Budget graphics card - Around £70

[Hamster]

I'm looking for a cheap PCI-E graphics card. If it's possible, I'd like the card to have two DVI outputs (or one DVI and one HDMI) and to be able to output simultaneously to my monitor (1920X1200) and to my HDTV (1920X1080 I think). If it's not possible to run two outputs at different resolutions at the same time, I'd need something that makes switching between them a breeze.
Thanks.

 

[Admetos]

Consider a Nvidia Quadro NVS 295. These are dual display port cards, but they come with display port to DVI converters.

In terms of performance there about 40-50% faster then a 8400GS card. They do very lite 3d work (no modern games), but handle 2d fine, 1080p is ok also.

I mention these as there is a glut of these cards (being sold) that are clean pulls from Dell workstation computers. I can't say where (but google), and you should pick one up under £25 with the display port converters.

Best part is there 23w max power useage. I run two of these for application use, paid £48 the pair new last week.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/product_quadro_nvs_295_us.html

EDIT: Just noticed you need HDMI. All the above may be useless information, as not sure if display port to DVI then to HDMI will work..

 

[Jeza]

Im no expert but have a few friends with a 4870 and all enhoy the performence, and they are available for around 70£.

 

[MeMeMeMe]

I'm looking for a cheap PCI-E graphics card. If it's possible, I'd like the card to have two DVI outputs (or one DVI and one HDMI) and to be able to output simultaneously to my monitor (1920X1200) and to my HDTV (1920X1080 I think). If it's not possible to run two outputs at different resolutions at the same time, I'd need something that makes switching between them a breeze.
Thanks.

Any modern nvidia or ATI graphic cards, even budget cards, can do this. For example:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-118-HT&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=168

You don't need high performance to drive two high resolution monitors - graphic cards have been able to do that for a long, long time. Pick a card that gives you the performance you want on a single monitor, and that card will also drive two monitors perfectly well.

If you want dual monitor gaming, that's a lot more demanding, but I don't think that's what you're asking.

 

[Hamster]

Consider a Nvidia Quadro NVS 295. These are dual display port cards, but they come with display port to DVI converters.

In terms of performance there about 40-50% faster then a 8400GS card. They do very lite 3d work (no modern games), but handle 2d fine, 1080p is ok also.

I mention these as there is a glut of these cards (being sold) that are clean pulls from Dell workstation computers. I can't say where (but google), and you should pick one up under £25 with the display port converters.

Best part is there 23w max power useage. I run two of these for application use, paid £48 the pair new last week.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/product_quadro_nvs_295_us.html

EDIT: Just noticed you need HDMI. All the above may be useless information, as not sure if display port to DVI then to HDMI will work..

Thanks. Although DVI would work (the TV has DVI input), HDMI would be preferred and a card with a little more grunt for basic gaming would be good. I did find the place selling the Dell ones for £25+delivery. Looks like a decent low cost option.

Any modern nvidia or ATI graphic cards, even budget cards, can do this. For example:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-118-HT&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=168

You don't need high performance to drive two high resolution monitors - graphic cards have been able to do that for a long, long time. Pick a card that gives you the performance you want on a single monitor, and that card will also drive two monitors perfectly well.

If you want dual monitor gaming, that's a lot more demanding, but I don't think that's what you're asking.

Thanks. How easy would the dual monitor/different resolution scenario be to set up? Do any of the NVidia/ATI cards' control panels make this especially easy?
Just to make it clear, I'd like to have the TV and the monitor displaying the same thing at the same time but at different resolutions, mainly video and being able to handle 1080p video on both if possible. I won't be gaming having both displays working but it would be nice to be able to game on the TV when i need to. After some consideration I'm prepared to up my budget to £90!!

 

[Orcvader]

It's easy to set up the resolutions and do extend/clone mode in both the windows control panel and nvidia/ati control panel. I recommend the 5770 as a minimum if you do plan to game on a 1920x1080 res. Second hand looks like it will be more worth it with your budget.

 

[Hamster]

Thanks, will look into the 5770. I'm looking at ways to up my budget at the moment!!
Some graphics cards come with DVI, HDMI and Display Port. What's the display port all about? Also dual link DVI, what benefit is that?

 

[Orcvader]

Displayport is another digital display interface. Image quality wise, they're the same, but Displayport can send more bandwidth compared to DVI/HDMI (With the latest specs you can even daisy chain displays from just one port). Unless you have Dual-mode Displayports, they're not compatible with DVI/HDMI passive adapters.

Dual-link DVI is just DVI but can send more bandwidth, allowing higher resolutions to be displayed. For 1920x1080 though, single link is enough.

 

[i7_860]

Thanks, will look into the 5770. I'm looking at ways to up my budget at the moment!!
Some graphics cards come with DVI, HDMI and Display Port. What's the display port all about? Also dual link DVI, what benefit is that?

Try get a 2nd hand 5770 if you really want a decent card for £70

 

[Hamster]

Displayport is another digital display interface. Image quality wise, they're the same, but Displayport can send more bandwidth compared to DVI/HDMI (With the latest specs you can even daisy chain displays from just one port). Unless you have Dual-mode Displayports, they're not compatible with DVI/HDMI passive adapters.

Dual-link DVI is just DVI but can send more bandwidth, allowing higher resolutions to be displayed. For 1920x1080 though, single link is enough.

Thanks Are there any types of card to be avoided or will anything 5770 spec or above with two types of digital output adequate for my needs?

Try get a 2nd hand 5770 if you really want a decent card for £70

Thanks, I'll be looking at that one. I'm trying to see if I can up my budget at the moment so I may get something like this or even better.

 

[MeMeMeMe]

As noted above, yes, dual monitors with different resolutions is easy to set up, cloned or separate. I've been doing it with my dual monitor setup for the last 5 years, with both ATI and NVIDIA cards.

As an alternative to 5770, you might be able to get similar performance cards of the previous generation cheaper, like the Nvidia 260 GTX, and ATI 4870 (1GB version). You might be able to get them cheaper. The only drawback here would that you would not be able to play DX11 only titles (I think Just Cause 2 is the only one so far - there probably won't be many ever).

 

[Schizo]

5770.

does everything what you want it to do.

ive just sold mine for £55 so can be had quite cheap.

good price for a good card.