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Wait for Haswell to upgrade my 4-monitor setup?

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  • Processors
  • CPUs
  • Graphics
  • Monitors
  • Intel
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April 21, 2013 10:50:40 AM

I've got a four-monitor system running on a Core 2 Duo processor, and it's time for an upgrade. I was planning on getting a good Ivy Bridge Z77 board and something like a 3570k processor, which would work great because (I assume) I could use the integrated graphics for two of my monitors (I've actually got 3 monitors and a TV hooked up, so I'd use the integrated HDMI out for the TV) and only need one dedicated video card for gaming. (My current system needs two cards for all four monitors, naturally)

However...

I understand the new Haswell processors are adding additional video power to the integrated graphics. So now I'm torn:

- On the one hand, the new Haswell CPUs will have better integrated graphics, and are the start of a new socket, so it would be more future proof.
- On the other hand, I like making sure tech is "proven" before I buy. It's easy to find an Ivy Bridge board with a good track record, but I'd need to wait a few months after June to be sure of what's good or not with the new socket.

The most I'd do with the secondary 2 monitors is watching videos, so they don't exactly need a ton of power. Other threads are saying "Wait if you can, but you won't get much performance boost," but that's assuming the added graphics performance won't be used at all.

What do you guys think? Will Haswell be worth the wait for my situation, or will I be just as well off with the current technology?

More about : wait haswell upgrade monitor setup

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April 21, 2013 11:04:59 AM

I'm not sure if you can connect more than 1 monitor to the Intel integrated graphics.

Haswell's integrated GPU will get a performance boost, but it will not be very large. The Intel HD 4600 is expected to be about 20% more powerful than the Intel HD 4000. There are a few Haswell CPUs with the faster Intel HD 5200 (basically twice as fast as the HD 4000), but they will be BGA which means they come pre-soldered in specific motherboards.

For laptops there's the Intel HD 5200e (Intel HD 5200 + eDRAM), which is rumored to be as fast as the nVidia GT 650m. Not sure how true that can be because the Intel HD 5200's performance seems to be between the nVidia GT 625m and GT 630m. No sure how eDRAM can dramatically increase performance to a GT 650m (that a huge leap).
April 21, 2013 1:39:38 PM

A quick search shows connecting multiple monitors is possible on Ivy Bridge according to this blog, and up to three monitors are supported on the Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD3H according to our own LokalHero in this thread. So I think I'll be okay connecting multiple monitors, so long as I don't expect anything stellar from them.

(As it happens, that's the exact model motherboard I was considering, so I'm glad I came by that)

I'm not terribly familiar with the performance of intel integrated graphics; how will the 4000/4600/5200 perform with HD video? I assume they'll all handle most video I can throw at it without breaking a sweat, but I hate to make a purchasing decision based on assumptions, you know? ;) 
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April 21, 2013 7:09:39 PM

The Intel HD 4000 is like 90% the performance of a desktop Radeon HD 5550. The Intel HD 4600 would be between the Radeon HD 5550 and Radeon HD 5570 (probably slightly closer to the HD 5570). The Intel HD 5200 would probably have about 85% the performance of the Radeon HD 5670.

For HD video playback, any of the above mentioned Intel integrated graphic core can handle it. It's when you want to play games where you will likely be disappointed by any integrated graphic core. Including AMD's integrated iGPUs.
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