30" LCD Monitors

dwalden · Rated PG-13 Joined: 17 May 2006 Posts: 35

The last time I looked into the big 30" Dell (or Apple) monitors, they required dual video cards in SLI to achieve the resolution of 2560x1600. Since they were $2000 I never fully looked into it.

Now that the Dell is down to $1350, I am starting to consider one.
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=222-7175

So my question is this. Now with the GF8800 series cards out, do you still need 2 of them, or can one attain that resolution?

Tau · Rated PG-13 Joined: 17 Mar 2007 Posts: 39 Location: Earth

one can run them fine, though what you should be asking yourself is will one card give you a playable framerate in games. The problem you would run into with that kind of resolution is maintaining a playable frame rate, now depending what you use your computer for this may or may not be an issue.

Also note that Dell/Apple do not manufacture those 24/27/30" monitors.

Sony manufactures the panel and also sells a version of it, Apple, Dell, and Westinghouse's panels use the Sony LCD's. I would reccomend either the Westinghouse (if you can find them i think they stopped selling the 30"'s) or the Dell. I know that the Westinghouse/Dell use a better power source than the Apple, and SOny ones (might even be the same i am not sure)

dwalden · Rated PG-13 Joined: 17 May 2006 Posts: 35

Thanks for the info!

I fully realize that about the framerate. I was just wondering if it was possible. I didn't want to have to buy a second card the same day I spend all the cash on the monitor. Do any games support that res anyway?

dwalden · Rated PG-13 Joined: 17 May 2006 Posts: 35

Tau · Rated PG-13 Joined: 17 Mar 2007 Posts: 39 Location: Earth

o.O they might have stopped selling them but they still make the panels and OEM them to other companies. i can look when i get home to see if i can find you a link. the res on those screens are is the max that Nvidia cards can display at anyways, i know Farcry supports those res's i would also assume alot of the MMo's would support it as well, probobly flight simulators as well.