Question USB Adapter for Third HDMI Monitor

[RhoXS]

I currently run W11 with two monitors driven by the Asus Prime Z790M-Plus Motherboard's HDMI & DP ports and an i9-13900K CPU (no graphics card). For my purposes this provides all the video performance I need (no gaming or serious graphics). I now have a need for a third monitor that will mostly just display a specific Excel spreadsheet I need to frequently see and make minor changes to. My thought is to use a simple inexpensive USB to HDMI adapter to drive the third monitor's HDMI input.

Assuming this will work without compromising any existing performance, I would appreciate any suggestions for an adapter proved to work. I am leaning to an Amazon Anker $12 Adapter but also considering the $19 Brennenstuhl device but certainly open to other products. I want something that, of course, works but has least risk of adversely effecting my machine as I have a concern about any consequences or performance issues associated with loading the necessary drives needed to make this work.

 

[RhoXS]

I just received the Anker $12 USB C to HDMI adapter and it is not applicable as this is simply to convert a USB C display port to HDMI.

I also understand the i9-13900K integrated graphics can support up to 4 monitors but the Asus motherboard only has two monitor ports (DP+HDMI). How do I add a third port? Is this even possible if the mobo only has only two monitor ports?

I have, in the unopened box, an Asus Geforce GT730 card that can probably drive the third monitor. However, I am reluctant to install it because I do not know if it will slow down the i9-13900K integrated graphics. I read that the i9-13900K integrated graphics is much more capable than the GT730 so I do not want to compromise that. I would appreciate some thoughts about this. Also, the GT730 card has no fan but a relatively large heatsink that will probably interfere with the lower row of external motherboard connectors on the Asus Prime Z790M-Plus motherboard.

The other alternative appears to be a Ablewe USB to HDMI adapter (USB 3.0/2.0 interface). I would appreciate some thoughts here re how likely this will support a third monitor as, if it will, without compromising anything else, at $40, a simple solution.

 

[bba-tcg]

I would think any USB-C docking station would do it.

 

[Zepp]

I just received the Anker $12 USB C to HDMI adapter and it is not applicable as this is simply to convert a USB C display port to HDMI.

I also understand the i9-13900K integrated graphics can support up to 4 monitors but the Asus motherboard only has two monitor ports (DP+HDMI). How do I add a third port? Is this even possible if the mobo only has only two monitor ports?

I have, in the unopened box, an Asus Geforce GT730 card that can probably drive the third monitor. However, I am reluctant to install it because I do not know if it will slow down the i9-13900K integrated graphics. I read that the i9-13900K integrated graphics is much more capable than the GT730 so I do not want to compromise that. I would appreciate some thoughts about this. Also, the GT730 card has no fan but a relatively large heatsink that will probably interfere with the lower row of external motherboard connectors on the Asus Prime Z790M-Plus motherboard.

The other alternative appears to be a Ablewe USB to HDMI adapter (USB 3.0/2.0 interface). I would appreciate some thoughts here re how likely this will support a third monitor as, if it will, without compromising anything else, at $40, a simple solution.

I don't see why the GT730 would negatively affect the intel integrated gpu. I have had PC's in the pass with primary monitor run through a dedicated GPU and a 2nd monitor through the integrated GPU without any issue.

Those USB-A to HDMI adapters are similar to displaylink adapters and require a special driver to send the signal over USB-A. I've used official displaylink such adapters and they work great for this purpose but no idea how well the knock offs work.

You could also buy a displayport to dual out adapter like this https://www.amazon.com/Displayport-Splitter-Multi-Monitor-Computer-Compatible/dp/B0CPDV93YD/

 

[RhoXS]

Here is an update I hope will prove useful to anyone else needing a third monitor with only two mobo monitor ports. Much of the history and associated hardware is described above but I will repeat some of it so I can provide a stand alone cogent story below.

My first attempt at creating a port for the third monitor used an Anker $12 USB C to HDMI adapter from Amazon. This required a USB C DP port, a DP port was not available, so this was a non-starter without installing a board with USB-C DP ports.

I then installed the unused GT730 card I had and it ultimately worked. Installation was a bit bumpy as both installing it and then eventually removing it both required the Recovery Code to restart the computer. Fortunately I had the code. It also was not a comfortable physical fit due to its relatively large heat sink. I had a choice of installing it in one slot that would have resulted in it over hanging an M.2 drive and compromising air flow over it or overhanging and 100% blocking access to the lower row of mother board connectors. I chose the latter as the lesser of the evils. Right after installing the card I was forced into the bios setup dialog twice, for what I never figured out, but it booted on the third try. Another stylized ASUS splash display I never saw before briefly appeared on every start up. Everything eventually worked fine but the computer just seemed a bit less smooth with respect to mouse use and other intangible things. Maybe it was the placebo effect as I was concerned from the start the card might cause problems but after I eventually removed it (before installing another adapter) all these little, maybe just perceived nits, went away.

I received the Ablewe USB to HDMI adapter (USB 3.0/2.0 interface) from Amazon yesterday and installed that this morning. First thing I did was remove the GT730 and reboot. The machine started then appeared to run exactly as it did before I installed the GT730 but I needed the Recovery Code to restart the machine after pulling the GT370 out. The Ablewe came with a tiny CD with drivers dated a few years back so I downloaded the latest drivers from www.displaylink.com as suggested in the Ablewe manual and then installed them. It was just a single .exe file that immediately installed without an issue and gave the appearance of being a well written piece of software with well thought out graphics/status display, etc. I intended to reboot at that point but I just plugged the Ablewe into a USB 3.2G2 port and it worked instantly! That was it! It took less time to remove the GT730 and get the Ablewe up and running than it did to type this message. The Ablewe device also feels quality as it is a metal case, has some heft to it, and it is good appearing although this says nothing about the quality of what is inside.

So, have only two monitor ports and need a third monitor? This Ablewe device installed and worked perfectly without an iota of brain damage. It is clearly a better solution, at least for my needs, than adding a graphics card and it is only $43.

 

[RhoXS]

After using the Ablewe adapter for a few days, I will say now with confidence, there is a noticeable, and I am now convinced real, difference to me between the way my machine felt with the the GT730 graphics card installed and now the feel without it. I rebuild my primary desktop every three or four years. Although I really have no software or applications that require a lot of horsepower, I rebuild my machines with considerable horsepower because I want an ultra snappy/smooth response when just doing everyday things with even something simple like just opening a piece of software. I found over a lot of years, i9-xxxxxK CPU's, fast memory, fast quality M.2 SSD's, a good mobo, etc., all contribute to the feel of the machine. Even though I rarely if ever utilize this horsepower, it is very satisfying to me to get as close to an instant response as possible. As just one example, when I click the mouse, I want no (annoying to me) perceptible delay after the click. This is just one example but, overall, some machines feel very snappy and instantly responsive to a multitude of things and that is what I want. I usually successfully achieve this by overpowering the machine well beyond my actual application needs. With the GT730 installed, to any observer, my machine would have appeared to run fine. But to me, there was a perceptible loss of that smooth snappy response. With the GT730 removed, the external Ablewe adapter installed, my machine again has that snappy feel to it.

 

[Zepp]

I wonder if response time issue on the gt730 is due to the eol windows driver?

I ended up switching off windows to Linux for better driver support of my old gcn1 Radeon card

Glad the displaylink adapter is working for you