cdbob's 2560x1440 Eyefinity Rig

[cdbob]

I started out buying all the parts listed below, upgrading from my 2500k rig. It is slowly progressing, It's been running since the beginning of this year and will only continue to get better over time.

In November I bought the bulk of the computer of the components, a $55 Fractal Arc Midi, a $100 Corsair HX750 PSU, a $94 Z77 FTW, an $85 3770k, and 16GB of Samsung 30nm ram for $75. Lastly I bought a Zalman NH-D14 copy for $25. I ended up throwing that piece of garbage out and using my old Noctua NH-D14

Total cost of this starter Rig was around $700.

In February I bought three Crossover 2560x1440 displays (which should ran about $1200 for the three), and another 7950 to be able to at least play games on high. The next plans are water cooling for the rig. Either before of after that these 7950s will be upgraded to next amd or nvidia parts dependent on price. SSDs and other items are not planned in the foreseeable future.

I update this as I go along

Starter parts that went into the Rig
3770k @4.3 GHz cooled by Noctua NH-D14
16GB Samsung Green (mine didn't overclock well D
EVGA Z77 FTW
MSI reference 7950
Intel 320 160GB
WD 2TB Black
Corsair HX 750 Gold
Fractal Arc Midi

Past Upgrade
3x Crossover 2560x1440 Monitors

Latest Upgrade:
Powercolor 7950 (being shipped as we speak)

Next Planned Upgrade:
Water cooling with Pyobia Supernova sized rad

Upgrades 1+ year away
2x 512 GB+ ssds

My goal is to take some more pictures of the desk and rig.

 

[The Orange One]

Can't wait for the updates Mate!

 

[SavageCupcake]

85 dollars for a 3770k? 0.0 looking foward to seeing this though

 

[AverageNinja]

Looks nice
But the NH-D14 is from Noctua, not Zalman

 

[Tomtom565]

Looking forward to seeing this, great hardware lineup, and how did you get such a crazy price on that 3770K! :O

Looks nice
But the NH-D14 is from Noctua, not Zalman

I think he meant it was a Zalman copy

 

[tinytomlogan]

3x 2560 x1440 displays!!!

Oh dear god man you have no idea! Cards struggle with ONE of those screens!!!!

Youd need to spend the same money that you plan on with monitors on GPU's to even be in with a hope of running anything on high let alone ultra LOL....

Just buy one screen or get 1080's.

 

[AverageNinja]

I agree with TTL, Either get one 2560x1440 screen, triple 1080s or spend a serious amount of money on GPUs, like 3-way 680s.

 

[wassupdoc]

Go for it if you can afford it but i'd agree 3 1080s would be a more viable option

 

[The Orange One]

Personally, I'd go with one 27 inch 2560x1440 screen

 

[Choklitmlk]

Personally, I'd go with one 27 inch 2560x1440 screen

+1

id take one large 2560x1440 or ideally even a 2560x1600 over any number of 1920x1080s anyday

 

[SuB]

I'm with all above, you're really going to struggle to run 3 of those screens without dropping a serious amount of cash on Graphics cards matey... And even then, image quality will probably still have to come down to handle it. :S

That said, you seem (while as you say cheap) to have some moolah, maybe just go balls to the walls on it?

 

[B NEGATIVE]

Personally, I'd go with one 27 inch 2560x1440 screen

Me too...in fact,i did....

3 screens makes me feel sick when im gaming so 1 big screen with pin sharp res was a better deal.

 

[CPMFW]

+1 for one 2560x1440 screen

 

[cdbob]

Update, I've got the system together with the 3730k and Z77 FTW. I'll post pics once I clean up the house a bit (working too much,)

Here is the first of the Crossover displays, I'm gonna get the other two in two weeks or so. Here are pics of the first compared to my 21.5" I just sold.

 

[cdbob]

Well after doing some measuring it looks like I'm gonna have to wait until we move into a larger place. It's not a question of money so much as it is space.

So my question for the mean time is directed towards my GPU.

Is one 7950 fine to run this resolution or should I go crossfire?

 

[seumasbeathan]

So are you still intent on getting 3 2560 x 1440 monitors? Because I can tell you that unless you are spending $1200+ on gpu's alone you will not be able to run games at good framerate

 

[cdbob]

I ordered two more monitors (despite being unsure about getting them on my desk.) They should be here this coming week and I will post pictures, after which time I will see what Nvidia's new Titan looks like in Price/$$$ compared to buying more 7950s.

 

[Choklitmlk]

Well after doing some measuring it looks like I'm gonna have to wait until we move into a larger place. It's not a question of money so much as it is space.

So my question for the mean time is directed towards my GPU.

Is one 7950 fine to run this resolution or should I go crossfire?

not even close matey, for starters the gpu wont be able to handle anything on that resolution fluently, need more vram and mhz I'd say atleast 2 cards, but more than 4gb of memory may be required to get really good performance out of those displays

 

[seumasbeathan]

Dude, you really do not seem to realize that you are completely wasting your money, even a TITAN will not get you good frame rates with those screens, in fact even 3 7970's or 680's will most likely struggle

 

[SparkleDJackson]

I have a 3930k@4.5 sli 670@1350/7200 and I can't run most wanted maxed at that resolution so that's one screen with two well clocked cards. It would maybe run minecraft over 3 screens well but not a hope of any real games. Flogg the extra two monitors 27 inches is plenty of real estate and make sure they have hdcp my hazro said it did but doesn't. Peeved off like mad