Dual Monitor support in ATI versus Nvidia 256MB

[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 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

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...

 

[BobS]

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

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.

 

[Clas Mehus]

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.

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.

 

[Tom Scales]

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.

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

 

[Blue Apricot]

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

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 Scales]

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

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

 

[Garrot]

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

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