - what do I need?

[Alcsaar]

Hey guys. I purchased a new monitor which will arrive in a couple days. My plan is to use it along with my current 2 22inch monitors if possible. Currently I use one video card with these two. would I need to add an additional video card for a third monitor?

And what are the limits on something like this? I'm using an Nvidia GTX460 atm. I have an 8800GT I could throw in if needed for the third monitor, but I'm not sure if they would work together so to speak? I wouldn't be running SLI or anything.

[Calenel]

Unless im just showing my age, SLI doesn't support multi monitors, so as long as you don't have SLI, you can have up to 4 with that setup

[Wries]

Unless im just showing my age, SLI doesn't support multi monitors, so as long as you don't have SLI, you can have up to 4 with that setup

SLI does support three+ monitors and is required for "surround".

With only one GTX 460 (or any fermi card apart from the 590), you can only have up to two monitors. OP will need a second card. The 8800GT should in theory work for this purpose.

[hailey]

1 more monitor

[OhpUldum]

Assuming your motherboard and power supply support a second video card you can install the 8800GT and not run it in SLI. You will be able to power the third monitor off of it.

If you are looking for a traditional 3 monitor set up with optimal performance you would run a second GTX460 in SLI.

[Alcsaar]

Assuming your motherboard and power supply support a second video card you can install the 8800GT and not run it in SLI. You will be able to power the third monitor off of it.

If you are looking for a traditional 3 monitor set up with optimal performance you would run a second GTX460 in SLI.

Yes, the second and third monitors are only for display purposes, running in SLI is not my intention. I'm using a 600w Power supply that should be fine.

My Motherboard has 1 PCIE 16x slot and 3 PCIE 1x Slots. I can drop the 8800 into a 1x slot right?

[Asmekiel]

Yes, the second and third monitors are only for display purposes, running in SLI is not my intention. I'm using a 600w Power supply that should be fine.

My Motherboard has 1 PCIE 16x slot and 3 PCIE 1x Slots. I can drop the 8800 into a 1x slot right?

If it fits, it works.

[ispano]

SLI does support three+ monitors and is required for "surround".

Partially correct. SLI supports using more than 2 monitors but ONLY for surround. You couldn't use 3 with SLI without using Surround as well.