GPU to drive 4 screens no gaming

M

mda

2[H]4U
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Mar 23, 2011
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Hello all,

Would just like to have your opinions on a GPU to drive 4 screens in a 2x2 setup. This will be mainly for work, and no games.

For some reason, I hear or remember that AMD GPUs are better than this in this regard. As for the reason why, I do not remember...

Will an AMD RX 550 be enough for this purpose?

To add, it appears that most entry level GPUs nowadays have 3 display outs: DVI Dual Link, HDMI and Displayport. I don't want to have to buy a 'gaming' card for work!

However, most affordable monitors only support VGA, DVI and HDMI. What is the most effective option for this?

Edit2: Saw a Palit GTX1060 3GB with 5 outputs (3 Displayports, 1 HDMI and 1 DVI). I can get DP to HDMI/DVI converters but this is almost the same cost as just grabbing another lower power card...

Edit3: If I go the Kaby Lake + GT 1030 / RX 550 Route, is it a surefire thing that I can drive all 4 monitors with a combination 2 of outputs from the GPU (DVI+HDMI) and 2 outputs from the motherboard (DVI + HDMI)?

Thanks
 
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Thanks for this!

Unfortunately, not easily available for me in the retail channel, plus DP is a problem since most cheaper 200$ consumer monitors floating around in my country don't use DP...
 
This 1050 of the modern cards seems to be the cheapest with 4.
https://geizhals.eu/gigabyte-geforc....html?hloc=at&hloc=de&hloc=pl&hloc=uk&hloc=eu

Two with 5:
https://geizhals.eu/gigabyte-geforc....html?hloc=at&hloc=de&hloc=pl&hloc=uk&hloc=eu
https://geizhals.eu/gigabyte-geforc....html?hloc=at&hloc=de&hloc=pl&hloc=uk&hloc=eu

Another 4:
https://geizhals.eu/asus-rog-strix-....html?hloc=at&hloc=de&hloc=pl&hloc=uk&hloc=eu

In short, 1050 is your best option. Also gives you full video decode options for movie playback while having very low multi monitor power usage.

power_multimon.png
 
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You can only use one display out from the motherboard.
Use that and a gfx card to get 4 display outs.
NVida or AMD makes no difference, this is the most simple of tasks for a gfx card.

ps a card having lots of outputs doesnt mean it can use all of them at the same time.
Most cards can do 3 simultaneously.
 
Nenu said:
You can only use one display out from the motherboard.
Use that and a gfx card to get 4 display outs.
NVida or AMD makes no difference, this is the most simple of tasks for a gfx card.

ps a card having lots of outputs doesnt mean it can use all of them at the same time.
Most cards can do 3 simultaneously.
Click to expand...
You're wrong on several counts!!

Kaby Lake igpu supports 3 active displays if the motherboard have the necessary outputs. So OP can use both hdmi and dvi if his motherboard got it.

Nvidia Geforce 10-series GPUs support 4 active displays, for desktop use, assuming you have the correct outputs/inputs or converters.

I'm not sure about AMD but they've supported 5-6 active displays in the past if you have the outputs for it.
 
Nenu said:
You can only use one display out from the motherboard.
Use that and a gfx card to get 4 display outs.
NVida or AMD makes no difference, this is the most simple of tasks for a gfx card.

ps a card having lots of outputs doesnt mean it can use all of them at the same time.
Most cards can do 3 simultaneously.
Click to expand...

Pandur said:
You're wrong on several counts!!

Kaby Lake igpu supports 3 active displays if the motherboard have the necessary outputs. So OP can use both hdmi and dvi if his motherboard got it.

Nvidia Geforce 10-series GPUs support 4 active displays, for desktop use, assuming you have the correct outputs/inputs or converters.

I'm not sure about AMD but they've supported 5-6 active displays in the past if you have the outputs for it.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this. Bottom line here for me I guess is that for 4 displays, I'll either be driving the displays either all from the GPU or from a combination of GPU + MB.

As long as this is the case and there is no problem either way, this would be great already!
 
Pandur said:
You're wrong on several counts!!

Kaby Lake igpu supports 3 active displays if the motherboard have the necessary outputs. So OP can use both hdmi and dvi if his motherboard got it.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the headsup.

Nvidia Geforce 10-series GPUs support 4 active displays, for desktop use, assuming you have the correct outputs/inputs or converters.
Click to expand...
Interesting.
I tried 4 displays and could only get 3 to work at once.
I'll give it another shot.
 
What about using the igpu for three display and a usb 3.0 displaylink adapter for the forth display?
 
^ Unfortunately, not readily available via retail channel in my country :(
 
if your willing to pay me for cost plus shipping I am willing to help you out. PM if your interested.
 
At work I'm driving 4 24" screens with a possible 5. My motherboard has VGA, DVI and DP out. Originally I used those + a USB adapter for one of the monitor's. Now its got a really crappy GPU in there (30 to 40 dollar job but it does what I need it to) which added a DVI and Display port. So onboard I'm using DVI and DP and the same off the GPU.

To get it all working off the motherboard + USB originally it just took a few tweaks in the bios under the integrated section and some added allocated memory to the setup.
 
Ripskin said:
At work I'm driving 4 24" screens with a possible 5. My motherboard has VGA, DVI and DP out. Originally I used those + a USB adapter for one of the monitor's. Now its got a really crappy GPU in there (30 to 40 dollar job but it does what I need it to) which added a DVI and Display port. So onboard I'm using DVI and DP and the same off the GPU.

To get it all working off the motherboard + USB originally it just took a few tweaks in the bios under the integrated section and some added allocated memory to the setup.
Click to expand...
The new USB 3.0 ones are much better. I agree the older ones were not that great.
 
Nenu said:
Interesting.
I tried 4 displays and could only get 3 to work at once.
I'll give it another shot.
Click to expand...
I forgot one more possible hiccup here. Some cards have extra outputs and these will disable other outputs when in use. So you can either use this or that but not both at the same time. Which can cause problems like you describe. Look at the VR section for this Gigabyte card as an example of this.
 
Pandur said:
I forgot one more possible hiccup here. Some cards have extra outputs and these will disable other outputs when in use. So you can either use this or that but not both at the same time. Which can cause problems like you describe. Look at the VR section for this Gigabyte card as an example of this.
Click to expand...
Exactly this.
But only 3 can be used at once. I've yet to recheck my Pascal card though.

edit:
You are right, I have a dodgy connection on an adapter.
My 1080ti supports 4 displays concurrently.
 
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