Buying advice for 4800x1200 graphics

[jcarole]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Must place order by close of business Monday, Dec 10, 2012

BUDGET RANGE: USD $200-300 Before Rebates

USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Plain ol’ 2-D desktop software development. No CAD or gaming.

CURRENT GPU AND POWER SUPPLY: No current GPU (ordering a new system), 600-Watt power supply.

OTHER RELEVANT SYSTEM SPECS: HP 7420, 8G DDR3

MONITOR RESOLUTION: The card must be able to display a single desktop spanned across 3 Dell 2001FP monitors (1600x1200, DVI input only) for a total display resolution of 4800x1200.

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: None

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: No preference

PARTS PREFERENCES: No preference

OVERCLOCKING: No SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Don’t know what these are

Thanks in advance,
Jim

 

[jcarole]

Wow, I may have set my price range to high. Would this card work if I used an HDMI-to-DVI adapter for the 3rd monitor: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102882

 

[njoy_rush]

You'll need the eyefinity version of that card, with a display port if you want to have 3 monitors.

 

[geofelt]

What kind and number of motherboard expansion slots do you have?

If you have more than one available slot, then you have some inexpensive options.
Low end graphics cards may have more than two output ports, but they typically only can support two at one time.

Assuming your os is windows 7, you can use as many graphics cards as your motherboard will support, and windows will span the desktop over all of them.
Little graphics power is needed for this type of usage.

 

[popatim]

Nope. For triple monitors on AMD 5xxx series one needs to be displayport and in your case that means getting an active Display port to dvi adapter. (emphasis on the word active back there)

Other than that make sure teh max resolution of the card in question is capable of the 4800x1200 you need. I don't think 5450 can do it.

 

[jcarole]

What kind and number of motherboard expansion slots do you have?

If you have more than one available slot, then you have some inexpensive options.
Low end graphics cards may have more than two output ports, but they typically only can support two at one time.

Assuming your os is windows 7, you can use as many graphics cards as your motherboard will support, and windows will span the desktop over all of them.
Little graphics power is needed for this type of usage.

Thanks geofelt...it is a Win7 box and has multiple graphics slots. I didn't know it could be that easy.

 

[geofelt]

Thanks geofelt...it is a Win7 box and has multiple graphics slots. I didn't know it could be that easy.

It really is easy.
I suggest using cards from the same architecture, nvidia or amd. That way, they will need only one driver to manage both.
If you want two different ones for some reason, then that will work too. You will just need to install both drivers.
A couple of these might do the job for you. I like the newer nvidia 6xx or amd 7xxx based cards better because they are cooler and more power efficient.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130788

 

[jcarole]

The card you linked to is a great value...will be going with that. Thanks again for the very timely info.