Cheapest way to run 2x 4k monitors?

[Peerzy]

Have just bought myself a second 4K monitor, connected it up and realised my PC only has 1 HDMI and 1 VGA output (using onboard graphics with an AMD Ryzen 3 2200G) so the new monitor is running at 1080p just like my last one!

What's the cheapest graphics card I can buy to power the 2x 4K monitors? It'll need to be a low profile card due to the case in use.

Absolutely no need for any power, gaming etc.... it's purely used as a work PC.

 

[Jay85]

Something like a RX470, RX480, GT 1030 would all do what you want it for at very little cost.

 

[otester]

GT1030 is a good option but you will probably need a DVI-D to HDMI adapter for the second monitor.

 

[Captain_Bosh]

Assuming both your 4K screens have Display Port and are 60Hz you will want something Display Port (or HDMI 2.0 if your monitor supports HDMI 2.0 too) to get 60 fps out of both your monitors. I know you are not using for gaming but its still annoying working on a screen limited to 30 fps, especially if one is running at 60 and one at 30 as it will be really noticable.

I'd avoid using DVI-D adapters as all the cheap ones will be HDMI 1.4 and limit your frames to 30 fps too. Better adapters are expensive and not cost effective at all.

Cheapest in stock low profile card I found on OCUK is the MSI GTX 1050 at £200 with Display Port and HDMI 2.0.

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/msi-...ddr5-pci-express-graphics-card-gx-33e-ms.html

Or you could get an Nvidia Quadro P400 for £140 which has 3 mini display port outputs and just use a mini DP to DP cables, they are bought to order though so not sure how long the order would take.

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/pny-...s-card-2gb-gddr5-256-cuda-core-gx-05j-pn.html

 

[Peerzy]

Thanks all, £200 (and even £140) is well above what I want to pay! I have just realised I have a spare AMD Radeon R5 340X (specifically a AMD Radeon R5 340X, 2GB, HH (D P, SL-DVI-I)) that came from a Dell unit I repaired.

Could I use that and connect 1 monitor to the DP port on that and another monitor to the HDMI on the motherboard and use the onboard graphics for that monitor?

 

[Peerzy]

To answer my own question - it works exactly as I wanted. 1 monitor plugged into the 340X using DP and one plugged into the iGPU via HDMI. Both giving full 4K glory, no BIOS settings to mess with, Windows just figured it all out after a few reboots.

 

[gpuerrilla]

To answer my own question - it works exactly as I wanted. 1 monitor plugged into the 340X using DP and one plugged into the iGPU via HDMI. Both giving full 4K glory, no BIOS settings to mess with, Windows just figured it all out after a few reboots.

Thanks for the update, never tried that combo (cant recall last time I had an onboard rig as my main rig) but one day Im sure I will be in a similar situation (for work or family member) and this is good to know, not just in theory!