Video card compatibility...

[800m571ck]

Hey guys, new to the forum with a noobish question that has only vaguely been answered by searching around on Google.  I am finally going to build another PC for the first time in ~10 years since I built my current rig(a8n-sli/FX-60/2x8800gt/etc.).  Needless to say, I've been a little out of the loop for some time but would like to thank linustechtips and their videos for getting me back up to speed rather quickly.

 

In the new PC I plan to build, I'd like to have a (2x) 980gtx sli variant to run just my main gaming display constant and then another Nvidia card option to power the rest of my monitors.  My understanding from reading around is that I could use any other card to power the additional monitors except another 980gtx(I'd like to have a 970gtx run the rest of the monitors).  So this is mainly what I was concerned about being clear on before I start throwing around money to purchase my components.

 

If anyone could confirm that this would be an acceptable usage of Nvidia cards for my needs, it would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks in advance for any knowledge you can share on the matter...

 

 

-800m571ck

[niofalpha]

Their would really be no need unless you using ALLOT of monitors.

[salecar3]

first gpu powers all monitors

[800m571ck]

I understand that the 980gtx SLI could power all the monitors but I would like the SLI to remain on constantly using my Dell p2415q.  Then the 970gtx will power my (3) Syncmaster 2253LW enabling me to play in SLI on the Dell q2415p without having to disable any monitors in doing so because SLI only supports (2) monitors whenever activated, correct?

[Ricardo Torres]

I understand that the 980gtx SLI could power all the monitors but I would like the SLI to remain on constantly using my Dell p2415q.  Then the 970gtx will power my (3) Syncmaster 2253LW enabling me to play in SLI on the Dell q2415p without having to disable any monitors in doing so because SLI only supports (2) monitors whenever activated, correct?

 

Not an expert, but if this were true, than triple monitor set-ups couldn't exist. Pretty sure nvidia surround supports up to like 4 or 6 displays on a GTX 960, which I assume would also work for a 980.

[800m571ck]

I believe you can run Nvidia Surround with those cards like you say but I wasn't exactly clear in mentioning that I hadn't planned to utilize the surround function.  The SLI would only run the q2415p exclusively and the 970gtx would power the remaining monitors displaying desktop and other programs.  SLI will power more monitors in an extended resolution across multiple displays for a game not allowing me to use the monitors as mentioned above if I'm not mistaken.