Dual Monitor support in ATI versus Nvidia 256MB

  • Thread starter Thread starter Blue Apricot
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B

Blue Apricot

I am buying a computer from Dell, and I have the option of adding an
NVidia or ATI graphics card. They are both around the same price.

I have two monitors, so I want to get whichever one has built in
support for two monitors at the same time. (Maybe neither do? Maybe
both do?) I don't play a lot of new games, but I do like to watch DVDs
and downloaded videos on my computer.

The cards are:
1. 256MB NVIDIA Geforce 7300LE TurboCache
2. 256MB ATI Radeon X1300 Pro

Can you tell me if either of these supports simultaneous dual monitor
support? I want to have a "desktop" that is two monitors wide,
allowing me to drag things from one display to the other.

Thanks,
blueparicot
 
Blue said:
I am buying a computer from Dell, and I have the option of adding an
NVidia or ATI graphics card. They are both around the same price.

I have two monitors, so I want to get whichever one has built in
support for two monitors at the same time. (Maybe neither do? Maybe
both do?) I don't play a lot of new games, but I do like to watch DVDs
and downloaded videos on my computer.

The cards are:
1. 256MB NVIDIA Geforce 7300LE TurboCache
2. 256MB ATI Radeon X1300 Pro

Can you tell me if either of these supports simultaneous dual monitor
support? I want to have a "desktop" that is two monitors wide,
allowing me to drag things from one display to the other.

Thanks,
blueparicot
Click to expand...

I wanted to make it clear: I do NOT want to run two cards,
side-by-side. I am hoping one (or both) of these cards has two ports
on one card. That is, using only one card I want to plug two monitors
into it...
 
Blue Apricot said:
I am buying a computer from Dell, and I have the option of adding an
NVidia or ATI graphics card. They are both around the same price.

I have two monitors, so I want to get whichever one has built in
support for two monitors at the same time. (Maybe neither do? Maybe
both do?) I don't play a lot of new games, but I do like to watch DVDs
and downloaded videos on my computer.

The cards are:
1. 256MB NVIDIA Geforce 7300LE TurboCache
2. 256MB ATI Radeon X1300 Pro

Can you tell me if either of these supports simultaneous dual monitor
support? I want to have a "desktop" that is two monitors wide,
allowing me to drag things from one display to the other.

Thanks,
blueparicot
Click to expand...

It appears that the NVIDIA card has 1 DVI and 1 VGA connector whereas the
ATI card has 2 VGA connectors according to the specs I've seen. If your
monitors require a VGA signal (analog), looks like the best choice for you
would be the ATI card.

Bob S.
 
It appears that the NVIDIA card has 1 DVI and 1 VGA connector whereas the
ATI card has 2 VGA connectors according to the specs I've seen. If your
monitors require a VGA signal (analog), looks like the best choice for you
would be the ATI card.
Click to expand...

You get a DVI-to-VGA-adapter for just a few $. I also have to say, I
can't belive they ship a X1300-board today with two analog
connections. All X1300-boards I have seen has DVI, and basicly all
videoboards on the market, even at the very low end, has at least one
DVI today.

Personally I like Nvidias nView-solution better than ATI HydraVision
when it comes to dual-monitor-setup.
 
Clas Mehus said:
You get a DVI-to-VGA-adapter for just a few $. I also have to say, I
can't belive they ship a X1300-board today with two analog
connections. All X1300-boards I have seen has DVI, and basicly all
videoboards on the market, even at the very low end, has at least one
DVI today.

Personally I like Nvidias nView-solution better than ATI HydraVision
when it comes to dual-monitor-setup.
Click to expand...

They don't. Both would be one DVI and one VGA, unless they are both DVI.
Every Dell I've bought came with the DVI->VGA adapter.

Go with either one. I prefer nVidia, but they're both OK. The best choice
offered by Dell is the nVidia 7900GS, but it is quite a bit more money.

Tom
 
Tom said:
They don't. Both would be one DVI and one VGA, unless they are both DVI.
Every Dell I've bought came with the DVI->VGA adapter.

Go with either one. I prefer nVidia, but they're both OK. The best choice
offered by Dell is the nVidia 7900GS, but it is quite a bit more money.

Tom
Click to expand...

Thanks for the replies.

Just to confirm -- as I am buying this today -- I can get either
graphics card, because they both can drive two monitors
"out-of-the-box"? And in a worse case scenario, I will just have to
spring for a "DVI->VGA adapter"?

If that is the case I am leaning towards the Nvidia -- seems to get
better reviews.

Thanks for any confirmation/clarification. :)

bleuapricot
 
Tom said:
They don't. Both would be one DVI and one VGA, unless they are both DVI.
Every Dell I've bought came with the DVI->VGA adapter.

Go with either one. I prefer nVidia, but they're both OK. The best
choice
offered by Dell is the nVidia 7900GS, but it is quite a bit more money.

Tom
Click to expand...

Thanks for the replies.

Just to confirm -- as I am buying this today -- I can get either
graphics card, because they both can drive two monitors
"out-of-the-box"? And in a worse case scenario, I will just have to
spring for a "DVI->VGA adapter"?

If that is the case I am leaning towards the Nvidia -- seems to get
better reviews.

Thanks for any confirmation/clarification. :)

bleuapricot


Yes. The only thing you may not be able to do is run two DVI monitors.
Odds are it is one DVI and one VGA or two VGA
 
Clas said:
Personally I like Nvidias nView-solution better than ATI HydraVision
when it comes to dual-monitor-setup.
Click to expand...

You don't have to use Hydravision to get dual monitor support on ATI cards.
 
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