3 or 4 Monitors during the GPU Shortage

[mattvm98]

So I am working on a build that will likely use integrated graphics. Using either the Ryzen 5 5600G or the 12600K. The person I am building this for needs 3 maybe even 4 monitors.

 

How do you suggest getting enough ports considering GPU prices are a mess. I can go with a very low end GPU for the extra ports but my concern there is I would be throwing performance away because the integrated graphics likely would out preform the super low end card.

 

I have seen motherboards with 2 outputs which gets me almost there.

 

[Karlis_Blumanis]

How low do you want to go? 

 

If the guy you are building it for wont be gaming, you could buy some 900 series GTX they are still usable, but not for hardcore gaming. Or go even lower if the price is the issue.

But if you go for some old cards, drivers could be an issue, not all of them have updated drivers, it could be a security risk.

 

I am running gigabyte 1660TI with four monitors occupying all four outputs. And it also does good at some light gaming, of course the price isn't low especially at this time.. 

 

Just be aware, that not all gpus output on all the ports at the same time.

Research that beforehand.

[Snowmnason]

Get a monitor with dispaly port dasiy chainning if you can afford that.

 

I have one and its amazing, i got it for like 400ish and it saved me a port on my gpu. You can run it extended display and mirrored so if you get two and then two regular monitors with display port you should be fine or three display port dasiy chain monitors and link them all together 

 

You can get them 1080 4k and 1440 but like 2 companies make it benq and asus.

[mariushm]

Eh... you can get decent motherboards with 3 video outputs.

MSI B550M Pro-VDH (with or without wifi) is an example of that (has hdmi, displayport and vga)  : https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/B550M-PRO-VDH

 

AMD still supports old cards in Windows 10, you can still get drivers for cards like R5 2xx series, or something like that, which would give you 2-3 more video outputs

 

For example R5 430 cards (OEM cards used by Dell and HP) are around 20-30$, this one is 27$ because it comes with DVI-I and DisplayPort : https://www.ebay.com/itm/275056363675 so you could use passive dvi-hdmi or passive dvi-vga adapters that cost a couple dollars to change dvi to hdmi or vga

 

Or R5 240 with DVI and DisplayPort for $24 : https://www.ebay.com/itm/264551064785

 

 

There's also the older workstation video cards route...

The ancient FirePro w410 has 4 mini DisplayPort  but it's slow, not for games. It's probably half as powerful as a GT 1030 from nvidia. 

For 2D , watching videos, 2D stuff, it's perfectly fine and still has windows 10 support, and you can get them for around 40$, here's a couple examples :

1. https://www.ebay.com/itm/313791736460

2. https://www.ebay.com/itm/175092714874

 

Or you can get a more recent WX2100 card for 70$ : https://www.ebay.com/itm/124821541391?epid=17033974429

They're about equivalent to a RX 550 in performance and have 3 displayport outputs (or a hdmi and 2 mini displayport? not sure from pictures)

 

 

[mattvm98]

31 minutes ago, Snowmnason said:

Get a monitor with dispaly port dasiy chainning if you can afford that.

 

I have one and its amazing, i got it for like 400ish and it saved me a port on my gpu. You can run it extended display and mirrored so if you get two and then two regular monitors with display port you should be fine or three display port dasiy chain monitors and link them all together 

 

You can get them 1080 4k and 1440 but like 2 companies make it benq and asus.

This is a good option. Thank You.

[mattvm98]

2 minutes ago, mariushm said:

Eh... you can get decent motherboards with 3 video outputs.

MSI B550M Pro-VDH (with or without wifi) is an example of that (has hdmi, displayport and vga)  : https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/B550M-PRO-VDH

 

AMD still supports old cards in Windows 10, you can still get drivers for cards like R5 2xx series, or something like that, which would give you 2-3 more video outputs

 

For example R5 430 cards (OEM cards used by Dell and HP) are around 20-30$, this one is 27$ because it comes with DVI-I and DisplayPort : https://www.ebay.com/itm/275056363675 so you could use passive dvi-hdmi or passive dvi-vga adapters that cost a couple dollars to change dvi to hdmi or vga

 

Or R5 240 with DVI and DisplayPort for $24 : https://www.ebay.com/itm/264551064785

 

 

There's also the older workstation video cards route...

The ancient FirePro w410 has 4 mini DisplayPort  but it's slow, not for games. It's probably half as powerful as a GT 1030 from nvidia. 

For 2D , watching videos, 2D stuff, it's perfectly fine and still has windows 10 support, and you can get them for around 40$, here's a couple examples :

1. https://www.ebay.com/itm/313791736460

2. https://www.ebay.com/itm/175092714874

 

Or you can get a more recent WX2100 card for 70$ : https://www.ebay.com/itm/124821541391?epid=17033974429

They're about equivalent to a RX 550 in performance and have 3 displayport outputs (or a hdmi and 2 mini displayport? not sure from pictures)

 

 

I am considering going the old workstation card route. I know of a place I might be able to get old Quadro's for fairly cheap.

 

Thanks for the help!

[mariushm]

1 minute ago, mattvm98 said:

I am considering going the old workstation card route. I know of a place I might be able to get old Quadro's for fairly cheap.

 

Thanks for the help!

I wouldn't mix AMD (integrated graphics) and nVidia cards, just increases the risk of driver conflicts or other issues.  If you go with 12600k, I'd have no problem with nvidia workstation cards, but you pay extra for motherboards if you go that route. You'd probably save $100-$150 on the motherboard if you go the AMD route.

 

[mattvm98]

3 minutes ago, mariushm said:

I wouldn't mix AMD (integrated graphics) and nVidia cards, just increases the risk of driver conflicts or other issues.  If you go with 12600k, I'd have no problem with nvidia workstation cards, but you pay extra for motherboards if you go that route. You'd probably save $100-$150 on the motherboard if you go the AMD route.

 

Okay, good to know. Haven't messed around with AMD APU's much. I've only used Quadro cards with Xeons.

 

If  I go workstation card route I might just go with the 5600X.