Mom needs cheap graphics card purely to drive 1440p monitor

[ASZ20]

My brother got my mom a 1440p monitor for her birthday to replace 2 really old 1080p lcd's. I built her computer a while ago but the motherboard only has vga, dvi, and hdmi and I can't find an affordable dvi/dp adapter that can do more than 1080p. Also the monitor won't do 1440p over hdmi so I need suggestions for a super cheap graphics card that has the necessary DisplayPort and maybe even hdmi 2.0 etc. in case a 4K monitor is ever in her future.

[Mr.Humble]

RX460/GTX1050 maybe?

[Electronics Wizardy]

You can drive it on almost any gpu from the last 10 years. 

 

Id just use the igpu or your current gpu. You can do 1440p over dvi.

 

 

What system specs?

[DexterSmythe]

1 minute ago, vojta.pokorny said:

RX460/GTX1050 maybe?

That or a 950 might be good if you can find it on a good sale.

[App4that]

I'd say upgrade the motherboard and work off the iGPU. A discrete graphics card would be a waste. 

[ASZ20]

I don't need anything powerful at all, the monitor doesn't have dvi so that's not an option, and no graphics card right now, just a gigabyte (I think) motherboard.

[Electronics Wizardy]

Just now, ASZ20 said:

I don't need anything powerful at all, the monitor doesn't have dvi so that's not an option, and no graphics card right now, just a gigabyte (I think) motherboard.

what monitor and system specs

 

You can adapt dvi to hdmi easily

[ASZ20]

1 minute ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

what monitor and system specs

 

You can adapt dvi to hdmi easily

The monitor is the asus mx27aq, the problem is the monitor only supports 1080p over hdmi.

[App4that]

You should be OK with that monitor for 1440 through HDMI, are you sure the iGPU supports 1440? What CPU?

[dizmo]

Something like this would work.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-ATI-Radeon-HD4450-512MB-PCI-E-1x-DVI-1x-DisplayPort-Video-Card-C7MG0-/182280994775

 

 

9 minutes ago, App4that said:

I'd say upgrade the motherboard and work off the iGPU. A discrete graphics card would be a waste. 

The motherboard isn't the problem.

[App4that]

1 minute ago, dizmo said:

 

 

The motherboard isn't the problem.

Are you sure, the product page for that monitor says 1440 is supported through HDMI. 

[pwn_intended]

1440p  60hz over HDMI shouldn't be a problem. Also definitely shouldn't be a problem with a regular DVI cable.

[dizmo]

5 minutes ago, App4that said:

Are you sure, the product page for that monitor says 1440 is supported through HDMI. 

Bad port, bad cable, etc would be things I'd look at first.

Even the first gen Intel HD supported the resolution required.

An add in card is still cheaper than replacing the motherboard, if it is indeed the problem.

A more appropriate thing to say might have been replacing the motherboard isn't the answer.

4 minutes ago, pwn_intended said:

1440p  60hz over HDMI shouldn't be a problem. Also definitely shouldn't be a problem with a regular DVI cable.

Monitor doesn't have DVI.

[App4that]

1 minute ago, dizmo said:

Bad port, bad cable, etc would be things I'd look at first.

Even the first gen Intel HD supported the resolution required.

An add in card is still cheaper than replacing the motherboard, if it is indeed the problem.

A more appropriate thing to say might have been replacing the motherboard isn't the answer.

Monitor doesn't have DVI.

Cheaper, but it might not fix the problem. It's always better to fix a problem than hide it. As you don't know what else the problem is effecting, or if it will spread.

 

My 2c. 

[pwn_intended]

Try VGA. VGA is actually capable of carrying higher than 1080p signal, but since it is analog, interference may prevent you from doing that.

 

If that doesn't work, literally ANY graphics card with a DP adapter will do. Like go find one for $25 at your local store or something.

[App4that]

1 minute ago, pwn_intended said:

Try VGA. VGA is actually capable of carrying higher than 1080p signal, but since it is analog, interference may prevent you from doing that.

 

If that doesn't work, literally ANY graphics card with a DP adapter will do. Like go find one for $25 at your local store or something.

Dude, Bro, Buddy. You did not just advise VGA. 

[pwn_intended]

Just now, App4that said:

Dude, Bro, Buddy. You did not just advise VGA. 

WTF is peoples problem with VGA. It is more than capable for the task at hand, and really the picture quality is the same as a digital signal long as the cables are good and plugged in properly.

 

If its the only option without having to buy a GPU for his moms computer, use it. It will make 0 difference.

[Zodiark1593]

15 minutes ago, dizmo said:

Something like this would work.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-ATI-Radeon-HD4450-512MB-PCI-E-1x-DVI-1x-DisplayPort-Video-Card-C7MG0-/182280994775

 

 

The motherboard isn't the problem.

Even the Intel GMA series can support the resolution. This is assuming the correct outputs however. 

 

@OP. System specs please, as well as what kind of cable being used. For 1440P to work over HDMI, I believe it is the 1.3 standard that must be used as minimum. 

[App4that]

17 minutes ago, pwn_intended said:

WTF is peoples problem with VGA. It is more than capable for the task at hand, and really the picture quality is the same as a digital signal long as the cables are good and plugged in properly.

 

If its the only option without having to buy a GPU for his moms computer, use it. It will make 0 difference.

Only it's not the same image quality, it degrades over the length of the cable. 

[pwn_intended]

3 minutes ago, App4that said:

Only it's not the same image quality, it degrades over the length of the cable. 

Yes, but if you have a standard 6 foot cable, that isn't shit, and everything is plugged in properly, the image quality is identical. Case in point, I have 2 identical monitors on my workstation, one uses DP, and the other VGA since my pc only has a single DP out and the monitors only have DP and VGA input. The picture on the 2 monitors look identical.

 

Even a 15 foot long VGA cable can look just fine as long as its not a shit cable and your VGA port on the device was implemented well.

I'm not trying to say that VGA is better than DP or anything, all I am saying is that in this scenario, it will make no difference. And trying something before (needlessly) BUYING something is always a good idea. He's not building a high end system for colour grading videos, but rather something for his mom to youtube on.

[App4that]

1 minute ago, pwn_intended said:

Yes, but if you have a standard 6 foot cable, that isn't shit, and everything is plugged in properly, the image quality is identical. Case in point, I have 2 identical monitors on my workstation, one uses DP, and the other VGA since my pc only has a single DP out and the monitors only have DP and VGA input. The picture on the 2 monitors look identical.

 

Even a 15 foot long VGA cable can look just fine as long as its not a shit cable and your VGA port on the device was implemented well.

I'm not trying to say that VGA is better than DP or anything, all I am saying is that in this scenario, it will make no difference. And trying something before (needlessly) BUYING something is always a good idea. He's not building a high end system for colour grading videos, but rather something for his mom to youtube on.

I think we've got the fact there is a problem well covered. That monitor supports 1440 using a HDMI, so as long as the motherboard uses HDMI 1.3 there's a problem. And problems don't go away by ignoring them.