Dual Monitors with X4500? DisplayPort to DVI cable OK?

[Peroxyde]

Hi,

Dell Optiplex 960, Q45 chipset, built in graphics X4500. Video outputs = DisplayPorts & VGA. Is it compatible with Dual Monitors? The machine usage is for office tasks.

Another twist is that I don't have any monitor with DisplayPort. Is it possible to use a DP -> DVI for monitor 1 and use the VGA output for Monitor 2?

And BTW, what is the difference between active and passive DP -> DVI cables? Can I use the passive version for my scenario above?

Thanks very much for any help.

 

[Peroxyde]

After some Googling, it seems like the X4500 is capable of dual monitors

Also thanks to an anwer I got from this forum (http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2185522)
the passive DisplayPort to DVI should work OK.

 

[lifeblood]

That's interesting. I did not realize their is a DVI fallback for DisplayPort.

Live and learn.

Also, I've powered two monitors, one using VGA and the other using DVI and it worked fine.