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So, I've been browsing the web a lot to find which pieces I want and I think I got a good build now.

 

cpu: Intel Q6600

mobo: GA-EP35-DS4

ram: 2x 2gb ddr2 1066mhz OCZ Reaper

cpu fan: Asus Lion Square

hdd: wd 320gb + 500gb SATA

graphic card: ATI Radeon 3870

 

I'm choosing ATI because the mobo supports crossfire..

 

I have some questions about the graphic card.. it says that it's for PCI-E 2.0 but my mobo (P35 chipset) only have PCI-E.. will it work?

 

Also, I'm wonder what psu I need with that..

 

I'm planning to add a 2nd ATI gfx card.. and probably more ram in the future.. so I might need a bigger PSU.. I'm also planning to overclock.

 

Thanks.

Crossfire is NOT supported by Apple nor by OSX86.

There ARE people who have dual graphic cards, but these are Nvidia cards! i.e. check THESE

 

Why do you want two cards for video editing?

Some of the Decklink cards offer 3-Monitor outputs, and they come with driver for Mac that work.

 

good luck,

ninetto

Ohh thanks for that very important detail,

 

I didn't know crossfire wasn't supported.

 

I don't want dual graphic cards now.. but I was thinking of the possibility of upgrading in the future.

 

So SLI works with osx86 but crossfire doesn't.. I'll check this out.

 

Thanks.

Actually, SLI doesn't work. The 3870X2 and 9800GX2 cards (which are "dual single cards") work.

 

Multiple monitors with multiple graphics cards works, ie. 4 monitors on 2 graphics cards, with nVidia. This is not the same as SLI.

 

Otherwise your choices look good.

Ohh ok.. sorry, I don't know much in graphic cards..

 

so I can have like 4 monitors with 2 cards.. but the cards won't be in crossfire or SLI so they won't "work together" but simply support the 4 screens. I think I understand.

 

The EP35-DS4 mobo seems good but I'm a bit worried about PCI-E 2.0...

 

with that mobo and with a 3870.. if I ever want 4 monitors will I be able to do so by simply adding a 2nd graphic card, no matter if it works with crossfire or not?

 

also, since I'm planning to dual boot, would it be possible to use crossfire in vista and use the 2 cards separately in os x?

 

I was thinking of a 600watt psu.. would that be enough considering I want to add more ram, probably more hdds and maybe a 2nd graphic card? and maybe additional fans in the case..

Not quite, for the 4 screens trick you need an nVidia card, as far as I know. My advice: get one card, if you wanna run OSX, like the 9800GX2, because 2 cards don't really work so well. You can still use dual screen.

 

This means you don't have to get a motherboard with 2xPCI-express slots either.

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