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9 Posts
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219244
September 23rd, 2010 02:00
Optiplex 980 dual display
Hi all,
Looking at the tech specs, the base spec Optiplex 980 with embedded video chipset has both VGA and DisplayPort outputs as standard.
I want to run two independent displays from the PC. Will the base spec 980 do this? Would I run one via VGA and one via DP, or both via DP? The monitors I'm running have VGA and DVI inputs so DP would need an adapter - I'm guessing DP to DVI would give best quality.
If dual monitors can't be run from the base spec, can I put in a cheap single output VGA PCI card, or would this disable the embedded VGA?
Lastly, how much system RAM would the embedded VGA borrow? I'm looking to run two monitors at 1600x1200 resolution, 32-bit colour.
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Masi_GC
268 Posts
1
September 23rd, 2010 07:00
Hi PM01,
A base Optiplex 980 will support dual displays, one from the VGA and the other from the DisplayPort connectors. Note that models with the i-7 or i-5 processors don't have on-board video (don't know why - guessing that they use a different motherboard).
Yes, a DP to DVI adapter will be necessary.
If you install a video card, the on-board video will be disabled automatically by the BIOS.
Typically, on-board video will use 128 to 256MB of system memory now-a-days. If you are using a 32-bit O/S, 768MB is not accessible to the O/S anyways because the PCI-E bus reserves the address space for itself. If you are using a 64-bit OS, all the memory (other that the memory claimed by the video) is accessible by your O/S.
Masi_GC
pm01
9 Posts
0
September 23rd, 2010 09:00
Many thanks for your detailed and informative reply.