Recommend card for Dell UltraSharp U3011 30"

[lasitter]

I think this monitor is in my future. I don't need it for games but I would like to get the full benefit when used for Blu-ray movie playback.

I presently have a very low budget Radeon 4350 w/1G, and in theory it can do 2560x1600, but I suspect that the monitor might need more.

I wouldn't mind putting up to $200-$300 into a card if it bought me something I needed, but I don't want overkill.

One thing I particularly like about my current card is that it has a big heatsink instead of a fan.

Even when they don't fail, fans can be noisy, but I'd be willing to live with a fan if I didn't have to give up a second adapter slot. I've got mine loaded up right now with USB ports, FW800, eSata and other stuff, so a one-slot solution would be nice.

 

[imomun]

whats your complete system specification?

 

[lasitter]

I regret that they're having problems with the new software here. I had a number of good answers that got wiped out in the software update process. But to answer your question:

GA-990FXA-UD7
FX-8150
Windows 7 x64
8G ram (to be upgraded)
LSI Megaraid 9260 w/10 HDD & 6 SDD

I think I'd like to get something with a display port just to keep all my options open.

Here are some of the things / sources I'm looking at:

PowerColor AX7750 2GBK3-H Radeon HD 7750 2GB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready
http://is.gd/H30G3T

PowerColor AMD Radeon HD 7750 2GB GDDR3 VGA/DVI/HDMI PCI-Express Video Card AX7750 2GBK3-H
http://is.gd/hTIVep

ZOTAC ZT-40602-10L GeForce GT 430 (Fermi) 1GB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card
http://is.gd/8287Cl

MSI AMD Radeon HD 7750 2GB GDDR3 PCI Express 3.0 Graphics Card R7750-PMD2GD3
http://is.gd/RE67ai

VisionTek Products AMD Radeon 7750 Dual HDMI 1 GB DDR5 PCI Express Graphics Card 900574
http://is.gd/A7MX2U

Sapphire 11202-10-20G Radeon HD7750 1GB DDR5 128bit PCIE3.0 Low Profile Video Card DisplayPort/HDMI/DVI
http://is.gd/QzQHOM

SAPPHIRE 100357LP Radeon HD 7750 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready Low Profile Video Card
http://is.gd/HflHff

Zotac ZONE GeForce GT430 1 GB 128-Bit DDR3 (700/1600MHz) PCI-Express Video Card - ZT-40602-10L
http://is.gd/HfgcIE

I'm wondering about the 64/128 bit difference;
What 1G vs 2G would mean.

I'm also trying to sort out if nVidia / ATI offer any practical differences in terms of software support for hardware acceleration.

For instance, with the LAV filters for MPC-HC I see references to this for hardware acceleration:

NVIDIA CUVID
Intel QuickSync
DXVA2 (copy-back)
DXVA2 (Native)

I don't know if there is any difference in the quality hardware acceleration you can get simply because of software limitations. I don't know if any of these selections represents an advantage for any video hardware maker.

I don't know enough about this to ask a question intelligently, sorry.

 

[vmem]

Don't go with an Nvidia 430 as the 400 series is two generations old, if you want to go with Nvidia, get something like a 640 or 650. from AMD/ATI, a radeon 7750 is a good choice from the current generation. the cards I would recommend are:

AMD:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161427

Nvidia:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500272

the two cards trade blows depending on what you need, and either should be a great solution for your nice 30" monitor

 

[lasitter]

@vmem: Single slot with display port?

 

[Mousemonkey]

I regret that they're having problems with the new software here. I had a number of good answers that got wiped out in the software update process.

Sorry about that, I fear I may have been to blame as well because I was playing with some shiny new buttons at the time and had an "oops!" moment at one point when the site and my browser did not want too play well together.

 

[vmem]

@vmem: Single slot with display port?

I haven't seen a single slot 650, so go with a gt 640 for Nvidia (should be sufficient, I'm not 100% sure)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500256

As for AMD, I would go with this 7750 (this one I know is sufficient for that monitor )
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131481

 

[lasitter]

@vmem: I was looking at the Zotac GEforce which at $59 after rebate is an easy price winner. It has two DVI and a mini HDMI, but I would prefer something that had a display port as an option if it's out there.

Other questions:

Practical difference between 64/128 bit cards?
And for 1G and 2G, without gaming, where I'm guessing the most demanding thing I'll do is play Blu-ray content?

 

[lasitter]

All of these are single slot with DVI, HDMI & Display Port. All are 1GB / 128-bit, all but one are PCI Express 3.0 x16:

HIS iCooler H775F1GD Radeon HD 7750 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready
http://is.gd/4WFcsO

ASUS EAH6670/DIS/1GD5 Radeon HD 6670 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready
http://is.gd/MLN4jk

XFX FX-775A-ZNP4 Radeon HD 7750 Core Edition 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready
http://is.gd/ELkYe6

PowerColor AX7750 1GBD5-DH Radeon HD 7750 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready
http://is.gd/t7QIJ4

PowerColor AX7770 1GBD5-DH Radeon HD 7770 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready
http://is.gd/Ypg5gB

Just noticed that these are all AMD. What would be comparable from nVidia?

 

[revro]

i am running an evga 660 ftw on dell u2713hm 1440p and i am getting 50+ average fps in most games on ultra details with msaa off and fxaa on. if i could i would buy a 670 but this one is a beast too so i am going to stick with it. for 1600p 670 would be ideal and you could have it for years to come

 

[lasitter]

@revro: All the 660 / 670 cards seem to be 2x slots.

 

[vmem]

@vmem: I was looking at the Zotac GEforce which at $59 after rebate is an easy price winner. It has two DVI and a mini HDMI, but I would prefer something that had a display port as an option if it's out there.

Other questions:

Practical difference between 64/128 bit cards?
And for 1G and 2G, without gaming, where I'm guessing the most demanding thing I'll do is play Blu-ray content?

 

[lasitter]

@vmem: Don't know if it was a glitch, but your answer doesn't seem to have made it thru ...

 

[vmem]

@vmem: Don't know if it was a glitch, but your answer doesn't seem to have made it thru ...

yeah, it's a glitch... darn website overhaul lol

Anyways, sorry for the now even later reply. I found very few cheap cards with displayport. however, all 7750s support HDMI1.4a, which is sufficient to go beyond 1080p and I assume you just wanted displayport because it carries your full resolution and sound?

Otherwise, The powercolor card you found is the way to go
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131461

As for the other cards you linked, most of them are not true single-slot cards. if you look at the sideways picture of the card, you'll see that the cooler sticks out beyond the width of the single PCIE slot

 

[lasitter]

As for the other cards you linked, most of them are not true single-slot cards. if you look at the sideways picture of the card, you'll see that the cooler sticks out beyond the width of the single PCIE slot

Completely true. I'm mostly just looking for enough space to sneak in an adapter slot plate with ports for USB or whatnot. Having an actual available slot can be a bit much to hope for sometimes ...

Just ordered the PowerColor AX7750 1GBD5-DH from Amazon.

 

[vmem]

As for the other cards you linked, most of them are not true single-slot cards. if you look at the sideways picture of the card, you'll see that the cooler sticks out beyond the width of the single PCIE slot

Completely true. I'm mostly just looking for enough space to sneak in an adapter slot plate with ports for USB or whatnot. Having an actual available slot can be a bit much to hope for sometimes ...

Just ordered the PowerColor AX7750 1GBD5-DH from Amazon.

gratz! hope you'll have a lot of good times watching movies etc with it