Monitor + Graphics Upgrade Questions

[michaelper22]

After seeing Apple's gorgeous 30 inch Cimena HD display in the Apple store, I decided to upgrade my setup. I've settled on Dell's 22 inch Widescreen (the E228WFP, http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=320-5205), which is a solid display at a resonable price. But before even buying this monitor, I have some thoughts and questions.

First and foremost, does anyone who has this monitor have any cons with it?

Right now, my computer has the integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900. The only graphics output is a VGA D-sub port (aka a regular monitor port). This works fine for my 17 inch HP LCD, but will it work for the Dell's VGA input, with its (significantly) increased resolution?

Another idea I was pondering was buying a relatively cheap PCI graphics card (not PCI-E, just plain PCI, since my system doesn't even have AGP), and then running a dual monitor setup. The Dell would be hooked up to the new card's DVI-I output, and my HP would remain connected to the integrated VGA. Would this arrangment work?

 

[SNGX1275]

If you don't game, you'd be fine with what you have. If you want to do modern gamimg, you won't be able to at naitive resolutions no matter what card you put in.

Yes if you get a PCI card with dual out, you can run 2 monitors easily enough, you'll just have to play with some settings in the display properties to get them to behave how you want.

 

[michaelper22]

Thanks for the info.

Just for clarification the Dell monitor has a DVI-D interface, and the graphics card I may want comes with DVI-I. From what I've read on the net (http://www.datapro.net/techinfo/dvi_info.html and http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/DVI_info.html

In regard to your second statement, I was talking about hooking up the new monitor to the new graphics card, and the old monitor to the integrated graphics. That would involve keeping the integrated GMA system active after installng the new card. Would that work?

Edited by Moderator: Removed quote. There`s no need to quote the post directly above your own, unless you`re only replying to a specific section, in which case you would only quote that section.

 

[SNGX1275]

That won't be a problem (the DVI). Generally you don't want to run integrated graphics and a dedicated card at the same time. I'd just look for a PCI card with dual outs. It will work fine that way, and I can't say the same for if you try to run both integrated and pci.

 

[michaelper22]

Will the graphics card be able to run both the high-resolution Dell monitor and the 17 inch? Can it support suchg a great resolution?

Another question: Since the 22 inch has a larger vertical resolution, what will the picture on the 17 inch look like? The Dell has a 1680 * 1050 resolution, while the HP has 1280 * 1024.

 

[SNGX1275]

Yep. Unless you are running full Aero in Vista. Desktops aren't very demanding. Resolutions can be independent, it will be fine. Just the top or bottom of your big monitor won't allow the cursor to go over to the smaller one until you hit the size of the other. Just don't worry about it it will be fine.

Just from personal expierence, I think nVidia handles multiple monitors better, but the last time I used multiple on an ATi card with different res monitors was a couple years ago, so it might have changed.

 

[michaelper22]

OK. Thank you all for your help.

Now I just need the money to buy all this stuff.

 

[sghiznaneck]

If you're running integrated graphics, it's a waste of money to purchase a high end monitor. You won't be able to take full advantage of the of the performance.