Existing PC, Ultra Wide Monitor question

PaulinMyrBch

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My PC is a hp Prodesk 400 G1. I work from home and currently go dual monitor. I normally work with several open documents/windows. I'm thinking of upgrading to one of the 34" Ultrawide Monitors. Problem is ports aren't compatible, the PC has DVI-D and VGA (doesn't even have an HDMI port). These wide monitors (as far as I can tell) only have HDMI or DisplayPort inputs.

What searching I've done seems to point me in 3 directions if I really want the monitor.
1. Get a new PC (this one is perfect except for the ports)
2. Upgrade this PC with whatever I need so it has that port. I know very little about this hardware/software upgrade and associated costs.
3. Use the DVI - DisplayPort (or HDMI) adapter. (Resolution and would max out at 1920x1080)

Any thoughts here? Is 3 a viable option if I'm not using it for gaming or any thing that requires super duper video resolution? Other suggestions are welcome. I'd like to get rid of the dual monitor thing and have it all on one bigger screen.
 

Couperin47

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Specs say there are 2 models, HP based on the Intel H81 chipset and includes one PCI Express 2.0 1x16 slot, which you can uses to install a video card with much higher resolutions and virtually any combo of output ports you desire.

If you have the small formfactor version, you have a 240w power supply, if the microtower, a 300w supply:
http://www.hp.com/united-states/campaigns/new-style-it/assets/prodesk400.pdf

The one snag is that virtually all cards will require an extra direct power connection (probably 6 pin) to the card. Either may actually have an extra 6 pin power connector since a variety of optional video cards could be speced with both models, if not included, a splitter costs just a few bucks and either supply should easily be able to handle the extra load.
 

PaulinMyrBch

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Dec 10, 2003
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Specs say there are 2 models, HP based on the Intel H81 chipset and includes one PCI Express 2.0 1x16 slot, which you can uses to install a video card with much higher resolutions and virtually any combo of output ports you desire.

If you have the small formfactor version, you have a 240w power supply, if the microtower, a 300w supply:
http://www.hp.com/united-states/campaigns/new-style-it/assets/prodesk400.pdf

The one snag is that virtually all cards will require an extra direct power connection (probably 6 pin) to the card. Either may actually have an extra 6 pin power connector since a variety of optional video cards could be speced with both models, if not included, a splitter costs just a few bucks and either supply should easily be able to handle the extra load.
I have the larger one. Microtower.
 

cgori

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Oct 2, 2004
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Page 7 of this looks helpful as far as HP-suggested video cards (you can likely put almost anything you want in there - but this is the NVidia card they refer to - ~$90 on Amazon)
Based on my quick look at the customer Q&A, this also works in a 300W PSU case, is higher performance and cheaper (~$70).

(That 2nd card has 4 flavors - one of the comments from the manufacturer suggests that the 64-bit version has the bigger/better GPU chip, which is more than a bit confusing to me. I'm not completely up on the sub-$100 GPU card market, so others may want to comment.)
 
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cgori

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I hate to ask this, but did you get the $90 one or the $70 card? Because depending on the optimum resolution of the monitor you got (I can see some are as high as 3440x1440), the more expensive one can only drive up to 2048x1536 (it's actually older), whereas the $70 one is good for 4096x2160 - counterintuitive I know. It looks to me like this is the optimal one (2GB memory, 64bit/low profile, part # 02G-P3-3733-KR).

I know that some of the 32" monitors are only 1920x1080 (which will work fine), so it really depends on what you got for a monitor - it might be fine as-is.
 

PaulinMyrBch

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I bought this monitor last year. It's great but not what I want, so I'm gonna sell it and I thought I'd see if anyone on here wants it first.

It's super wide, but I found that I still like having multiple screens and this one is too wide when I've got monitors on both sides. I think its perfect if it was my only screen, but I Iike having things on different screens and I've found a 16:9 main screen will work better. I don't really utilize this the way it is designed.

Here is the link to monitor on Amazon. Mine is in perfect condition. Used prices are between $349-$399. If anyone wants it for around $300, let me know. I'll hold off listing it for a week or so.
 

Couperin47

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Yep, ultrawide monitors may be of interest to gamers, but the reality is that, unless you keep the monitor too far away to be comfortable, the edges are too far off axis and start showing color shifts and dimness which are inherent even in the best IPS screens. With 2 or 3 smaller monitors all of them can be angled so they are perpendicular when you turn your head.
 

PaulinMyrBch

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It's good if it was my only one. I can easily split the screens and put up two or three windows. I just like having some things open all day sitting on separate monitors. Hoping someone wants it, if not I'll list it.