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    Dimension 4600 Monitor Resolution Limit

    Discussion in 'Dell' started by Ted Buila, Dec 8, 2008.

  1. Ted Buila

    Ted Buila Notebook Enthusiast

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    I'm using a 1901FP monitor (supports to 1280 x 1024 res) with my Dimension 4600 2.4GHz with a 120MB DDR NVidia GetForce FX 5200 graphics card that appears to have a 1600x1200 limit.

    I'm going to be doing quite a bit of photo editing work over the next couple of months...would like to purchase a monitor with a resolution of 1920x1200 or 2048x1152...such as one of the Samsung 23 or 24" BWX units or a (new) Dell SP2309W 23 inch unit (res 2048x1152.)

    Question: will it be possible--and wise if possible--to upgrade the Dimension/120MB DDR NVidia GetForce FX 5200 graphics card to support the higher resolution monitors+add RAM.?

    Thanks in advance for shared thinking. ted
     
  2. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    If you can get a cheaper AGP card that supports the resolution you need, and find cheap(er) RAM, then maybe. However, depending on the photo editing and how much you do with that stuff...you might start hating that P4.

    I'd try NewEgg, and post a few pieces that you are thinking of buying. We can help you figure out if a new system is more worthwhile.
     
  3. Commander Wolf

    Commander Wolf can i haz broadwell?

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    First, this is a notebook forum; for your desktop needs, you should go to desktopreview.com. As for the Dimension 4600, if you've still got the stock motherboard in there, you can pretty much use any AGP 4x/8x graphics card; so yes, you can upgrade it. There seem to only 2 memory slots, so you're going to need 2 1GB DIMMS to reach the maxiumum supported memory.
     
  4. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Yes, www.desktopreview.com is a good source too (it is our sister site). But I'll keep this one here since he did ask us.
     
  5. Ted Buila

    Ted Buila Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thanks Greg/Commander Wolf...

    It seems pretty clear--doesn't it--that doing an upgrade on the 4600 is doable but what's the point?

    Since I'm planning on getting one of the lighter/not too small (13-14") notebooks (perhaps like a sony z590nfb) in the next couple of weeks (for field work, etc) that it makes sense to connect a samsung 2324 or a dell sp2309w and get on with it.

    Am I making sense or am I smoking the front lawn? ted
     
  6. Ted Buila

    Ted Buila Notebook Enthusiast

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    Sorry (again) G/CW...I'll bug out of the forum..looks like I've posted in the wrong place again. ted