Help selecting used desktop pc for 3 monitor setup

[luger]

I'm looking to buy a used Windows 7 desktop/tower computer. I'm not planning on gaming - just running apps, watching videos, web, etc.

I would like to run a 3 monitor setup. What should I look for in a used pc to make sure I can do this? Or is it generally cheap enough to add a video card that a pc with just the mb integrated graphics is a good enough platform?

Should the pc have multiple video card slots or is 1 enough for a 3 monitor setup? Would having an extra card slot allow me to expand out to 5 or 6 monitors if I decide to do so in the future?

Is a 300W power supply necessary?

What minimum level processor should I be considering here?

Anything else I should look for?

Thanks!

 

[Ken g6]

I believe any 5000-series and later AMD/ATI card will do 3 monitors...if the monitors and the card have compatible ports. If the PC doesn't come with one, such cards are cheap, though getting one with the ports you require might be more expensive.

If you get a system with onboard Intel graphics, you might be able to convince it to use both the Intel graphics and an included video card. But there are no guarantees on this.

I'd say the minimum in a used PC is an Athlon II or Phenom II on the AMD side, or a Core 2 (not just plain Core) level processor on the Intel side. You want to avoid Pentium 4-based Intel processors, which can be tricky based on the name. "D" in the name is bad - though "dual-core" may or may not be. If you get a Celeron or Pentium, make sure it either has E#### (4 digits) or G followed by 3 or 4 digits (500 or higher). Any "Core 2", "Core i3", "Core i5", or "Core i7" processor is fine - though the last two are also overkill.

 

[mfenn]

I believe any 5000-series and later AMD/ATI card will do 3 monitors...

Assuming one monitor is DisplayPort or you use an Active DisplayPort to DVI/HDMI adapter.

I agree that getting an IGP machine from the Dell Outlet or similar and adding a ~6450 is the way to go. You're more likely to find a better deal that way than looking for machines with a capable discrete GPU.

 

[luger]

I believe any 5000-series and later AMD/ATI card will do 3 monitors...if the monitors and the card have compatible ports. If the PC doesn't come with one, such cards are cheap, though getting one with the ports you require might be more expensive.

By 'ports', you're referring to VGA/DVI/HDMI, correct?

If you get a system with onboard Intel graphics, you might be able to convince it to use both the Intel graphics and an included video card. But there are no guarantees on this.

So assuming that I couldn't use the onboard graphics with a video card, it sounds like it wouldn't be a problem to get a video card that can support 3 monitors in extended display mode.

And by extension, I could add a second video card to support additional monitors. Am I understanding this correctly? Sorry, been a decade since I last used a desktop/tower.

I'd say the minimum in a used PC is an Athlon II or Phenom II on the AMD side, or a Core 2 (not just plain Core) level processor on the Intel side. You want to avoid Pentium 4-based Intel processors, which can be tricky based on the name. "D" in the name is bad - though "dual-core" may or may not be. If you get a Celeron or Pentium, make sure it either has E#### (4 digits) or G followed by 3 or 4 digits (500 or higher). Any "Core 2", "Core i3", "Core i5", or "Core i7" processor is fine - though the last two are also overkill.

Thanks, this helps narrow down the search. I'll probably go 'Core 2' or 'Core i3' so I can stay off the bleeding edge, but still have something that won't need to be replaced in 2 years. How much would something like that run, used with Win7 and just onboard graphics, keyboard/mouse, general ballpark?

 

[luger]

Assuming one monitor is DisplayPort or you use an Active DisplayPort to DVI/HDMI adapter.

I agree that getting an IGP machine from the Dell Outlet or similar and adding a ~6450 is the way to go. You're more likely to find a better deal that way than looking for machines with a capable discrete GPU.

Yeah, seems like getting a machine with just onboard graphics and then picking up the video card I want would be less of a headache.

What is DisplayPort? Sounds like a connection only certain monitors will have? Do those monitors tend to be more pricey?

If so, can I use 2 video cards (since the cards seem relatively inexpensive) to power 3 or 4 non-DisplayPort monitors?

 

[ghost03]

I have two 3-monitor setups, one for gaming at home and one for work at my office.

On the work one, since gaming is not required, I just use a mid-range AMD card and the Integrated Intel HD 3000 graphics card together. The AMD card has a DVI and an HDMI (which I have an adapter to DVI), and the onboard has a DVI, so I can drive all three monitors with DVI connections. It didn't really take any messing around to get it to work, either, I just installed both drivers.

 

[luger]

I have two 3-monitor setups, one for gaming at home and one for work at my office.

On the work one, since gaming is not required, I just use a mid-range AMD card and the Integrated Intel HD 3000 graphics card together. The AMD card has a DVI and an HDMI (which I have an adapter to DVI), and the onboard has a DVI, so I can drive all three monitors with DVI connections. It didn't really take any messing around to get it to work, either, I just installed both drivers.

That sounds like it would work for me.

One thing I noticed from looking around is that a lot of computers have 1 PCI Express x16 slot. Would it be helpful to have another such slot if I eventually want to get to 4 or 5 monitors?

 

[luger]

Would this suit my needs?

http://us.gateway.com/gw/en/US/content/model/DT.GCCAA.001

Windows® 7 Home Premium - 3.0GHz Intel® Core™ i5 quad core - 4GB memory, max 16GB - 1TB storage - Intel® HD Graphics - 300W - Wi-Fi - HDMI® - USB 3.0

Not sure which Intel integrated graphics card it is - maybe Intel HD 2000? Anyway, will this system with it's 300W power supply be able to handle the additional graphics card I'll need to get to 3 monitors?

The case seems large enough that it should be able to physically fit a graphics card without issue.

 

[mfenn]

What is DisplayPort? Sounds like a connection only certain monitors will have? Do those monitors tend to be more pricey?

DisplayPort is a newer connection only found on newer monitors. And yes, monitors with it tend to cost more. Though, in the world of monitors, you get what you pay for.

If so, can I use 2 video cards (since the cards seem relatively inexpensive) to power 3 or 4 non-DisplayPort monitors?

Yes, as long as you have the PCIe slots.

 

[mfenn]

Would this suit my needs?

http://us.gateway.com/gw/en/US/content/model/DT.GCCAA.001

Windows® 7 Home Premium - 3.0GHz Intel® Core™ i5 quad core - 4GB memory, max 16GB - 1TB storage - Intel® HD Graphics - 300W - Wi-Fi - HDMI® - USB 3.0

Not sure which Intel integrated graphics card it is - maybe Intel HD 2000? Anyway, will this system with it's 300W power supply be able to handle the additional graphics card I'll need to get to 3 monitors?

The case seems large enough that it should be able to physically fit a graphics card without issue.

Detailed information on that machine is very scarce. It "probably" has a PCIe x16 slot where you can add a GPU, but it almost certainly does not have two (for two GPUs). For $600, I'd pass.

 

[luger]

DisplayPort is a newer connection only found on newer monitors. And yes, monitors with it tend to cost more. Though, in the world of monitors, you get what you pay for.



Yes, as long as you have the PCIe slots.

Thanks.

Detailed information on that machine is very scarce. It "probably" has a PCIe x16 slot where you can add a GPU, but it almost certainly does not have two (for two GPUs). For $600, I'd pass.

It was $400, but I passed anyway as I found a better deal on Craigslist.

Now that I've got a computer (and a second monitor), I've asked more specific questions in this thread in the graphics subforum.