Question How can I hook up a 3rd monitor? My system specs...

[shawnlau]

My motherboard is MSI Z490-A pro.
The processor is i9-10850K
Graphics card is XFX Double D Radeon HD 7870
32 GB RAM
Windows 10 Pro OS

I have one monitor hooked to the HDMI output on the graphics card and another hooked to the DVI output on the video card. I would like to hook up a third monitor. What would be the easiest way?
I have tried hooking up a monitor with a VGA connector and HDMI adapter to the other HDMI output on the video card. The system sees the monitor but labels it inactive. I read somewhere, it
might require something called an "active HDMI adapter." What would be the easiest way to hook up a 3rd monitor? It doesn't have to be the VGA monitor - I can buy something else. Is there something I could buy that would be plug and play with this system? Thanks!

 

[4745454b]

Correct. Would need to be active. Easiest depends on your monitor. I had 4 hooked up to my 7950. I used active mDP to DVI.

 

[shawnlau]

Correct. Would need to be active. Easiest depends on your monitor. I had 4 hooked up to my 7950. I used active mDP to DVI.

Thanks!

 

[shawnlau]

Correct. Would need to be active. Easiest depends on your monitor. I had 4 hooked up to my 7950. I used active mDP to DVI.

I'm wonder if I can trouble you for some more information? You mentioned you hooked up 4 on a 7950. Can I hook up 4 on 7870 ( with the system specs above)? Also, I know the processor has some type of onboard graphics. Is it possible to mix those with a dedicated video card? It doesn't seem like it would be possible. I ask because in a less technical forum, someone recommended using USB monitors. That would require onboard graphics, I think? And when I look in the device manager, the only display device I see is the video card. Is there a way to combine video card monitors and onboard graphics monitors in the above system? I know it seems weird, but this is for stock trading and the more monitors the better. There are many charts, scanners and watch lists that all need to be glanced at. So if I have to buy a few more monitors, its fine. I just have to know what to buy. So if I can get 4 or 5 and even 6 working on this system, that would be great

 

[4745454b]

I was going to say USB video cards are a bad idea. But then I saw you just want to put web pages and spreadsheet type data on them? That could work. USB isn't really fast enough to transmit 1080 or 4k at 60FPS. It can handle basic webpages if that's all you want to do.

You should be able to use 4 with your current card. Then use either USB or a second GPU to do more. I'm not sure if you have another PCIe slot. You'd also need a PSU large enough to handle both. I wouldn't buy any VGA stuff. Any new monitors should be DVI, DP, HDMI. Avoid all VGA stuff from here out. If you need to use an adapter, make sure they are active adapters.

 

[shawnlau]

I was going to say USB video cards are a bad idea. But then I saw you just want to put web pages and spreadsheet type data on them? That could work. USB isn't really fast enough to transmit 1080 or 4k at 60FPS. It can handle basic webpages if that's all you want to do.

You should be able to use 4 with your current card. Then use either USB or a second GPU to do more. I'm not sure if you have another PCIe slot. You'd also need a PSU large enough to handle both. I wouldn't buy any VGA stuff. Any new monitors should be DVI, DP, HDMI. Avoid all VGA stuff from here out. If you need to use an adapter, make sure they are active adapters.

Thanks again!

 

[Glenwing]

The 7870 supports up to 6 displays simultaneously, but only a maximum of 2 are supported through any combination of DVI, HDMI, and VGA (including DisplayPort to DVI/HDMI passive adapters). Any monitors beyond 2 must be connected via DisplayPort. You can use a DisplayPort MST hub if you don't have enough DisplayPort output ports on the graphics card.