# Tell me about Nvidia PCIe display cards

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-nvidia-pcie-display-cards/614814>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 5, 2012, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-nvidia-pcie-display-cards/614814 "2012-03-05T13:51:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-nvidia-pcie-display-cards/614814/1 "2012-03-05T13:51:47Z")

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I run multiple external monitors on my now-elderly G4 PowerBook when it’s set up at my home office. It supports one external right out of the box, the second is handled with a CardBus (PCMCIA) card.

I’m upgrading; new MacBook Pro doesn’t have CardBus (adapters for ExpressCard/34 apparently don’t work), tried and hate the Matrox DualHead2Go, and I have investigated and then rejected USB video (too slow).

it looks like the best solution for multiple external screens on the new computer is a Magma breakout box with a PCIe display card. Magma says their customers have reported good luck with Nvidia cards.

The last time I had a desktop computer and bought a video display card to attach a monitor, the box was a PowerMac 7100 and the card was a NuBus card. I know nothing of such things in the modern world. I wish to drive a ViewSonic VM2030 at a resolution of 1680 x 1050 at full (32 bit) color. I don’t play games; I might watch DVD movies on this screen (although I could watch on the other external, an identical monitor which will be plugged into the built-in Thunderbolt video port).

Any particular Nvidia card I ought to get, or warnings I ought to heed about their adequacy for my needs, etc?

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**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-nvidia-pcie-display-cards/614814/2 "2012-03-05T14:07:53Z")

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Isn’t the Thunderbolt port capable of driving multiple monitors? See [Apple Thunderbolt Display with Multiple Monitors: No Daisy Chaining Mini DisplayPort Monitors [Updated] - MacRumors](http://www.macrumors.com/2011/09/16/apple-thunderbolt-display-with-multiple-monitors/)

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**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-nvidia-pcie-display-cards/614814/3 "2012-03-05T19:41:42Z")

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I believe it is capable of driving two very specific monitors (which don’t happen to be the two that I’ve got), those two being freaking HUGE monitors that cost a lot of money.

I want to drive a pair of monitors at 1680 x 1050 each. Not a pair of bloody $1000 movie screens at 2560 by 1440. I’d have to sit in the next room.