Hardware Wide screen monitor questions

DaFixer · Jul 31, 2021

Hi i'm planning to upgrade my workstation with a Xiaomi 34inch curved gaming screen (https://www.mi.com/global/monitor34/).
Because I need more screen to do my work and this monitor looks like a good option.
I will use mosly for working on my workstation, but maybe I also want to connect my Raspberry Pi 4/PS4 on it.
But can I get a 16:9 picture on that 34inch screen?
And do you need a powerfull gfx card to work with this monitor?
At the moment i'm using a Geforce GT730 with HDMI and Dvi ports.

notimp · Aug 22, 2021

Answers should be yes and yes.

If that is your only monitor, an older graphics card probably would be fine for desktop work. (Not sure how old is too old (I'm not familiar with displayport standards off the top of my head) - if HDMI doesnt work, try display port as well). Gaming of course needs more horizontal resolution, if you have a game render in 21:9.

(see: https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/can-my-hardware-run-21-9.3432097/ )

You should be able to set display resolution to a 16:9 resolution and at least have one display mode, that displays that centered, with black bars on the left and right.

This video:

Shows an aspect ratio mode - grayed out (probably because of the resolution fed to the monitor, or because it only works on HDMI), and also mentions that it has Picture in Picture - so you should be good.

Newer - even more widescreen displays usually have options built in to set virtual left and right screens, but I doubt that this one has.

This should also be possible to do in software (so have profiles to use the rest of the screen (and be it just background images), while the center is addressed as a 16:9 profile) but dont ask me how. But I'm sure someone has written something like that in software.

This guy - definitely has some software set up to do stuff like that, so go through his videos, and see if you can find what he does:

DaFixer · Sep 19, 2021

My Geforce GT730 have no DP port.
So a GFX card upgrade with a DP port will a good idea, do you think?

Sorry for the late reply and thank you for the infomation.

notimp · Sep 19, 2021

DaFixer said:
My Geforce GT730 have no DP port.
So a GFX card upgrade with a DP port will a good idea, do you think?

Sorry for the late reply and thank you for the infomation.

Nope, that was me saying, I have no idea, and you could test that out in a potential additional step, if you cards had the option.

Googling: GT730 max resolution did spit out 3840 x 2160 - if thats enough for the widescreen monitor you are looking at, then its enough.

You probably would have to drive that with a 8bit signal (and not a 10 or 12 bit), at 60Hz (*fingers crossed its not lower*), and at 4:2:2 chroma, and not 4:4:4 -- but thats ok.

Not optimal, but totally ok.

If the monitors native resolution is below that max output resolution (it is, I just checked), the only thing I'd be worried about is the vendor not having messed up the 16:9 mode (to allow you to display an aspect ratio correct 16:9 image centered on the widescreen monitor.). But to be honest, the monitor vendor shouldnt have...

I think you should be good, but no guarantees.

If you get signal drops on HDMI (flickering image), buying an amazon basic HDMI cable should fix them. (Essentially, quality of HDMI cables (throughput) matters at high resolutions, standards are so messed up, that you probably shouldnt go by quality seals, but amazon basic HDMI cables in my case worked in the past, where other cables flickered) -- as this is related to signal bandwidth, this should mostly become an issue with 10bit or 12bit signals (you'd set that on the f.e. nVidia controlcenter page where would also set resolution, higher is better). Just in case, that this becomes an issue.

p1ngpong · Sep 19, 2021

Really no need for a wall of text for this.

Do not even bother buying that monitor if you are running such an ancient and pathetic GPU, it will not work without HDMI or DP. It is the equivalent of buying a high end sports car and filling up the tank with cooking oil.

Once you get that sorted then yes it will display 16:9 content but if you run it in full screen there will be black borders on the sides as the monitor is 21:9. Just run things in windowed mode if that bothers you.

Anyway I have a fairly similar monitor and definitely recommend an ultra wide. Once you use one you can not go back to regular screens, especially for gaming and productivity.

notimp · Sep 19, 2021

p1ngpong said:
Really no need for a wall of text for this.

Do not even bother buying that monitor if you are running such an ancient and pathetic GPU, it will not work without HDMI or DP. It is the equivalent of buying a high end sports car and filling up the tank with cooking oil.

Once you get that sorted then yes it will display 16:9 content but if you run it in full screen there will be black borders on the sides as the monitor is 21:9. Just run things in windowed mode if that bothers you.

Anyway I have a fairly similar monitor and definitely recommend an ultra wide. Once you use one you can not go back to regular screens, especially for gaming and productivity.

DaFixer has HDMI outs, do you know of any limiting factor that would prevent him/her from running that monitor as a (2D) work environment, as is?

"Just replace GPUs" is probably the most problematic answer you can give in this economic environment. (With miners still dictating market pricing.)

"No need for wall of text" - if you then give potentially wrong advice, is also a bit rich.
"No need for wall of text" - if you replace GPUs first.

Well, great.

p1ngpong · Sep 19, 2021

notimp said:
DaFixer has HDMI outs, do you know of any limiting factor that would prevent him/her from running that monitor as a (2D) work environment, as is?

"Just replace GPUs" is probably the most problematic answer you can give in this economic environment. (With miners still dictating market pricing.)

"No need for wall of text" - if you then give potentially wrong advice, is also a bit rich.
"No need for wall of text" - if you replace GPUs first.

Well, great.

The HDMI spec on that card is so old its limited to 2560 x 1600 , not even the native resolution of the monitor. When he plugs it in it will probably just default to 2560 x 1600 60fps if he even gets a picture and will need to upgrade anyway.

But yeah in this economic climate you should definitely buy a £500 monitor when you only own a £30 graphics card to run it on. What could go wrong?

notimp · Sep 19, 2021

p1ngpong said:
The HDMI spec on that card is so old its limited to 2560 x 1600 , not even the native resolution of the monitor. When he plugs it in it will probably just default to 2560 x 1600 60fps if he even gets a picture and will need to upgrade anyway.

But yeah in this economic climate you should definitely buy a £500 monitor when you only own a £30 graphics card to run it on. What could go wrong?

Scrolled down a bit further after googling

GT730 max resolution

Maximum DVI resolution: 2560 x 1600. Maximum HDMI resolution: 4096 x 2160 @ 24 Hz or 3840 x 2160 @ 30 Hz

@3440x1440 he'll probably still not get 60Hz

Maybe 50Hz? Could be enough?

Its an edge case.

And yes, now that I see that, a graphics card update is in order.

edit: And hes not far off either:

GTX 750Ti probably would have done the trick.
https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/choice-of-middle-range-nvidia-3440x1440-no-gaming.2568565/

edit2: Or not

I believe the 750Ti only has HDMI 1.4 so at this resolution you would be limited to 30Hz. You would need a gpu that supports HDMI 2.0 to achieve 60Hz.

https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/can-750ti-handle-3440x1440-60hz.3599872/

So now we have to prove or disproove that hunch.

edit3 Before we do, even GTX 480 could drive it at 30Hz:
https://forums.tomshardware.com/thr...x-1440-and-60-hhz-non-gaming-machine.2883347/

p1ngpong · Sep 19, 2021

notimp said:
Scrolled down a bit further after googling

GT730 max resolution

Maximum DVI resolution: 2560 x 1600. Maximum HDMI resolution: 4096 x 2160 @ 24 Hz or 3840 x 2160 @ 30 Hz

@3440x1440 he'll probably still not get 60Hz

Maybe 50Hz? Could be enough? Its an edge case.

And yes, now that I see that, a graphics card update is in order.

edit: And hes not far off either:

GTX 750Ti probably would have done the trick.
https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/choice-of-middle-range-nvidia-3440x1440-no-gaming.2568565/

Yeah OP is better off getting any semi modernish low end card before he bothers with the monitor. In fact depending on his on board graphics they will probably be better than the GT 730 and might even be more capable at supporting the monitor if he bypassed it altogether. When you are dealing with such low end hardware you could even be bottlenecking yourself by using it over onboard graphics. Also only the "high spec" GT 730's even support those resolutions, the DDR5 models and so on. There are other lower end ones and they only support 2560 x 1600 digital for either DVI or HDMI and less than that for VGA. Either way I would not even bother trying.

notimp · Sep 19, 2021

p1ngpong said:
Yeah OP is better off getting any semi modernish low end card before he bothers with the monitor. In fact depending on his on board graphics they will probably be better than the GT 730 and might even be more capable at supporting the monitor if he bypassed it altogether. When you are dealing with such low end hardware you could even be bottlenecking yourself by using it over onboard graphics. Also only the "high spec" GT 730's even support those resolutions, the DDR5 models and so on. There are other lower end ones and they only support 2560 x 1600 digital for either DVI or HDMI and less than that for VGA. Either way I would not even bother trying.

Maybe not:

Then there is that:

Dvi-D supports 1440p at 60hz.
Don't know what adapters you're looking at, but here is a Dvi-D to DP cable for 8 bucks...
https://m.newegg.com/Product/index?...gclid=CJmTzq7V5dACFVFafgod-30I6w&gclsrc=aw.ds

You should be up and running for under $10 USD.

Even though the google search result for that resolution tells us, that DVI stops at a lower res. Still trying to find the lowest GPU that should reasonably drive that monitor at 60Hz.

edit: Yep, DVI-D to DP cable probably wont work:

His monitor isn't standard 1440p (2560x1440). His monitor is 3440x1440. According to Wikipedia DVI-D supports up to 2560x1600 at 60Hz. If that is true your DVI-D to DisplayPort cable suggestion will not work.

edit2: And we have an answer:

https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/lg-34um95-3440-x-1440-and-gtx-750-ti-will-it-work-60hz.162691/

GTX 750Ti will work @60Hz, if it has a display port. (in general it should not require an external power connection, see https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/does-the-750ti-require-external-power.2586087/ TDP is 60W)
GTX 950 and above will work as well (they have HDMI 2.0, which will support that monitors resolution @60Hz over HDMI) (Needs 1x 6-Pin PCIe external power (from the power supply, TDP is 90W))

edit: and there are
GTX 950's out there that only require 75W (special models "like the white Asus GTX 950" (see: https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/do-most-graphics-card-need-external-power-supply.2706766/ ) that dont require external power (so no additional 1x 6-Pin PCIe connector), in case thats important in your case.) Could be a bit tough to find out which ones (that would still be available via ebay f.e.) only were designed with a 75W ceiling at this point, but google is your friend.

Those are the cheapest possible nVidia cards that I could find, that are confirmed to be able to run a 2D Desktop at 3440x1440@60Hz.

Both are 30-50 USD graphic cards at this point (used).

(If you find the right ebay posting..

)

DKB · Sep 19, 2021

A GeForce GT 730. That's a bit too low-spec. It's a bit of an issue when a card is worse than what you can find on store shelf at this time. I mean with the market and all. Yikes.

notimp · Sep 19, 2021

DKB said:
A GeForce GT 730. That's a bit too low-spec. It's a bit of an issue when a card is worse than what you can find on store shelf at this time. I mean with the market and all. Yikes.

Theres a person that never shopped on the used market.

DaFixer · Feb 13, 2022

Thanks for all the info guys.
I think's it's a better idea to use my old spec pc a bit longer.
To save money to build a hole new pc and then buying a nice wide screen.
I think I will enjoy more, when I upgrade my pc in one step.

Hardware Wide screen monitor questions

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