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General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Dichotomy on February 23, 2011, 05:46:22 PM

Title: Time to shop for computer upgrades (non AH)
Post by: Dichotomy on February 23, 2011, 05:46:22 PM: Okay you computer whizzes and bargin shoppers I have a challenge for you :devil

Your budget is $300

The computer is a HP A6120N

Need to add:

Dual video card
1 Monitor 21" +
Windows 7

Budget can stretch a tad but let's keep it reasonable. Can you do it? (provide links as proof if ya don't mind)
Title: Re: Time to shop for computer upgrades (non AH)
Post by: Flipperk on February 23, 2011, 05:52:36 PM: nvm
Title: Re: Time to shop for computer upgrades (non AH)
Post by: gyrene81 on February 23, 2011, 07:00:50 PM: quick question...

that system won't take dual video cards...you want dual video outputs or split the video signal?

Windows 7 home premium 64bit full oem
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116754 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116754)
Title: Re: Time to shop for computer upgrades (non AH)
Post by: Dichotomy on February 23, 2011, 07:05:28 PM: two monitors
Title: Re: Time to shop for computer upgrades (non AH)
Post by: Wildcat1 on February 23, 2011, 07:15:53 PM: ATi Radeon HD 5770

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5316156&CatId=3669 (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5316156&CatId=3669)
Title: Re: Time to shop for computer upgrades (non AH)
Post by: gyrene81 on February 23, 2011, 07:19:58 PM: didn't answer the question so i'll ad lib... :lol

monitor 22in acer
http://www.buy.com/prod/acer-v213h-bjbd-22-lcd-monitor-5ms-1920-x-1080-50000-1-dvi/q/loc/101/215075693.html (http://www.buy.com/prod/acer-v213h-bjbd-22-lcd-monitor-5ms-1920-x-1080-50000-1-dvi/q/loc/101/215075693.html)

video card with dual dvi outputs
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130395 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130395)

or any video card you want with one of these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812120612&cm_re=dvi_to_vga_splitter-_-12-120-612-_-Product (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812120612&cm_re=dvi_to_vga_splitter-_-12-120-612-_-Product)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882750035&Tpk=Tripp%20Lite%20P564-001 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882750035&Tpk=Tripp%20Lite%20P564-001)
Title: Re: Time to shop for computer upgrades (non AH)
Post by: Dichotomy on February 23, 2011, 08:18:03 PM: Quote from: gyrene81 on February 23, 2011, 07:19:58 PM
didn't answer the question so i'll ad lib... :lol

I had eight things going on at that particular moment jackhole :neener: ;)

2 independent monitors with an internal vid card.
Title: Re: Time to shop for computer upgrades (non AH)
Post by: Maverick on February 23, 2011, 08:22:06 PM: Do you have a big enough power supply to run the ungrade vid card? If not then you'll have to factor that into the bid too.
Title: Re: Time to shop for computer upgrades (non AH)
Post by: Dichotomy on February 23, 2011, 08:39:10 PM: dunno Mav.. thus I consulted the experts.. ya wrong forum and Skuzzy will punt me in the am but I am not a hardware guy.
Title: Re: Time to shop for computer upgrades (non AH)
Post by: Mustaine on February 23, 2011, 09:28:02 PM: 2 monitors $119 each
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6818950&CatId=5469

video card $36
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4843030&CatId=3670

Windows 7 home is $99 everywhere, if you find it cheaper it is not legit.

<EDIT> Every I mean EVERY workstation I manage (243 of them) has dual monitors, mostly 19" 3x4 ratio but programmers, managers, and IT have dual 22" widescreens. We use a similar card, and similar monitors, I can guarantee it will work, but I'm not saying this is for anything but workstation duties, browsers, spreadsheets, and the like; not multimedia content. Our graphic designers also use a similar card in Dell Optiplex 380's with core 2 duo intels, and 4gb memory.
Title: Re: Time to shop for computer upgrades (non AH)
Post by: gyrene81 on February 24, 2011, 09:43:25 AM: mustaine...you must be splitting the video output (dvi to vga or dvi to dvi) using an adaptor...wouldn't dual video outputs offer more flexibility? i've used both and dual video outputs on the graphics card allow more flexible monitor configurations over the splitter cables.
Title: Re: Time to shop for computer upgrades (non AH)
Post by: Maverick on February 24, 2011, 12:01:22 PM: Dicho,

Open the case and look at the power supply. The box HP generally has the minimum power supply for the way it is equipped out the door. If you do not have at least a 450 power supply you will need a larger one so add another $50 to $100 to the cost depending on what power supply you buy. I bought an HP about 3 years ago now and wanted to add a vid card to it as the built in one just didn't do the games that well. The power supply issue was a road block for me. I need to get that first before I buy even a 2 year old card. Don't need cutting edge for box games but better than 500 megs built in sharing the board memory for sure.
Title: Re: Time to shop for computer upgrades (non AH)
Post by: Dichotomy on February 24, 2011, 12:03:02 PM: thx mav I'll take a look at it tonight
Title: Re: Time to shop for computer upgrades (non AH)
Post by: Mustaine on February 24, 2011, 02:10:04 PM: Quote from: gyrene81 on February 24, 2011, 09:43:25 AM
mustaine...you must be splitting the video output (dvi to vga or dvi to dvi) using an adaptor...wouldn't dual video outputs offer more flexibility? i've used both and dual video outputs on the graphics card allow more flexible monitor configurations over the splitter cables.
the card has 2 outs, 1 DVI and one VGA, use both.

Here at work we use cards with dual VGA output, but that is going by the wayside as those PCI cards are harder to find... the newest batch had 1 VGA and 1 DVI, and we got a bunch of $2 DVI to VGA adapters the size of a match box.