What video card for HTPC use?

[FordFreak2013]

I'm planning on using some hardware from a previous build to make a dedicated HTPC. I'm looking for a video card can send a 4k 120hz signal if possible. OS will be Linux. Something cheap, reliable, quiet, and cool running.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Are there even any standards currently implemented by video cards or iGPUs, that can even send a 4K120P signal? I really don't think so. (Edit: Although, that would be equivalent to an 8K60P kind of signal, bandwidth-wise, and I think some cards advertise 8K capability over DisplayPort (1.4?).)

 

[Fallen Kell]

It isn't so much the video card that is the problem as much as it is the link between video card and display device. Displayport has no problem with 120hz 4k, but TV's do have displayport, they use HDMI and only HDMI 2.1 has the bandwidth for that refresh rate at that resolution. Only a few TV's that came out this year have HDMI 2.1 and of them, not all support panels that will do 120hz at 4k. There is also the problem that there is not a single video card which has HDMI 2.1 (including the new AMD line released today not the Nvidia "Super" refresh just released) which means we will be waiting at least another year before we have it on cards. Unless a TV comes out with displayport 1.4 support (I have not heard of any) you will most likely be waiting at least a year. We "might" see a displayport to HDMI 2.1 converter, but I doubt it since HDMI 2.1 is higher bandwidth than the current displayport (the new announced version is higher bandwidth but that also is not yet in any devices yet and probably will not be for 2 more years as that is how long it has been taking for HDMI 2.1 to make it into devices).

 

[FordFreak2013]

I kind of wondered about that.
Have any suggestions for something that will support 60hz?

 

[VirtualLarry]

4K60 displays are cheap and plentiful, and any modern video card will drive them. (Polaris and newer on AMD, Maxwell v2 and Pascal and newer on NVidia.)

 

[alcoholbob]

Isn't DP 1.4 actually limited to 98hz at 4K with 4:4:4 chroma?

 

[burninatortech4]

4K60 displays are cheap and plentiful, and any modern video card will drive them. (Polaris and newer on AMD, Maxwell v2 and Pascal and newer on NVidia.)

If you just mean output (not decode) then 4k 60hz has been supported since Southern Islands.

 

[mopardude87]

Not sure if anyone else has found gtx960 for as cheap as i have but i scored myself a $40 4gb Evga gtx960 this evening locally. I couldn't handle sitting on HD630 any further and waiting till September on it was not a option given i got a 4k monitor and 30hz gives me a headache. For Overwatch you drop shadows down a few notches and drop effects to low and its holding a solid 60fps. I know you mentioned htpc but if you do decide to do some light gaming this one might be alright.

Not sure how much better and cheap you can get then a 960, the one i got has a pretty beefy cooling solution with a single fan and its not audible during 100% load and its not really breaking 60cel with my fan curve. Its going in my spare pc which is a htpc later on. My main card which was a 1070ti up and failed and this one is a nice little hold me over till i seen how 5700XT/2080 Super cards match up in performance around September.