Complete n00b computer question.

[BikiniDUck]

So I've always been a mac person. In the past that's meant you get what you pay for, with no possibility for upgrades. Because of that I never had any reason to know anything about actually building PC's. Now I want to build a hackintosh and need answers on a few small details.

With video cards, do you need one per monitor, or can you run 2 off of one card? I would like to run a dual screen setup, and use it for games, movies, and all that stuff. Depending on what kind of deals I can find, a pair of 20" to 25" LCD's.

So should I invest in one $300 card, or buy two $150 and link them in SLI? What gives the most bang for the buck?

Thanks,
--M

[IanS]

Some cards allow dual output, others don't. You'll need one with 2 connections.

As for the best setup, I would suggest it will also depend on the rest of the setup.

[Croc Hunter]

I figure it depends on the content on each screen and usage. If screen A is just for word processing and B is graphic intensive I'd go for one card dual output (double adapter plug would even be ok). That way whichever screen needs the most can pull the most from $300. If you go 2 cards $100 and $200 you reserve 100 for word processing but also restrict the image heavy screen to 200. Decent video cards in my opinion start at $300.

[mpk]

For a workstation personally I would go with $15 used video cards from craigslist. For a gaming station the $150-$300 cards is probably the best.

With a hackintosh you might want to check into driver requirements before getting a video card as the process is still pretty new and prone to bugs.

[satis]

yea, I agree, a hackintosh is a difficult proposition, due to hardware compatibility. I would see what hardware you can actually use. If that gives some variety of options, figure out what you're going to do with it and, if you need help picking cards or whatever, post your options and what you're looking to accomplish.

I've built a ton of PCs, but never a hackintosh. :)