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Jun 24, 2011
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Motherboard
GA-Z170XP-SLI
CPU
6700k
Graphics
Gigabyte 280x
I'd like to get a 4K monitor for photo and video work. Probably the LG 31MU97. I need acceleration in Sierra/FCPX, but my editing needs are modest, as I'll only be working with 1080p footage with minimal VFX.

What's the best GPU to drive a 4K display in Sierra?

I've read the 280x is limited to 50hz, and conflicting reports of it working correctly in 4K. But the card's FCPX performance and OOB reliability is quite tempting.

I don't have experience with nVidia outside of windows, but it seems like a 900-series is the best or only 4K/60hz option right now?

Any advice would be great, thanks!
 
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The 280X supports 4K@60Hz, too. Just be aware that sleep/wake will break unless you boot with iGPU=Primary.

A Maxwell GPU should also work, but I think the 280X has best value for money (in terms of FPCX performance).

I read that the 280x can only do 4k@50hz, as it's a limitation of the miniDP used on the card. Does that make sense?

Also, by enabling igpu, wouldn't that cause FCPX to not use the 280x for rendering?

Appreciate your reply.
 
re FCPX - you need to run it on monitor which is connected to 280x and it will work fine

Had dual screen setup, main window on 280x and browser window on igpu and it worked fine. As long as the main screen (viewer) is on your GPU

Best bang for your money is 280x. When i contacted MSI they told me it doesnt work at 4k60hz, but it did. I did use it for only a month though, as the card stopped working (was second hand so i suspect bitcoin killed it not the 4k display).
If you play games on windows on 4k though, 280x is unusable unless you go with very basic stuff. If you do some adobe stuff like i do, 980ti is good option, but for twice the money you get same speed in fcpx as 280x. Davinci and Adobe flies with it though.

if you dont need the gpu right now, wait till the 480 is all sorted (seems we are close) and get that. or get the 280x and wait for amd vega release and than more waiting till amd vega support in os (like i do except with 980ti)
 
re FCPX - you need to run it on monitor which is connected to 280x and it will work fine

Had dual screen setup, main window on 280x and browser window on igpu and it worked fine. As long as the main screen (viewer) is on your GPU

Thanks for the info!

Were you enabling igpu solely for sleep functionality?

I pulled the trigger yesterday and 280x/4K is working fine. I don't know how to confirm what hertz I'm running at, but it looks about as smooth as my secondary 1080p/60hz, so perhaps that's all that matters for the kind of work I'm doing. It's interesting to note that the monitor's manual explicitly states that the new MacPro is limited to 50hz..

A year ago I went thru a couple used 280x's that both died immediately (probably old mining gear). But I managed to find a new one this time, and hopefully it will get me to at least the next generation of cards.

Unfortunately, I can't wait any longer for pascal/polaris. It seems like RX 460/Baffin might get true OOB support, but anything else, any time soon?

The things I do to continue editing in FCPX... ;)
 
I don't have experience with nVidia outside of windows, but it seems like a 900-series is the best or only 4K/60hz option right now?
I'm running a GeForce GTX690 (the one with dual-GPUs) and it's driving my 4K monitor at 60Hz just fine.

It's also providing some serious FCPX acceleration.

(and no sleep/wake issues, or early video issues)
 
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Were you enabling igpu solely for sleep functionality?

Not at start. I was running 3 screen setup. 2 for desktop and 1 tv for fullscreen video output from fcpx. 1st screen igpu desktop, 2nd screen amd desktop, 3rd screen amd TV.
3 screens from amd card was sometimes buggy (default framebuffer)

later i sometimes used the tv from amd output, sometimes from blackmagic monitor output (depends on the kind of work). but i did leave the igpu enabled even when i didnt use the amd output to TV because:
1.i was lazy so i left it as it is. if it works dont fix it
2. there were no problems with bootloader (scrambled text in chimera)
3. got sleep working
4. needed igpu enabled for h264 compressor acceleration (dont know if its still needed)


the Hz - usually there is menu item in monitor telling you the exact resolution and frequency but if you feel there is no difference between screens its probably right.

enjoy your 280x, you can always upgrade later when there are no glitches. important is how its working now. job doesnt wait till the hardware is ready :)
 
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