up vote 0 down vote favorite
share [g+] share [fb]

My current Windows 7 machine uses a 27" HP 2709m monitor (1920x1080 resolution) and a 19" dell monitor (1280x1024 but turned sideways) connected to an Nvidia GTX 260. I've just been given another Dell 19", which I'd love to add to my setup, again turning it sideways. Unfortunately my graphics card only supports 2 monitors.

Can anyone suggest the cheapest (and hopefully most straightforward) way to upgrade my setup to support the third monitor? All my monitors are DVI capable, but no displayport.

One option is, I believe to put in a second GTX 260. That seems overkill because I don't do a lot of really graphics intensive things. I believe it won't work if I get a cheaper nvidia card that doesn't match the GTX 260.

I could get a Matrox TripleHead2Go, but it looks like I'd have problems coming up with a resolution setting?

Help?

link|improve this question
Do you have another PCI Express slot? – cowgod Mar 5 '10 at 0:50
feedback

2 Answers

up vote 0 down vote accepted

It is possible to use a graphics card that does not match your current graphics card for a third display. The process is as simple as popping the card in and plugging the third display into it. What you cannot do with non-matched graphics cards is SLI, which uses multiple graphics cards to render a single display.

link|improve this answer
Ah ha! I was not aware of that. It seems then I could add a low end card like a GT 210 to drive the extra 19" dell. Thank you very much! – user30202 Mar 5 '10 at 0:26
feedback
up vote 0 down vote

An NVS 420 or 450 would be one way to go out to 4 monitors.

link|improve this answer
It appears that if my monitors were DP capable (they're not) then this would work. Though it would cost me around $450 by the looks of it. Adding a second GTX 260 would cost half that I believe. – user30202 Mar 5 '10 at 0:21
feedback

Your Answer

 
or
required, but never shown
discard