Which screen should I use with R9-280X?

[keymoo]

I've just installed a Sapphire Dual-X R9 280X graphics card and I have two Hazro 27inch monitors at resolution of 2560x1440. The graphics card has two DVI outputs, one is white and one is dark grey. Is there a difference? I usually play games on one monitor, so does it matter which DVI output I use? Are they both the same?

2nd Q:
I have a spare HIS HD 5450 fanless card which I could pop into my machine for the second screen (non games playing), any benefit in doing that?

Thanks.

 

[Confused Stu]

Both DVI ports on your card are dual-link, so can support DVI resolutions up to 2560x1600 @ 60Hz, so it doesn't matter which screen you hook up to which.

The actual difference is that the white DVI is a DVI-I port, where the dark port is a DVI-D. This means you can use a DVI-VGA adapter or cable on the white one to run an old VGA monitor, but you cannot do this on the dark port as it's digital connections only.

While there is a theoretical disadvantage to running two screens from one card rather than just running one screen, it's going to be so small as to be difficult or impossible to measure and certainly couldn't be noticed. I think of it like taking a passenger in your Ferrari - theoretically you'll be slower round a racetrack due to the extra weight, but you'd never notice it in real life. I would just run both screens off your 280X and don't worry about using the 5450 at all.

 

[keymoo]

Thanks Stu. Your post is a beacon of clarity and not confused at all.