Video card upgrade - what to buy?

[Gavin_Capacitor]

Ok, so I want to upgrade my videocard(s). Normally this wouldn't be a problem but I'm low on expansion slots and with all the stuff coming out I could use some advice.
Current specs:
cpu:amd fx-62
ram: 4gb OCZ 900mhz ddr2
mobo: asus crosshair SLI 590
HDD's: 5x500GB in raid 5 array - 1x 500GB system disk
soundcard: creative Xtreme gamer Xfi
Videocards: XFX 8400GS (its a placeholder) and
Radeon 7000 (to drive extra monitors - I had some old CRT's laying around)

Now ive got a pretty (~1000$, but I want to get an AMD quad core later) flexible budget, but the expansion slots are a problem.

my mobo has these slots, in this order:
--------TOP---------
PCI slot
PCIe x16 slot
PCIe x4 slot
PCI slot
PCIe x16 slot
PCI slot
------BOTTOM-------
and the cards I currently have are:
Radeon 7000 (PCI)
Geforce 8400 GS (PCIe x16 - Single slot cooler)
creative X-fi Xtreme gamer (PCI)
Highpoint RocketRaid2220 (PCI)
Also, I want to get another Rocketraid 2220 at some point.

And if things weren't complicated enough:
I want to keep my extra monitors - that mean IF i go sli, I need an ATI card to drive my extra monitors. If I get one card (for my main monitor) I could use my 8400GS to run the extra monitors.

I am considering SLI 8800GT's, but these dont have DX10.1 or SM 4.1 support, I know ATI's cards coming out soon do, but I am unclear on how big a deal this is.

SO there you have it. Possibly one of the most complicated upgrade decisions I have had to make.

PS: I am willing to get a PCIe 1x ATI videocard for my extra monitors (~100$ on newegg). I may also be willing to go crossfire if there is a good reason to.

I know this is really long and complicated and if your still with me and know whats going on - Thank you - I need the advice.

 

[Tmagic650]

I would start by getting a motherboard configured more like you need it to be. You really do need a better video card. There are many good PCI or PCI-e cards out there

 

[Gavin_Capacitor]

I have an asus crosshair motherboard. This is not the problem, the problem is the number of expansion slots (7 isnt enough!). Are there motherboards with more (prefferably ~10)?

 

[nickc]

SLI will not support the ATI option for more than one card, and then it is not SLI.

 

[Gavin_Capacitor]

SLI will not support the ATI option for more than one card, and then it is not SLI.

When I said willing to go crossfire, I meant get a new motherboard as well.

 

[nickc]

ok I understand now, thanks

 

[Rage_3K_Moiz]

You could try using a backplane or a midplane.

 

[Gavin_Capacitor]

You could try using a backplane or a midplane.

I looked them up on wikipedia, and it seems like they are for servers. Are there any that work with standard ATX cases. Even if it was just a ribbon cable that plugged into a PCI slot (and allowing me to use a dual slot cooler without loosing any PCI slots and a rack to mount the cards somewhere else in my case). Thanks for the suggestion, I will try to look more into this!