PCI-Express and Multi-Monitor configs

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ken
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K

Ken

I'm a developer who demands flawless 2D performance on my dual
1600x1200 displays and also enjoys 3D gaming. I have not come across a
video card that bridges these two worlds very well. Matrox makes great
dual-head cards for 2D but their 3D performance is lackluster, and the
newest ATI/nVidia 3D cards aren't often implemented as dual-head. I've
been using mediocre cards like my current an HIS Excalibur 9600 Dual
DVI 256MB. I'm wondering if PCI Express can address my dual monitor
situation.

1) On a pci-e mobo like the Asus P5AD2-E Deluxe, there is one pci-e x16
and two pci-e 1x slots. Can I buy a fancy late-model 3D card for the
high-speed pci-e slot and a good 2D card for one (or more) of the 1x
slots? Will windows recognize this configuration for its "one desktop
across two monitors" capability?

2) What is the state of multi-monitor 3D gaming these days,
specifically in FPS games like Half-Life and Doom? Does pci-e 1x
provide sufficient transfer rate for a secondary monitor in a 3D game?

Thanks for the advice.
 
Ken said:
I'm a developer who demands flawless 2D performance on my dual
1600x1200 displays and also enjoys 3D gaming. I have not come across a
video card that bridges these two worlds very well. Matrox makes great
dual-head cards for 2D but their 3D performance is lackluster, and the
newest ATI/nVidia 3D cards aren't often implemented as dual-head.
Click to expand...

?????? It's hard to find one that's _not_ dual-head.
I've
been using mediocre cards like my current an HIS Excalibur 9600 Dual
DVI 256MB.
Click to expand...

A 9600 is hardly "mediocre".
I'm wondering if PCI Express can address my dual monitor
situation.

1) On a pci-e mobo like the Asus P5AD2-E Deluxe, there is one pci-e x16
and two pci-e 1x slots. Can I buy a fancy late-model 3D card for the
high-speed pci-e slot and a good 2D card for one (or more) of the 1x
slots? Will windows recognize this configuration for its "one desktop
across two monitors" capability?
Click to expand...

No. You can put a PCI Express board in the x16 slot and regular PCI boards
in the regular PCI slots, but there are no PCI Express x1 video boards on
the market. You would only need to do this if you needed three or more
monitors. If you want to have two PCI Express boards then you'll need to
obtain one of the SLI-capable boards with two x8 slots with x16 connectors,
which, if you're not running in SLI mode, will allow you to have up to 4
monitors connected.
2) What is the state of multi-monitor 3D gaming these days,
specifically in FPS games like Half-Life and Doom? Does pci-e 1x
provide sufficient transfer rate for a secondary monitor in a 3D game?
Click to expand...

If a gamer needs dual monitors he usually plugs a second monitor into the
second video connector on his video board, configures the video settings
appropriately, and goes back to shooting.
 
Ken said:
I'm a developer who demands flawless 2D performance on my dual
1600x1200 displays and also enjoys 3D gaming. I have not come across a
video card that bridges these two worlds very well. Matrox makes great
dual-head cards for 2D but their 3D performance is lackluster, and the
newest ATI/nVidia 3D cards aren't often implemented as dual-head. I've
been using mediocre cards like my current an HIS Excalibur 9600 Dual
DVI 256MB. I'm wondering if PCI Express can address my dual monitor
situation.

1) On a pci-e mobo like the Asus P5AD2-E Deluxe, there is one pci-e x16
and two pci-e 1x slots. Can I buy a fancy late-model 3D card for the
high-speed pci-e slot and a good 2D card for one (or more) of the 1x
slots? Will windows recognize this configuration for its "one desktop
across two monitors" capability?

2) What is the state of multi-monitor 3D gaming these days,
specifically in FPS games like Half-Life and Doom? Does pci-e 1x
provide sufficient transfer rate for a secondary monitor in a 3D game?

Thanks for the advice.
Click to expand...

Here are some AGP cards with high end 3D (bottom of list) and dual heads.
or
How about dual PC's? I use a PC with Athlon 64, ATI X800 and 19" CRT monitor
for gaming and another PC (my older rig I kept) with a P4 and dual LCD
1600x1200 displays for all other non-gaming stuff. If your that picky about
the 2d image, then I would think that the current fastest 1600x1200 LCD's
(20" panels) would not be fast enough response time for you (16ms is best
they are rated now) when playing 3D games. That is why I still use a 19" CRT
for games.
 
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