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Hi
Does anybody know how to set up a machine to get 4 video outputs? I do not want a splitter because I am looking for 4 displays spanned or independent
Thanks

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by caperjack

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asked for four independent or spanned screens without using a splitter. points toward a single-hardware route; that is one valid approach but there are several realistic options and trade-offs to weigh depending on monitors, OS, and workload.

One common path is a single graphics card that exposes four physical outputs. That is the cleanest solution for GPU-accelerated work and for spanning a single large desktop (vendor driver features handle bezel correction and spanning). Modern cards tend toward DisplayPort-heavy outputs, so check per‑port maximum resolutions and be prepared to use active DP-to-DVI/HDMI adapters if the monitors need those connectors. See vendor technologies like and NVIDIA Surround for how drivers treat multi‑output setups.

Other routes: populate two PCIe slots with two dual‑output cards (or mix an integrated GPU plus a discrete card) and let the OS extend the desktop across adapters. That often works for productivity but is unreliable for single‑app spanning (games and some full‑screen apps typically require outputs from the same GPU). Mixing brands or driver stacks can introduce driver conflicts.

If the GPU has DisplayPort 1.2+ you can use DP daisy‑chain or an MST hub to get multiple monitors from a single DP port; that is efficient but requires DP MST support in the GPU and either monitors or a hub that supports chaining. USB graphics (DisplayLink) adapters offer a cheap way to add extra desktop monitors for office work but are not suitable for high‑frame‑rate 3D or color‑critical video. See DisplayPort MST notes at Wikipedia - DisplayPort MST and DisplayLink for USB adapters (https://www.displaylink.com).

Quick checklist: confirm OS/driver support and vendor spanning limitations, verify connector types and whether active adapters are required, ensure enough PCIe slots and PSU capacity, update GPU drivers, and configure displays as "Extend" in the OS display settings (Microsoft support).

Member Avatar for caperjack

use a quad video card .

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