New second monitor!!

[Galandrin]

Hey guys!

Third time posting here... Have gotten a lot of help from all of you and recently just finished my build with advice taken from all you fine gentlemen/women here.

Your advice has always been superb and I figured I would pose this question to those that are better educated then myself.

I am currently running this setup:

Windows 7
z87 mobo w/ i5-4670
8 GB ram
gtx 760 2g
asus vg248qe 144mhz 1920x1080


Figure thats enough info for what I'm going to be asking..

2 questions:

1. How much of an improvement would it be to either run SLI with another 760 for $250 ish or to pick up a 780 for $600ish and selling my 760 to a friend..

2. I want to run a a dual monitor set up but have no idea what kind to buy as a second.

The main purpose would be utility. Basically skype, youtube, music, web browsing. Misc things that you do while gaming on my sexy 144 mhz primary monitor :P

I would like to be able to watch things movies ect on it so maybe a lower refresh rate but better color output? Wider color viewing?

3. (I lied, 3 questions) Would it be better to run SLI with the intention of going into a dual monitor set up or would a single card function better even with 2 monitors?

Guidelines:

I'm looking to pick up a decent monitor for about 300-400 or so. Im looking to purchase on cyber monday, where hopefully there are really good deals going on.

The GPU (if purchasing) Will vary the price point on the monitor if it would be a better investment in the future and productivity now.

My games I play are sc2, bf4, hearthstone, wow, dota, lol, and eventually titanfall. So my graphic load can be quite heavy at times..

So any advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks in advance!

Aloha \m/

[SpaceDuck]

I dont have much experience with SLI/Xfire but from what i've seen there is only minimal improvements with using a 2nd card (infact alot of games dont really support SLI and even get worse). unless you are going to run more than 2-3 monitors then it would be better to just get an overall better card rather than use SLI

in terms of what monitor to get, im not sure what would be the best option i just went out and bought a LG Flatron E2281 because it looks really nice and has high colour contrast (not even sure if thats a good thing)

[Galandrin]

Are the 770/780 really that much of an improvement? Ive seen benchmarks and all that and most things to say that a lot of the newer games really do take more advantage of the SLI/crossfire set ups then the older games.. BF4 for example does.. quite a bit :P

But thank you for your two cents! Opinions are always greatly appreciated!

[Deleted]

Powerful single card is the most trouble free solution, I wouldn't go for SLI/Xfire unless you need to go beyond what single gpu can offer. One GPU can drive multiple monitors just fine if you are using only one for gaming (very few games even support using two monitors). However if you want to game on three screens all maxed out you obviously need quite a lot of horsepower, GTX 780 or upcoming R 290X being the bare minimum.

[markjosol]

only one for gaming (very few games even support using two monitors). However if you want to game on three screens all maxed out you obviously need quite a lot of horsepower, GTX 780 or upcoming R 290X being the bare minimum.

[TaintedOne]

1. How much of an improvement would it be to either run SLI with another 760 for $250 ish or to pick up a 780 for $600ish and selling my 760 to a friend..

I myself would go for the 780 and sell the 760 to a friend. Also if you do buy a 780 don't overpay I have noticed some places have not dropped their price yet.

2. I want to run a a dual monitor set up but have no idea what kind to buy as a second.

This one is easy. Go look at monitors and if you find one you like within your budget. Buy it :P If not save and buy one you do like ^^

3. (I lied, 3 questions) Would it be better to run SLI with the intention of going into a dual monitor set up or would a single card function better even with 2 monitors?

I dont know enough about SLI =( but my guess would be as long as you dont intend to do some monsterous resolution BF4 dual monitor gaming setup 1 gpu would do fine

[Deleted]

Wait a little while for non-reference AMD 290, they're ~$400-430, sell your current card. The price performance of this card is amazing. The card also supports Mantle which will be in BF4 which is one of the games you mentioned.

As for a secondary monitor I'd pick up an IPS, I only mention HDMI in case you need/want it:

Dell P2414H $268 (no HDMI) || Review

Dell U2412M $285 (no HDMI) || Review

Asus PA248Q $310 (HDMI) || Review

Asus VS24AH-P $230 (HDMI) not as great as the other ones but still decent for its price.

HP ZR2440w $350 (HDMI) || Review

[BicycleMafioso]

As for a secondary monitor I'd pick up an IPS, I only mention HDMI in case you need/want it:

Dell P2414H $268 (no HDMI) || Review

Dell U2412M $285 (no HDMI) || Review

Asus VS24AH-P $230 (HDMI) not as great as the other ones but still decent for its price.

HP ZR2440w $350 (HDMI) || Review

Neither of these are worthy to be called IPS, they are basically TN with better angles and the same bad colour scope. A huge disadvantage is that they are also 8:5

[Deleted]

Neither of these are worthy to be called IPS, they are basically TN with better angles and the same bad colour scope. A huge disadvantage is that they are also 8:5

Dell P2414H is 16:9

Yes the other ones are 16:10, no one says 8:5

For a workspace/utility as OP asked there is nothing wrong with 16:10, for movies 16:9 is better suited and it's the standard nowadays.

If you were a nice person (I say this with a smile) you would have provided some 16:9 alternatives/replacements. Not worthy of being called IPS is a harsh statement.

I know you truly dislike 16:10 but there are pros and cons for each

[BicycleMafioso]

*) I had missed that. My bad.
*) I disagree, for the same reasons that 4:3 is not 16:12
*) 8:5 is also worse for most games (irrelevant here), even though it's a secondary monitor; however, given that he wants it for movies, I'd go with a 16:9 anyway.
*) They are 6 bit panels, look-up table or no, they only have 262,144 colours rather than 16.7m. There is a real difference here. Emulation is "meh" at best.
*) ASUS PB238Q
*) I see little purpose of 8:5 outside of "hassel-free". Pivot in making a 16:9 into a 9:16 is a better idea. Other than that, I don't think 8:5 has much advantage at all. Especially if price is ever a concern.

[Deleted]

23" options:

Asus PB238Q
Dell U2312HM

24" options:

Acer B246HYL ymdpr (who came up with their naming scheme lol)
Dell P2414H

[BicycleMafioso]

The amount of monitor you get for the price of PB238Q is really unrivalled there. I would recognise the Acer, but it's not really as good, and not as cheap.

[Deleted]

I use 2 Benq G2420HD. Cheap and has HDMI.