Minimalist 4K

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Velo:Sity
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Minimalist 4K

Post by Velo:Sity »

I'm going to upgrade a fairly old machine (Athlon II X4, GeForce GTX460) with main requirement being ability to connect a 4K screen to it and watch 4K videos without lag. I don't want to overpay for extra power I won't use, so the question is what is the most efficient route to achieve this...
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Re: Minimalist 4K

Post by KnightRid »

https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/24 ... ii-x4-640/ - doesn't look good

I have not looked to see if there are any players that will use GPU but if they do, you would probably need a pretty high end card to do it smoothly.

I also read the GTX460 does not do resolutions above 1600p.

I hate giving good people bad news but here, have a cookie and you will feel right as rain. O:)

Of course someone else may know how to do it but just from a quick search and my gut feelings, it takes a lot to push 4k. I have not even bothered looking into 4k for myself yet.

Oh i forgot, the new Intel chips do have support for 4K built in so you could swap the cpu/mb and probably be golden. I know, not the same as using what you already have.
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Re: Minimalist 4K

Post by sbohdan »

I think you are being overly optimistic thinking you can push 4K with old technology like this :)
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Re: Minimalist 4K

Post by bubba »

ehh.. haswell CPUs can play 4K video with the integrated graphics.

Cram as much RAM into that system you can, and slap a GTX7xx series card in there should be fine.


Gamming at 4K, thats a WHOLE other issue.
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Re: Minimalist 4K

Post by Velo:Sity »

Yeah, I know two ways I can go is putting a better GPU that actually supports the resolution (you are right that 460 doesn't) or new-gen motherboard/CPU combo are the ways to go. Wanted to know if anyone has good experience with 4K on lower-end components, like, for example, if passive-cooled GPUs can still play a 60fps 4K video...
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Re: Minimalist 4K

Post by KnightRid »

Velo:Sity wrote:Yeah, I know two ways I can go is putting a better GPU that actually supports the resolution (you are right that 460 doesn't) or new-gen motherboard/CPU combo are the ways to go. Wanted to know if anyone has good experience with 4K on lower-end components, like, for example, if passive-cooled GPUs can still play a 60fps 4K video...
you could be the guinea pig :) I do not have a 4K monitor or tv (I still have my 50" 720p plasma which is awesome) so I can not try to test. True 4K content is HUGE also so I could never download a test clip on my computer either since our internet is ungodly slow (said over 14 hours to get a map update for my Garmin....sigh)
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Re: Minimalist 4K

Post by bubba »

Velo:Sity wrote:Yeah, I know two ways I can go is putting a better GPU that actually supports the resolution (you are right that 460 doesn't) or new-gen motherboard/CPU combo are the ways to go. Wanted to know if anyone has good experience with 4K on lower-end components, like, for example, if passive-cooled GPUs can still play a 60fps 4K video...
Dunno.

I have no use for 4K video currently.. nothing I own currently will record it and I'm ok with 720 and 1080 video guess I'm not that picky LOL.
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Re: Minimalist 4K

Post by Apoptosis »

Velo:Sity wrote:Yeah, I know two ways I can go is putting a better GPU that actually supports the resolution (you are right that 460 doesn't) or new-gen motherboard/CPU combo are the ways to go. Wanted to know if anyone has good experience with 4K on lower-end components, like, for example, if passive-cooled GPUs can still play a 60fps 4K video...

Most anything current can stream 4K just fine. I have an office PC with a Broadwell processor (Core i7-5775C) and it plays 4K content just great. Can't game at 4K, but 4K UHD content is fine. A low-end passively cooled Maxwell GPU should be just fine. Not sure if you need to cram that much memory in a system. My Dell XPS 13 Core i7 Skylake laptop has just 8GB of RAM, but it plays 4K content just fine.
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Velo:Sity
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Re: Minimalist 4K

Post by Velo:Sity »

Actually even this setup plays 4K 25fps video stretched over a few screens just fine. It's 60fps where the problems begin.
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Re: Minimalist 4K

Post by KnightRid »

Velo:Sity wrote:Actually even this setup plays 4K 25fps video stretched over a few screens just fine. It's 60fps where the problems begin.
Wow, now that is something I would have never guessed it would be able to do! That is awesome for you man!!

i will have to change my thinking on how much power 4K really needs as I have just gone by what I have been reading and ti seems they are all full of it or else getting paid to tell people to buy new hardware :-k
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