New motherboard or graphics card - best way forward for 4K

[kennethsross]

Really looking for some advice here. Thanks for any help.

Under my desk, I have a box of PC components - a 4770K, 16GB of DDR3 and an MSI z-87 G43 motherboard. Just needing to get round to building them into a case.

I recently bought an AOC 28" 4K monitor. MSI board claims to deliver 4K video (well, ultra-HD really) over HDMI.

Will this work fine with the onboard graphics on the 4770K / motherboard? I'm not into gaming; just mainly office apps, image editing and a bit of audio / video editing. Would also want to watch blu-ray videos.

So I'm wondering - do I build up what I've got, and then buy a GTX750ti if the board doesn't come up to scratch?

Or do I sell that unused motherboard on eBay and buy a Z97 m/b with DisplayPort (which is where I understand the monitor likes to get its signal from)

Appreciate any thoughts. Should add, OS will be 8.1 64bit

TIA

[Gronich26]

A quick look on MSI website (downloaded the manual) it say the mobo supports 4096x2160@24Hz so, if it does support 3840x2160, it will be 30Hz over HDMI. No Display port support mentioned so it would have to be a graphics card with your mobo.

[kennethsross]

Thanks, Gronich.

You're correct; no DisplayPort on the monitor. Will 30HZ be adequate for my usage? (office apps + the occasional blu-ray?)

[shaithis]

I would absolutely hate to use office apps at 24/30 Hz....although you most certainly could. Blurays are 24Hz anyway so they are fine. TV source material is normally 50Hz though, not sure how that will look (probably quite juddery)

Looking around it seems like displayport is only added on the higher models of GPU, so a cheap GPU isn't an out.....

I would take the small hit on the motherboard and buy one with DP.

[Gronich26]

kennethsross, when we say mobo we mean motherboard, sorry if I confused you. Do you mean there is no DisplayPort on your monitor and only HDMI or was that a typo? What is the AOC 4K model you are connecting to?

[kennethsross]

Hi Gronich

It is the AOC U2868Pqu . Yeah, it does have DisplayPort, but the motherboard doesn't (VGA D-sub / DVI-D / HDMI), so I would be outputting on HDMI to supply 4K

[Gronich26]

Using the 4770K on-board graphics and the motherboards HDMI connection for 4K@30Hz will be usable for office tasks but I would expect you will experience ghosting and mouse trails i.e. multiple cursors visible at once.

I would look at replacing the mobo with a Z97 with DisplayPort as you originally suggested to get the full 60Hz your monitor supports.

P.S. The 4770Ks on-board graphics (4600) will be fine for 2D work.

[kennethsross]

Using the 4770K on-board graphics and the motherboards HDMI connection for 4K@30Hz will be usable for office tasks but I would expect you will experience ghosting and mouse trails i.e. multiple cursors visible at once.

I would look at replacing the mobo with a Z97 with DisplayPort as you originally suggested to get the full 60Hz your monitor supports.

P.S. The 4770Ks on-board graphics (4600) will be fine for 2D work.

Thanks for the advice, Gronich. Think I'll put the z87-G43 on ebay and order a z79 Gaming 7

[Gronich26]

That motherboard seems a little over-the-top for office work. Any reason you chose it; are you intending to overclock or gaming in the future?

[kennethsross]

That motherboard seems a little over-the-top for office work. Any reason you chose it; are you intending to overclock or gaming in the future?

Wanted a z97, needed DisplayPort, liked the idea of additional power to the USB sockets since I use a USB DAC, and also the fact that it had lots of USB3.0 ports - also got an excellent set of reviews on Amazon.

Open to alternative suggestions, though.

[abaxas]

Why not just buy a low end graphics card?

[shaithis]

Why not just buy a low end graphics card?

Low end gfx cards with DisaplyPort are as rare as rockinghorse do-do it seems.

[abaxas]

Loads of 250/250X/260X amd doodars for about the 70/75 mark.

[JoeOfJoedonia]

Desktop and office apps are very annoying to use at 24/30fps.

[Gronich26]

Wanted a z97, needed DisplayPort, liked the idea of additional power to the USB sockets since I use a USB DAC, and also the fact that it had lots of USB3.0 ports - also got an excellent set of reviews on Amazon.

I've honestly never come across DAC! Sound like a good buy if it meets your USB 3.0 and DAC requirements; and would be neater than add-on cards.

[kennethsross]

Loads of 250/250X/260X amd doodars for about the 70/75 mark.

Unless ATI have fixed the drivers, these Radeons (according to some) don't play nice with my monitor.