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Hi, I'm looking at upgrading my old music production system to a quad core CPU on a mobo that can output video 2 two monitors so I don't have to swap between windows all the time - (and also so I can browse the net on one screen whilst the mrs watches a movie on another screen thus not getting bored and bugging me ;-)

I've been looking at the ASUS M4N78 PRO (around £60) as it has this capability thru D-Sub, DVI and HDMI outputs on the mobo, and also supports Athlon socket AM3 processors.

Does anyone know anything about the quality/reliability of this board or any other boards with similar features/capabilities?
Looking at spending around the £60 mark.

Cheers :-)

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by The New Normal

Dani AI

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— short version: having three physical outputs on the backplate is not the same as being able to run three screens. The thing that matters is the integrated GPU and how the board routes those ports. Many AM3‑era boards expose VGA, DVI and HDMI but only guarantee two simultaneous displays; some ports are electrically shared and only certain pairs will work together. Also remember that fitting a discrete PCIe GPU can disable onboard video unless the BIOS explicitly supports running both.

Practical checklist before buying:

  1. Read the motherboard manual for "multi‑display" or "integrated graphics" notes — it will say which port combinations are supported.
  2. Check BIOS options for "iGPU multi‑monitor", "Init Display First" or similar if you might add a PCIe card later.
  3. Confirm driver support (chipset + IGP) for your intended OS — multi‑monitor problems are often driver/BIOS related.
  4. Know your adapters: DVI‑I carries analog VGA signals (passive DVI→VGA works), DVI‑D does not (needs an active converter). HDMI carries audio only if the board actually routes sound to the HDMI header.
  5. If you want reliable HD movie playback while running a DAW, a cheap discrete PCIe card with two outputs is usually cheaper and more robust than chasing BIOS/driver quirks.
  6. Check PSU headroom if you plan to add a card later.

Quick post‑install test and fixes:

  • With both monitors connected, check BIOS for detection first.
  • Boot to the OS, install latest chipset/IGP drivers, then use Display Settings to Extend and set primary/secondary.
  • If a monitor isn’t detected, swap ports/cables, try a different adapter, and look for BIOS updates. As observed, user reviews often call out BIOS or stability issues — focus on consistent, long‑term reports, not just a few one‑off comments.

For a music‑production build prioritize CPU/RAM and low‑latency audio I/O. Onboard dual‑head will work for simple desktop/movie use, but for stability and better video offload a modest discrete GPU is typically the best value.

Member Avatar for The New Normal

I know nothing about this board, but some reviews I've found don't look all that flash. Newegg reviews are a bit unreliable, but there's a definite pattern:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=13-131-382&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=100&SelectedRating=-1&PurchaseMark=&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&Page=1&Keywords=%28keywords%29

http://reviews.cnet.com/motherboards/asus-m4n78-pro-motherboard/4864-3049_7-33563731-3.html

Perhaps look into a Gigabyte board like this:
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/44840/Gigabyte-motherboard-MA78LMT-US2H-AMD-AM3-DDR3
Or if you're willing to put up a little more money, this one:

Good luck with the research ;)

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