GPU to connect to Samsung 55" 3D LED 8-series with 3D support

[sandergutt]

Hello,

Im building a new HTPC to also play blu-ray and I want to be able to display 3D.
What GPU do I need for this? I want to use the 3D googles that came with the Samsung TV.

 

[CaedenV]

any modern midrange to high end GPU will do 3D movies. For 3D games however you will want only the fastest cards available.

 

[Murissokah]

If you want a VGA to do JUST that, this should work:

http://www.club-3d.com/index.php/products/reader.en/product/geforce-gt-440.html

 

[sandergutt]

Since I'm building a HTPC, are there any motherboards that support 3D output with HDMI, or are there big advantages in a propper GPU?
That way I could maybe get away with a cheaper setup.

 

[Murissokah]

any modern midrange to high end GPU will do 3D movies. For 3D games however you will want only the fastest cards available.

Not just any card. Radeons aren't so good for Blu-ray 3D, as AMD 3D playback support is rather limited. I have a pair of them myself, and wouldn't buy one for an HTPC.

 

[Murissokah]

Since I'm building a HTPC, are there any motherboards that support 3D output with HDMI, or are there big advantages in a propper GPU?
That way I could maybe get away with a cheaper setup.

If you are on the budget side and building from scratch, either a Sandy-bridge or a Llano APU will be able to handle 3D blu-ray, through HDMI 1.4 (1.4a for AMD). Here are some possibilities:

AMD:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819106004
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131784


Intel
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115094
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131724

The AMD build has a better all-round processor (4 core), but the Intel is only 35W (against 100W from AMD). If this is an HTPC-only build, the lower TDP is a blessing. You could change the AMD processor for a 3500, which has a 65W TDP, but then you would lose the processing edge over Intel, and wouldn't make much sense.

 

[sandergutt]

Thank you so much for the help.
I have ended up with ASUS P8H61-M PRO and your choice of CPU Intel Core i3-2120T Sandy Bridge 2.6GHz LGA 1155.
I didnt understand until now that its the CPU who does most of the work with the 3D and that the Sandy-bridge is in the CPU, not the graphics card.

I learnt alot these last days, thank you

 

[sandergutt]

Best answer selected by sandergutt.