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Add a basic video card to let me use 3 monitors?

577 263 May 18, 2021 at 03:48 PM Get Costco Wholesale coupons
I bought one of these: https://www.costco.com/.product.1...ed_product

I'd like to add a video card so that I can use 3 monitors simultaneously and wonder if anyone knows what cheap video card I could buy that would give me this option? It's a small form factor with a small power supply.

I DO NOT GAME. It's for work only--excel, word, acrobat, photos, email only.

PS. currently I can use two monitors on the built-in video card. just need one more display added
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CleanFreak
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Joined Dec 2008
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> bubble2 7,395 Posts
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jkee
05-18-2021 at 07:16 PM.
05-18-2021 at 07:16 PM.
Quote from CleanFreak :
I bought one of these: https://www.costco.com/.product.1...ed_product

I'd like to add a video card so that I can use 3 monitors simultaneously and wonder if anyone knows what cheap video card I could buy that would give me this option? It's a small form factor with a small power supply.

I DO NOT GAME. It's for work only--excel, word, acrobat, photos, email only.

PS. currently I can use two monitors on the built-in video card. just need one more display added
It may be possible, power consumption is going to be your biggest challenge. It looks like the external PSU for that is only rated for 90W. Not sure how much head room you have or how that PSU would preform at full rated load. Looking quickly, some cheap (lower power) low profile cards still draw around 20W (or at least that's what the specs say). https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?N=100...63&Order=1

Another option is a USB video adapter which should draw less power but depending on the resolution (at higher resolutions) sometimes these are only 30hz.
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Joined Jul 2005
killroy was here
> bubble2 12,166 Posts
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dayv
05-19-2021 at 07:17 AM.
05-19-2021 at 07:17 AM.
Quote from jkee :
It may be possible, power consumption is going to be your biggest challenge. It looks like the external PSU for that is only rated for 90W. Not sure how much head room you have or how that PSU would preform at full rated load. Looking quickly, some cheap (lower power) low profile cards still draw around 20W (or at least that's what the specs say). https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?N=100...63&Order=1

Another option is a USB video adapter which should draw less power but depending on the resolution (at higher resolutions) sometimes these are only 30hz.
where are you seeing 90w?

when i plug the model number into lenovo's site, it shows 260w?

Quote :
100-240Vac,7.4L ODM 260W 85%
POWER SUPPLIES INTERNAL
https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/e...play/model
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Joined Mar 2004
Ta da.
> bubble2 1,124 Posts
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TeeDub
05-19-2021 at 07:57 AM.
05-19-2021 at 07:57 AM.
You can use a USB dock (like a laptop). It might be easier.

This one is $100. If you shop around you can find it cheaper (or other alternatives.)

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-U...B00ECDM78E
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Joined Aug 2007
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> bubble2 37,299 Posts
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fyu
05-19-2021 at 08:31 AM.
05-19-2021 at 08:31 AM.
you can find an older low profile video card that will work. might have to hunt on facebook marketplace or cragislist.

But, you need to figure out which system you have. Can you open the side cover and take a picture of the insides?
This looks like the hardware maintenance manual.
https://download.lenovo.com/consu...200422.pdf
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Joined Dec 2008
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> bubble2 7,395 Posts
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jkee
05-19-2021 at 09:40 AM.
05-19-2021 at 09:40 AM.
Quote from dayv :
where are you seeing 90w?

when i plug the model number into lenovo's site, it shows 260w?



https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/e...play/model
I just searched the web for the model and looked at the page it took me to. Upon closer inspection, the page my search took me to was for a different but similar model.

It looks like some models in this family have a PSU that runs on 120VAC and some an external laptop-like charger. Under guides the same page has a list of different external psu models https://download.lenovo.com/pccbb...20_jan.pdf

If the parts page you found is accurate, it shouldn't be hard to find a low profile video card that works. My suggestion to the OP would be to try to find the model or wattage spec on the PSU itself to confirm.
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Joined May 2005
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CleanFreak
05-19-2021 at 10:04 AM.
05-19-2021 at 10:04 AM.
I think I"ll just go with a USB 2.0 to HDMI adapter as suggested. That seems to be the easiest and least likely to fail. Thanks everyone!
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Joined Dec 2008
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> bubble2 7,395 Posts
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jkee
05-19-2021 at 11:10 AM.
05-19-2021 at 11:10 AM.
Quote from CleanFreak :
I think I"ll just go with a USB 2.0 to HDMI adapter as suggested. That seems to be the easiest and least likely to fail. Thanks everyone!
If the computer has an internal power supply and there isn't a big power brick (eg. you plug a big 120v IEC cable into it for power), I'd actually suggest a low profile internal card.

What resolution are your monitors?
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Joined May 2005
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> bubble2 577 Posts
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CleanFreak
05-20-2021 at 05:49 AM.
05-20-2021 at 05:49 AM.
Quote from jkee :
If the computer has an internal power supply and there isn't a big power brick (eg. you plug a big 120v IEC cable into it for power), I'd actually suggest a low profile internal card.

What resolution are your monitors?

Nothing special, I'm getting kind of old so I don't use max resolution anyway
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Joined Jun 2005
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
> bubble2 8,724 Posts
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komondor
05-20-2021 at 05:07 PM.
05-20-2021 at 05:07 PM.
15 bucks https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Mu...5662&psc=1
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