Cheapest PC/computer to get my 4K TV working as monitor?

[Deactivated] on 11/08/2015 - 12:55

Hi guys,
I'm looking for a budget PC/mini PC that can run 4K to my new 42' ultra HD TV.
It's got a VGA slot as well as 3x HDMI slots.

basic requirements and usage:

  • I and need as much 'viewing room' on my desktop as possible to fit as much work on the screen as possible.
  • I watch TV shows and movies in 720/1080p, so powerful enough to handle that.
  • regular internet browsing
  • regular skype use in HD (have got a camera already)

Anyone have any suggestions for a PC/setup that would handle all of the above, as cheaply as possible?
As someone who doesn't know much about computing, your input/advice is greatly appreciated!

Computing

Comments

  • endlless on 11/08/2015 - 14:37
    +1

    go to reddit/r/buildabpc

  • Davo1111 on 11/08/2015 - 14:37
    +1

    Have a google of the reviews, you might be able to get away with something like the Ainol mini pc, otherwise a NUC would be best. The NUC deals frequently appear on ozbargain

  • [Deactivated] on 12/08/2015 - 00:23

    Ok so my current card is an nvidia GTX 580. I have an i7 2600k CPU @3.4Ghz + 12gb Ram.

    If I took out the nvidia and replaced it with a budget UHD/4k compatible video card+ using HDMI 2.0 cable, would my system be powerful enough to browse the net+watch videos on my 4k monitor? Not really a gamer so don't care about frame rates etc..

    • scrimshaw on 12/08/2015 - 02:22
      +1

      That's going to be a tad difficult. The latest high end Fury series video cards by AMD don't even do HDMI 2.0 and they were recently released just 3 months ago.

      You're going to be waiting a looong time for 2.0 cards to come out.

      A modern GPU is fully capable of 4k but only at 30hz resolution, when outputting through HDMI 1.4. Since all of them lack HDMI 2.0, 60fps video via HDMI will remain a pipe dream…

      So you're capped at 30FPS which isn't ideal for gaming but is still OK for watching video on the net, as the vast majority of content online is usually 30 FPS and very few videos are ever created in 60FPS.

      As for the GPU you require, it does not have to be a high end card, and it can also be an older generation card bought second hand. The GTX 760 series (and above) and the AMD radeon 270x (and above) are great candidates for a 4k GPU that is not used for gaming.

      • [Deactivated] on 12/08/2015 - 02:44

        hey thanks heaps for the reply.

        So you're saying I get something like the GTX 760 and just plug in the 1.4 HDMI cable and all should be good?
        Do you think my current machine could handle a GTX 760 and run UHD?

        Your help is very much appreciated.

        • scrimshaw on 12/08/2015 - 03:07
          +1

          Yeap, all you need to have is a more recent GPU. that's all. Any card that has HDMI 1.4A will do 4k over HDMI.

          If your monitor or TV has DisplayPort you can also buy a cheap GPU with DP out and it'll do 60hz.

        • [Deactivated] on 12/08/2015 - 19:14

          @scrimshaw:
          wrote reply below…thanks heaps Scrim

  • [Deactivated] on 12/08/2015 - 19:14

    sorry to bother you again, just wondering what they mean here by 'Digital max resolution 4096 X 2160 (via a single HDMI connector or DisplayPort and not supported with two DVI connectors)…

    what's a single HDMI connector ? Just an HDMI 1.4 cable? much apprecaited.

    http://www.msy.com.au/pc-components/13109--gigabyte-r928wf3o…

    • scrimshaw on 12/08/2015 - 19:22
      +1

      It refers to one cable. The HDMI or Displayport on this allows for 4k res (4096 X 2160 maximum) through one cable.

      • [Deactivated] on 12/08/2015 - 20:15

        Ok so I've narrowed it down to these cards.
        My only real uncertainty is if my 4k TV has USB 2.0, will it still be okay producing 4k with a video card that supports HDMI 1.4 (as you said there aren't any really cheap USB 2.0 GPU's yet.

        1) http://www.gigabyte.com.au/products/product-page.aspx?pid=47…

        2) https://www.kogan.com/au/buy/asus-geforce-gtx-750-ti-2gb-gdd…

        3) https://www.kogan.com/au/buy/asus-geforce-gtx-750-ti-overclo…

        These should all work right? Just at 30hz?
        If so, which would you buy?
        Or would you fork out the extra $$$ and get the entry level 2.0 GPU's you suggested?

        Cheers mate

        • scrimshaw on 12/08/2015 - 20:24
          +1

          as I said before, there are no HDMI 2.0 GPU's available in the market. Nada, zilch, zip, none. You can give up on HDMI 2.0 spec cards for now.

          Your TV is probably not HDMI 2.0 either unless it was a very high-end model, but it pays to simply do a Google search and find out the specifications of the TV.

          As for the graphics card, I would buy the 270x or the 280 that you linked as it is more powerful when compared against the 750Ti. It'll do 4K 30hz on HDMI 1.4

        • [Deactivated] on 12/08/2015 - 20:52

          @scrimshaw:

          Yeah the TV has USB 2.0 but it wasn't high end. just a kogan 42 inch (bout $600 delivered last week).
          https://www.kogan.com/au/buy/kogan-42-4k-led-tv-ultra-hd/

          Would you pay say $30-40 more and get something like a gtx960 so I could use 4k @ 60hz? (which I was confusing the 60hz needing USB 2.0 capability)

          Promise the questions are over (well pretty much lol).

          Thanks heaps for your time.

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