What Laptops can easily handle 3 external 2560*1440 monitors?

[xera]

Greetings...

As per the title..
That resolution is 11MP... And even more, if the Laptop's screen is also used. It's kindof insane... My current MBP (see sig) was lagging with just one, when running desktop applications...

Can the new MacBook Retina support this?

It's not for gaming, but would be great if it could still handle 3D applications.
At the very least, it must be able to handle Windows Aero/win8 desktop/ and Virtual Machines with ease.

Please advise

 

[w1z4rd]

Perhaps Alienware?

Or something like this? http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/products/gxm/dh2go/digital_se/

This dude did it:
Active display port + Eyefinity + Alienware

[video=youtube;Np0t33UELK0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np0t33UELK0[/video]

 

[EmileS]

No laptop will handle that "easily" and it's going to be a very expensive one! Something with Eyefinity, like ghoti suggested.

 

[Chevron]

No laptop will handle that "easily" and it's going to be a very expensive one! Something with Eyefinity, like ghoti suggested.

This.

 

[xera]

Ok so would it be a better idea to get a desktop/workstation instead?

 

[EmileS]

Ok so would it be a better idea to get a desktop/workstation instead?

Yes. Better performance and way cheaper!

 

[Chevron]

Yes. Better performance and way cheaper!

This.

 

[lived666]

not the resolution you looking at , but still a solution to connect up to 3 external monitors to your laptop:

http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/products/gxm/th2go/digital_se/

 

[Pada]

not the resolution you looking at , but still a solution to connect up to 3 external monitors to your laptop:

http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/products/gxm/th2go/digital_se/

That unit is quite pricey at around R3.5k.

I've placed an order for a couple of EVGA 100 U3 UV39 (USB to DVI+HDMI) adapters, but unfortunately they're limited to 2x 1920x1200 monitors and I won't recommend them for gaming either. These units work quite well for extending the desktop to 4x 1920x1200 (with the other 2 displays running off the PC's onboard DVI + HDMI).

To run all 3 monitors, you'll typically have to run 2 of the 3 off DisplayPort. Like the cheapest graphics card that I know that WILL handle 3 of those monitors, is the Sapphire HD7950 Flex @ ~R4,900: 1x Dual-Link DVI, 1x Single-Link DVI, 1x HDMI, 2x miniDP

The cheapest Workstation graphics card that will drive 3 of those monitors is the Quadro 2000 @ R6,000, with 2x DP and 1x Dual-Link DVI.

The other (and perhaps cheapest) options is to get a CrossFire/SLI setup with entry level graphics cards (and onboard) that has Dual-Link DVI and/or (mini)DisplayPort - eg. 2x Sapphire HD6670 @ R1,230 each - with 1x Dual-Link DVI, 1x HDMI and 1x DP

The motherboards that can handle higher than FHD resolutions are very scarce and they typically just provide higher resolutions with their HDMI ports, because they usually feature Single-Link DVI ports and not Dual-Link ones. eg. Gigabyte GA-P85-D3 (1x HDMI) and ASRock H87 Fatal1ty Performance (1x HDMI, 1x Single-Link DVI, 1x D-Sub)
I haven't had success with HDMI and my Dell 3008WFP (2560x1600) screen yet, but it works just fine with Dual-Link DVI and DP. HDMI is such a disaster - except for use between TV and Bluray players.

I haven't seen laptops with more than 2 high resolution outputs. You do get an USB 3 adapter from Startech that can do 2560x1600, but its rather expensive and scarce: http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/item/1041...lti_Monitor_Adapter_2560x1600_USB32DPPRO.html @ R1400

 

[xera]

Turns out the old Dell M6400 can handle 2 of these resolution screens, if using 2x DisplayPort on the Docking station

 

[xera]

That unit is quite pricey at around R3.5k.

I've placed an order for a couple of EVGA 100 U3 UV39 (USB to DVI+HDMI) adapters, but unfortunately they're limited to 2x 1920x1200 monitors and I won't recommend them for gaming either. These units work quite well for extending the desktop to 4x 1920x1200 (with the other 2 displays running off the PC's onboard DVI + HDMI).

To run all 3 monitors, you'll typically have to run 2 of the 3 off DisplayPort. Like the cheapest graphics card that I know that WILL handle 3 of those monitors, is the Sapphire HD7950 Flex @ ~R4,900: 1x Dual-Link DVI, 1x Single-Link DVI, 1x HDMI, 2x miniDP

The cheapest Workstation graphics card that will drive 3 of those monitors is the Quadro 2000 @ R6,000, with 2x DP and 1x Dual-Link DVI.

The other (and perhaps cheapest) options is to get a CrossFire/SLI setup with entry level graphics cards (and onboard) that has Dual-Link DVI and/or (mini)DisplayPort - eg. 2x Sapphire HD6670 @ R1,230 each - with 1x Dual-Link DVI, 1x HDMI and 1x DP

The motherboards that can handle higher than FHD resolutions are very scarce and they typically just provide higher resolutions with their HDMI ports, because they usually feature Single-Link DVI ports and not Dual-Link ones. eg. Gigabyte GA-P85-D3 (1x HDMI) and ASRock H87 Fatal1ty Performance (1x HDMI, 1x Single-Link DVI, 1x D-Sub)
I haven't had success with HDMI and my Dell 3008WFP (2560x1600) screen yet, but it works just fine with Dual-Link DVI and DP. HDMI is such a disaster - except for use between TV and Bluray players.

I haven't seen laptops with more than 2 high resolution outputs. You do get an USB 3 adapter from Startech that can do 2560x1600, but its rather expensive and scarce: http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/item/1041...lti_Monitor_Adapter_2560x1600_USB32DPPRO.html @ R1400

Agreed.

Still searching.

Can run 2/3 on my desktop via 2x DVI Dual-Link, or 2/3 on the Dell M6400 via 2x DisplayPort. So at the moment the center screen gets switched between whichever one I'm working on.. and other screen goes to other pc.

I need to get a new GPU for my desktop too, I'm thinking one with 3x DisplayPort would be nice.. just need to find it..

 

[techead]

I haven't had success with HDMI and my Dell 3008WFP (2560x1600) screen yet, but it works just fine with Dual-Link DVI and DP. HDMI is such a disaster - except for use between TV and Bluray players

I dont think thats entirely fair Shame poor HDMI

As long as you have HDMI 1.4a you can run 2560x1440 @ 60Hz. As far as I can tell, that hitting the peak of the bandwidth limit though. Once the new revision of HDMI comes out, it will be able to increase resolution and refresh rate.

I did a lot of reading up on this, as I bought one of those cheap Korean monitors. Though I was limited to HDMI as my Toshiba X870 only has that.

All in all, I had to create a custom resolution in the Nvidia control panel, but its all working on HDMI

Worth mentioning, that Toshiba themselves didnt even know whether the HDMI could output more than 1080p. I was told specifically to refer to the website for specs. I was not prepared to believe that 1080p was the max, as I had success with 1920x1200. They had no clue. I even went to far as to contact Toshiba EU, and they also had no clue. Bottom line, TEST WITH THE DEVICE if possible. If I took the specs for face value, I wouldnt be viewing my 2560x1440p glorious screen!

 

[Carnajo]

I dont think thats entirely fair Shame poor HDMI

As long as you have HDMI 1.4a you can run 2560x1440 @ 60Hz. As far as I can tell, that hitting the peak of the bandwidth limit though. Once the new revision of HDMI comes out, it will be able to increase resolution and refresh rate.

I did a lot of reading up on this, as I bought one of those cheap Korean monitors. Though I was limited to HDMI as my Toshiba X870 only has that.

All in all, I had to create a custom resolution in the Nvidia control panel, but its all working on HDMI

Worth mentioning, that Toshiba themselves didnt even know whether the HDMI could output more than 1080p. I was told specifically to refer to the website for specs. I was not prepared to believe that 1080p was the max, as I had success with 1920x1200. They had no clue. I even went to far as to contact Toshiba EU, and they also had no clue. Bottom line, TEST WITH THE DEVICE if possible. If I took the specs for face value, I wouldnt be viewing my 2560x1440p glorious screen!

So which monitor did you get and are you happy? Where did you order it from?

I'm considering ordering one of these myself but I've only seen one on wootware and it specifically states that it needs "dual DVI-D" whereas my display card has HDMI and dual DVI-I.

 

[Pada]

Carnajo:
DVI-I is simply DVI-D (Digital only) and DVI-A (Analog only) combined, so that screen would work with your Dual-Link DVI-I port.

Xera:
Can you run 3 screens (2 ext + laptop's) in total with those laptops? The guys at my office who are using Dell Latitude's on docking stations can only use up to 2 screens - which I suppose is due to them not having screens with DisplayPort input.

 

[xera]

Xera:
Can you run 3 screens (2 ext + laptop's) in total with those laptops? The guys at my office who are using Dell Latitude's on docking stations can only use up to 2 screens - which I suppose is due to them not having screens with DisplayPort input.

Ja Nee, in windows screen resolution settings, it seems to deselect one if you try and turn on all 3.
NVIDIA control panel is more helpful - it says "This graphics card supports up to two displays."

Kinda sad, but still, I have no use for a 1920x1200 3rd display on laptop, it just gets in the way.