1. All T3500s have same mobo and BIOS. 2, x16, 2, x8, and 2, PCI. (Having same mobo and BIOS is HIGHLY desirable if you have a network.) 2. 295s come in both x16 and x1. I've run an x1 in an x8 slot, no problemo. You could run 2, x16 295s + 2, x1 295s for a total of 8 monitors. I've run 6 monitors with no problem, so I'm sure 8 would be OK too.
If I were in the market, I'd consider this one for $289, shipping included... http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-Precis...1287810433?pt=Desktop_PCs&hash=item1c3d511d81 Decent price.... Passmark on CPU is about 4600... plenty for trading rig. 30-day warranty 100% Seller reputation
Yes, the x1s are usually less available and a bit more costly. Even though the 285 and 300 also come in x1 and are compatible with 295, I like the idea of having all video cards be the same. One less variable for the computer to cope with. If you're not in a hurry for monitors 5 & 6, you can run 4 with 2, x16 cards while you check eBay periodically for a better deal on x1s.
Good luck on the PCIe x1 thing. I have come to distrust those diggy little cards. I bought a PCIe x1 USBx4 card for my new PC... kept hanging my computer. I used it to hang off some USB-to-VGA adapters... at random times, those monitors going through this channel just disappeared from the face of the earth. Unplugged the darn thing, everything went back to stable and normal. Good luck on using the x1 display cards.
I'd think it was the USB-VGA adapters which were the dodgy parts. I've had 2 NVS x1 cards... worked the same as the x16s when mounted in x16 or x8 slot. In a trading rig, NVS x1 card is even OK as the only video card.
I'm gonna wait till the computer gets here so no hurry. I'll take your advice and use a single model of card. Price aside, nvs 295s or nvs 300s, piles of each in front of you, which would you use in a T3500 Scataphagos? Any benefits of 300 over 295, e.g. resolution...? (I haven't scoped out the monitors yet.) Thanks again on the computer lead.
I've used both. They work the same in trading environment, though the 300 Passmark score is about double that of the 295. The 295 has DP, the 300 has DMS-59. Both will do 2560x1600, digital. If you use DP on your monitors for 2560x1440 res, you can just plug the cable into the 295 card. On the 300, you'll need a "DMS-59 DP Adapter"... looks like a splitter with a female DP connector on each end... they cost about $40 each. Though the passmark score on the 300 is 2x that of the 295, they're both really slow in today's world (as are nearly all passively cooled cards). Fine for trading because the graphic requirements of trading are so low. They both are also fine for general computing, online videos and DVDs. Pick your poison. One note on your monitors.. The NVS 295 doesn't like certain models of Asus monitors as the primary. OK as secondary. I've had a mix of monitors over the years. My favs have been business class HP, Dell, Planar.
Should have said, " 295 doesn't like certain Asus monitors as primary in multi-monitor setup..." OK as secondary. OK as single monitor.