Dual 30" Setup GPU

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xxxballa210

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Feb 12, 2005
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I just bought a 30" Apple HD Cinema Display, and I plan on getting another one as soon as I get some more cash. I am pretty excited this is gonna be a much nicer setup than I am used to. Currently running two 22" Acers. I am wondering whether I will need to get a new video card in order to run two 30" cinemas. I have a Geforce 8600GT 256MB DVI. I don't do any gaming whatsoever but I do a lot of photoshop and web design stuff and stock charts and stuff for school. So will I be ok doing that stuff with my current card? If not what should I get to run these screens for what I do?
 
I'm not sure if Dual-Link DVI is supported on both ports simultaneously. Someone else will have to chime in.
 
which exact 8600 do you have,

if I was you, I would bump up that card anyways, the 8600 isn't incredibly powerful, and if you are running two 30 inchers, especially the apple kind, you can afford to get a nicer card with two dual link DVI ports, which is required for the 2560x1600 resolution of your monitors. to run them both simultaneously, you need a single card with two dual link dvi ports... so just make sure any card, including your 8600, has two of those ports or you can't run your monitors at native resolution.
 
I am not sure if it is capable of running dual link simultaneously. It has dual dvi outputs... and its dual link capable. It says in the specs:

Two dual-link DVI outputs support two 2560x1600 resolution displays

I guess that means it will run them. Will I really need anything more powerful if I dont game? Is the extra memory going to do anything special for me?


I am getting the two cinemas because I love having the screen real estate, it makes it much easier to work... My friends dad has the same setup in his home office and its real nice. I am planning on mounting a VIZIO plasma screen above the monitors for video and stuff. I will probably have to get another card for that as well.
 
your card will handle both monitors just fine, although gaming will be sluggish (as hell)

if you don't have PureVideo HD or whatever nVidia's h/w accel video decoding is called (if they still require it as a separate download), I'd grab that, to help with HD video scaling/playback, although this isn't required (And the 8600 will do fine for this kind of h/w acceleration)
 
Most videos cards now have Dual Link DVI support. Since you don't game, all you need is something like this. If your 8600GT video card has 2 x DVI ports, it will be fine to just use that.
 
You could probably save some cash buy purchasing different 30" monitors. The Apple Cinema is just a repackaged panel from another brand. Can't remember which one though, I think it might be the Samsung.
 
yea, you could probably spend about half as much and go with different 30" displays, but I think he already bought the Apple's.
 
I think Apples are the only standard gamut, the rest of the 30" panels are NOW wide gamut.
 
I might go with something different I havent really decided. I bought one screen already. I may sell it and get something different but it will be two 30" regardless.

I got the cinema for about $1100 used, thats about what the other ones go for new. What two 30" can I get for sub $2000?
 
dell 3007wfp-hc from dell outlet when they are in stock-- 799 a piece and cheaper with a coupon

I and many others have had fantastic luck with the dell refurbs-- for the price it can't be beat
 
Why not get a 4870x2? It should have the power to handle both of those displays. And if you're dropping that much cash on the screens, you'd want them to run without any noticeable lag.
If you don't want to spend that much then a 4890 or 275GTX should also be good enough.
 
Because he doesn't game and those cards will offer him 0 benefits most likely.
 
That should be fine. I ran a pair of 30" dells on a 7900gtx, if I remember right. More than enough horsepower for desktop apps. Gaming... not so much.
 
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