[Formido]

I'm preparing to do a custom build, and looking for a motherboard to buy. Some say VGA port in the specs, and some say D-sub. My computer monitor has a VGA 'plug', and I'm not interested in giving it up. Google is giving mixed messages as to whether or not a VGA plug will actually fit/work in a D-sub port without using connectors, adapters, etc., which I have no interest in using.

Should I eliminate all motherboards from consideration that do not specifically say VGA?

 

[captain_video]

A VGA connector and D-sub port on a motherboard are essentially the same thing. A D-sub connector is just a generic name for a lot of different variations of the same style connector. If the D-sub connector as three rows of pins with a total of 15 pins then it's a VGA connector. If it has two rows with a total of 9 pins then it's a serial port.

 

[Formido]

A VGA connector and D-sub port on a motherboard are essentially the same thing. A D-sub connector is just a generic name for a lot of different variations of the same style connector. If the D-sub connector as three rows of pins with a total of 15 pins then it's a VGA connector. If it has two rows with a total of 9 pins then it's a serial port.

The problem being when a D-sub is mentioned in motherboard specs, it never says anything about the pin count, so I'm not seeing any way to avoid getting stuck with a serial port....other than just eliminate any motherboard that does not actually mention a VGA port. Buying a board that just lists a D-sub seems a risky assumption that it's a "15 pins" job.

 

[Worf]

Why not just look at the connector photos? If you see the 15 pin VGA connector then it has it. There isn't any standard PC port that uses a high density 15 pin connector. Of course, it also ignores the other connectors that can be converted to VGA output.

 

[V_J]

As another option that would not limit your choice of mainboard: is adding a cheap videocard with vga output not an option? Rendering could still be done by the GPU of your choice, even for display on a monitor connected to a different videocard.

As an alternative, there are very cheap Displayport to vga adapters as it should be part of the Displayport standard (I hope someone can confirm this, I've never used such adapters and would actually like to know ). Just as a heads-up: all mainboards I've seen that have DVI only support DVI-D, so they are not compatible with passive dvi-vga adapters.

(I had a similar VGA requirement for a mainboard some years ago, but in retrospect I realized I could have gone for a better mainboard and cheap VGA compatible card; or could have tried a displayport-vga adapter)

 

[Worf]

DisplayPort to VGA adapters are active adapters - they convert the display port digital signal to analog VGA internally.

 

[V_J]

Thanks! They are still ridiculously cheap (8-10 USD on Amazon)... any experience with such adapter? Do they work without issues or are there limitations?

 

[captain_video]

I have one installed on my wife's PC. I upgraded her PC with a newer motherboard and CPU a while back and it lacked a VGA connector. I didn't realize at the time that her monitor would only support VGA so I got an adapter and it worked fine.

 

[dbc]

A VGA port almost always uses a D subminiature 3 row, 15 pin connector. Back in the day, "D-sub" was used for a large variety of ports and does not refer to anything specific. The common characteristic of this type of connector is its parallelogram shape, with the width and number of pins varying.

If the port is for video, the "D-sub" will connect by VGA to your monitor.