videocards that can do 4 monitors?

They make noise, too.

Moderators: NeilBlanchard, Ralf Hutter, sthayashi, Lawrence Lee

Post Reply
shunx
Posts: 341
Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2002 1:20 pm
Location: Vancouver

videocards that can do 4 monitors?

Post by shunx » Fri Oct 19, 2012 12:05 pm

I feel like getting a brand-name computer for an easy upgrade, but those computers usually have just one PCI-Express x16 slot. I happen to use 4 monitors (DVI and HDMI only, no DP). Does anyone know of single cards that can do this? The following says the GTX 680 can do it:
read http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/ge ... iew,5.html
But one of the connector is usually DisplayPort, whereas I only have DVI/HDMI monitors.

...actually DP is fine too; time to get a new monitor I suppose.

CA_Steve
Moderator
Posts: 7650
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2005 4:36 am
Location: St. Louis, MO

Re: videocards that can do 4 monitors?

Post by CA_Steve » Fri Oct 19, 2012 1:03 pm

Pretty much every CPU these days comes with IGP. Instead of sweating over one-card-to-rule-them-all, why not just hook up 2 or 3 monitors to the discrete card and the rest to the IGP output?

shunx
Posts: 341
Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2002 1:20 pm
Location: Vancouver

Re: videocards that can do 4 monitors?

Post by shunx » Fri Oct 19, 2012 1:24 pm

I was under the impression that brand-name models don't have separate IGP video ports in addition to discrete graphics ports, but I could be mistaken. Could you please name some model names if this isn't the case. As suggested I was looking for a pre-built solution. One issue could be the PSU though; a high end card may be too taxing for such a system.

CA_Steve
Moderator
Posts: 7650
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2005 4:36 am
Location: St. Louis, MO

Re: videocards that can do 4 monitors?

Post by CA_Steve » Fri Oct 19, 2012 3:43 pm

shunx wrote:I was under the impression that brand-name models don't have separate IGP video ports in addition to discrete graphics ports, but I could be mistaken.
Yeah, that sounds odd as it's on the back of the motherboard. :) Buy any PC with only IGP out and has a 16x PCI-E slot. Then add a discrete card.
shunx wrote:One issue could be the PSU though; a high end card may be too taxing for such a system.
Yep. You'll have to dig down into the online specs and manuals to look for PSU wattage...and to see if the PSU has the PEG connectors you need for the card...

...and this goes without saying, YMMV on noise.

Mats
Posts: 3044
Joined: Fri Dec 26, 2003 6:54 am
Location: Sweden

Re: videocards that can do 4 monitors?

Post by Mats » Fri Oct 19, 2012 6:24 pm

There are cheaper cards that can do this, but it all depends on what your requirements are for resolution and gaming.
Remember that you can use adapters between Displayport, HDMI and DVI, or just cables with different connectors in the ends.

These cards have four outputs, but you're going to need a better cooler I guess.
http://www.techpowerup.com/173927/Galax ... -Card.html
http://www.techpowerup.com/174024/Color ... -Card.html

Here's a silent card.
http://www.powercolor.com/global/produc ... asp?id=358

Post Reply