which single slot multi monitor 70 quid graphics card?

[graphics123]

I was asking about suggestions for graphics cards from www.amazon.co.uk in another thread, but the problem changed

 

and I decided it was best to start a new thread.

 

I'm looking for a PCI express 16x graphics card,

 

 

Someone had advised me to get the Gigabyte GT 240, which looks like a great card, I bought this but

 

then found that it obscures the adjacent PCIexpress 1x slot on the Gigabyte M68M-S2P motherboard.

 

I need that adjacent 1x slot for a USB3 adapter, thus I have returned that for a refund.

 

Now I noticed also that some motherboards (eg ASUS) have the 1x slot first, then the 16x slot, then say 2 PCI slots,

 

thats better because the above GT240 could then be used as well as USB3 at the cost of a PCI socket

 

but not at the cost of a PCI express 1x socket

 

 

Unfortunately I'm stuck with the M68M-S2P.

 

Someone else then suggested the XFX Radeon HD5670, but the review here criticizes the multi monitor aspect.

 

 

I dont need 1 desktop spread across several monitors, and I dont need several completely different desktops.

 

But what I want is to be able to boot directly to a remote monitor by wireless by the Q-waves wireless product

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Q-Waves-Wireless-USB-HDMI-Extender/dp/B002RL9F38/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=computers&qid=1301432212&sr=8-1

 

by some wizardry with Q-waves, you plug a USB transmitter to the PC, the gadget on the right in the photo at the above link,

 

then the gadget on the left is a receiver to which you can connect analogue VGA, by the VGA socket in the photo.

 

 

To do this you need to use the multi monitor features, unfortunately with my graphics card from years ago you usually

 

need a monitor connected by cable to the PC, then from that to switch to the other monitor via USB wireless.

 

 

I also use the other Q-waves product

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Q-Waves-Wireless-USB-Data-Kit/dp/B002T9VBVM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=computers&qid=1301432212&sr=8-2

 

to use mouse and keyboard wirelessly with a USB hub at the Q-waves receiver.

 

 

you have to synchronize both Q-waves products, as the transmitters are the same, and you can use one transmitter for both receivers

but they have to be synchronized. Actually you can connect lots of the Q-waves products by synchronizing their transmitters.

 

 

As it may not be feasible for people to try out the Q-waves, the full question is like this:

 

 

which graphics card should I get from www.amazon.co.uk

 

which doesnt obscure the adjacent PCI express socket,

 

which has the best possible multi monitor functionality,

 

for about 70 quid. But it could be say 50 quid or 100 quid,

 

 

subject to that, one which has the best possible graphics

 

good enough say to watch blue ray on a 1920x1080 HD TFT monitor.

 

 

ie in descending order of priority:

 

1. must be from www.amazon.co.uk, even if other places are cheaper,

 

2. must NOT obscure adjacent socket, the sockets on the M68M-S2P are like this:

 

pci express 16x

----------------------

 

pci express 1x GFX CARD MUST NOT OBSCURE THIS SOCKET! (the GT240 DOES obscure this)

----

 

pci

-------------

 

pci

------------

 

3. must be a PCI express 16x graphics card,

 

4. must support 1920x1080 HD, and deal with datarates of blueray,

 

5. needs best possible multi monitor, but I only need identical desktops at different

resolutions up to HD as

I want to boot directly to a remote monitor via Q-waves without needing

a main monitor connected. A main monitor is needed to configure Q-waves

to monitor 2 say. But future boots should boot directly to the remote monitor.

Not interested in other multi monitor uses, 1 screen across several monitors

is no use if the monitors are in different rooms!

 

ie I want a gfx card which can boot directly to monitor 2,

 

 

6. 70 quid is an ideal price, 50 quid is a bargain, 100 is a bit steep,

ie go for 50 if you can, go above 70 only if you must,

 

7. other graphics capabilities would be nice, but the priority is the above.

The main 3D stuff I use is just the 3D screensavers eg those from astro-geminii,

 

 

perhaps a card where the multi monitor features are as good as the Gigabyte GT240,

I havent used the GT240 but I looked through the manual and the multi monitor info

looked impressive. The XFX Radeon HD 5670 info seems to talk of 3 frames per second

for multi monitor which sounds a bit useless!

 

I really just want 1 extra monitor without the main monitor.

 

 

one other thing is that someone told me its possible to get an extender for graphics cards

 

so they are connected outside the PC, I dont know if thats true? because then maybe I could

 

use the GT240 and use USB3 but I dont know if I believe this!

[paulktreg]

To answer your last point you can buy a PCI-E 16X Riser Card Extender Ribbon like this. If you could mount your graphics card safely inside the PC enclosure and still connect to it it may be the answer to your problem?

[imm0rt41]

The problem with that Gigabyte GT240 is it has a non-reference cooler on it that obscures the slot. I have an eVGA GT240 that will not block the next slot because it has a reference style cooler that is really small compared to the Gigabyte.

 

Something like this, but I have the 1GB version. I would definitely recommend it. I get around 30fps playing crysis with the game's recommended settings

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130531

[graphics123]

To answer your last point you can buy a PCI-E 16X Riser Card Extender Ribbon like this. If you could mount your graphics card safely inside the PC enclosure and still connect to it it may be the answer to your problem?

 

looks interesting

 

the next question is how to secure the graphics card, is there a further device for this?

 

there are 3 PCI tower slots beyond the micro ATX board, the nearest one is 8cm away,

 

perhaps that can be used, but the extender ribbon would need to go over the other cards,

 

the above link says its 15cm,

 

 

 

 

the link says "Can be placed in a variety of locations according to the case height and position"

 

I wonder what they have in mind

 

 

 

a photo or a drawing of example usages would be useful!

[graphics123]

The problem with that Gigabyte GT240 is it has a non-reference cooler on it that obscures the slot. I have an eVGA GT240 that will not block the next slot because it has a reference style cooler that is really small compared to the Gigabyte.

 

Something like this, but I have the 1GB version. I would definitely recommend it. I get around 30fps playing crysis with the game's recommended settings

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130531

 

are you referring to this one?:

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/eVGA-GeForce-GT-240-Graphics/dp/B00483ELBO/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301494355&sr=8-1-fkmr2

 

will this one not obscure the next 1x slot?

 

if it doesnt obscure the next slot I may go for this

 

the purchase needs to be from www.amazon.co.uk as its with vouchers that can only be used at that website,

I cannot use the vouchers even at www.amazon.com, just at www.amazon.co.uk

 

[graphics123]

The problem with that Gigabyte GT240 is it has a non-reference cooler on it that obscures the slot. I have an eVGA GT240 that will not block the next slot because it has a reference style cooler that is really small compared to the Gigabyte.

 

Something like this, but I have the 1GB version. I would definitely recommend it. I get around 30fps playing crysis with the game's recommended settings

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130531

 

 

do you know if the following gt240 wont obscure the next slot?:

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/KFA2-GeForce-Graphic-Card-GDDR3/dp/B003Z0BQLY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=computers&qid=1301497152&sr=8-2

 

is this card any good?

[bernardv]

Go with this: http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/xfx-hd-575x-zmf3-graphics-card-radeon-hd-5750-1024mb-pci-e-dvi.html

 

It costs a 100 quid, but it's a real graphics card, not just a 'video adapter'.

[SpeedCrazy]

Go with this: http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/xfx-hd-575x-zmf3-graphics-card-radeon-hd-5750-1024mb-pci-e-dvi.html

 

It costs a 100 quid, but it's a real graphics card, not just a 'video adapter'.

What do you mean by "a real graphics card" and "not just a video adapter"? The gt240 is real graphics card.

 

OP, that card is a single slot card and will leave the next slot free.

[bernardv]

What do you mean by "a real graphics card" and "not just a video adapter"? The gt240 is real graphics card.

 

OP, that card is a single slot card and will leave the next slot free.

 

I checke http://www.guru3d.com/article/msi-geforce-gt-240-review-test/13 . 240 is a discrete graphics card with some power. I f you look at 3D mark vantage GPU score it gets 4500. Radeon 5750 gets 7000. If you inted to do any gaming at all I'd go with 5750. Otherwise even GT 220 will do just nicely.

[jk336699]

how about this?

single slot and £99

[graphics123]

if anyone can comment on the recent suggestions, either advantages or disadvantages or further suggestions

 

this would be useful, as I have no idea at all what to go for!

 

 

often you can only know for sure if hardware is any good if you've tried it yourself, thus if you've

 

used any of the above recommendations please can you comment on what its like.

 

 

or if you can grade the different links, subjectively of course, if you disagree with someone's

 

grading please supply your own grading perhaps with some explanation of your thinking,

 

or grade some of them, if you are eagle eyed perhaps you can find some fundamental

 

problem with some products.

 

 

 

 

in the end I'm going to have to guess which to go for, as its unfathomable until its too late.

 

 

also things like quietness, low power consumption are important, and good multimonitor facilities are good.

 

 

I suspect that all the recent suggestions probably are sufficiently good graphics, as they seem to be all at least HD resolution,

 

thus the deciding attributes are probably: multimonitor, price, quietness, lower wattage, and its nice to have as many

 

different kinds of sockets as possible,

 

the monitor I use has a DVI-D socket, its an LG Flatron W2253TQ 1920x1030 monitor without speakers, I bought some

 

separate small hifi speakers with good bass for the sound, intended for hifi use not for computer use. they have an

 

inbuilt amplifier with bass, treble, and surround, and air vents for the bass. They are called "surf sound" from Maplins

 

from the discotheque part of the store.

 

By using hifi speakers I found that with CD tracks I could hear extra voices not audible with the earlier labtec speakers,

 

and the bass is like a disco!

[imm0rt41]

are you referring to this one?:

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/eVGA-GeForce-GT-240-Graphics/dp/B00483ELBO/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301494355&sr=8-1-fkmr2

 

will this one not obscure the next 1x slot?

 

if it doesnt obscure the next slot I may go for this

 

the purchase needs to be from www.amazon.co.uk as its with vouchers that can only be used at that website,

I cannot use the vouchers even at www.amazon.com, just at www.amazon.co.uk

 

I was saying that one has a non-reference style cooler (I.E. not the original design) and the cooler will block the 1x slot. Look for something like the GT240 I posted, or the Radeon cards these guys posted that has a slimmer cooler on top of it