Question Is the NVIDIA Quadro P400 the card for me?

Richard67

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Feb 17, 2019
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I have:

Dell OptiPlex 960

Specs:
3 Ghz Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650
Sapphire Radeon HD 6570 Graphics
8GB DDR2 Ram
250GB HDD
VGA, DVI & HDMI output
Windows 10 Pro (64-Bit)

I just bought:

Monoprice 32 inch 4K HDR IPS Ultra Slim Desktop Monitor


I want to be able to run 3 displays. I use the computer for Photoshop work, surfing and watching online tv. I'm not really into games.

I'll run it in full hd until I get the proper gpu. I'm considering the NVIDIA Quadro P400.

I don't want to spend more than £100 - the Dell computer only cost £79.

Will this card fit and work?
Is this the best card for me?
 
It will work. You won't get any benefit from it on anything you'll be doing, but for a card that gives you 3 Display Port Mini outputs it will be good. Just be sure to get the right cables and/or adapters and you'll have no problems. Nothing else in its price range seems to have this number of outputs in a uniform configuration, so unless you want to buy a higher end used card this is the way to go. Your only other option in the price range with the same kinds of connections is the AMD Radeon Pro WX 2100. It has 2 Display Port Mini connections and one full size Display Port connection. If nothing else the AMD card can have you up and running one monitor without the need for a DP Mini to DP adapter, that is about the only advantage it will have for you.
 

Richard67

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Feb 17, 2019
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Thanks Justin!

I'm not sure if the AMD card has Freesync but one thing is for sure - that's a monster card in terms of physical size compared to the Quadro 400. Any reasons, other than the type of ports, why you would choose one of these cards over the other?
 
Thanks Justin!

I'm not sure if the AMD card has Freesync but one thing is for sure - that's a monster card in terms of physical size compared to the Quadro 400. Any reasons, other than the type of ports, why you would choose one of these cards over the other?
It isn't that much bigger, but it looks cooler because it is fully enclosed in that nice blue shroud. They are both low profile cards. The AMD one is just a little longer.

Honestly, if you were doing rendering the AMD card is a little bit faster than the P400, other than that, there is no quantifiable reason to pick one over the other given your stated application. As for Freesync, it is the Polaris GPU architecture so it should have all the capabilities of AMD's gaming cards, it is just a matter of if it is turned on in the drivers or not.
 

Richard67

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Feb 17, 2019
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Hello Justin,
I had a look at the AMD card, it's about 30% faster but about 30% more expensive. I would say its the better card and I might get it but I definitely have to check it fits - haven't "looked under the hood" yet. Don't have the cash at the moment after just purchasing the monitor. Do they ever have a sale on gpus or can you get them used or refurbished? Still not sure about Freesync as it's never mentioned in the blurb. Anyone?

Thanx for your input Justin! Regards!
 

Richard67

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Feb 17, 2019
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To be honest, that's not a good price for the Quadro 400 at Newegg. It's listed for £28 cheaper through another (UK) site. I think I'll probably save up for a while and then purchase the AMD card if it fits.

The other thing I haven't really thought of properly is running costs. The Monoprice monitor eats up 65 Watts whereas my Acer 21.5" 1080p monitor runs at 20 Watts. My old gpu probably eats around the same as a newer more powerful gpu so no problems there. That's one thing the Monoprice doesn't have going for it - the power it uses. Lets hope I get really bright white with all that drain!!
 
To be honest, that's not a good price for the Quadro 400 at Newegg. It's listed for £28 cheaper through another (UK) site. I think I'll probably save up for a while and then purchase the AMD card if it fits.

The other thing I haven't really thought of properly is running costs. The Monoprice monitor eats up 65 Watts whereas my Acer 21.5" 1080p monitor runs at 20 Watts. My old gpu probably eats around the same as a newer more powerful gpu so no problems there. That's one thing the Monoprice doesn't have going for it - the power it uses. Lets hope I get really bright white with all that drain!!
Well, these GPUs, either one, won't add much to your running costs. They are both right around 35W, which is a lot less than your HD 6570 uses which is rated at about 60W. Also, those figures are for the card running full tilt, normal power consumption will be a lot lower.
 
Intel C2Q? If you are using it only for browsing, some typing, some streaming...basically some light stuffs...I would rather ditch the platform and build a new PC or buy a new laptop.
Something like Ryzen 5 2500U/3500U or 2400G...just use the iGPU.
You are not only giving yourself an upgrade but also reducing your electrical bill caused by the PC.
C2Q consumes quite a lot of power for what it can do.
 

Richard67

Commendable
Feb 17, 2019
24
0
1,520
Intel C2Q? If you are using it only for browsing, some typing, some streaming...basically some light stuffs...I would rather ditch the platform and build a new PC or buy a new laptop.
Something like Ryzen 5 2500U/3500U or 2400G...just use the iGPU.
You are not only giving yourself an upgrade but also reducing your electrical bill caused by the PC.
C2Q consumes quite a lot of power for what it can do.
I agree the computer is chomping on my low budget and it often slows if you don't restart often. I bought the unit refurbished off ebay for £79, although on original delivery it was damaged and I had to send the heavy unit back so added an extra bit. I could get this gpu and then if I build a new unit I can keep the gpu. Does that make sense? For 3 GHz it seems pretty slow. You can't expand the memory beyond 8GB either. But right now I'm strapped for cash - still like my pints in the pub on a Friday or Saturday night!

I do run tv and Photoshop and have quite a few windows open and most of the time it's not too bad - especially for the price.

Thanks for the input
Rich