Cheapest way to connect to a 1440p (or 1080p) monitor?

Hey there.
I’m on the hunt for a device I can hook up to a 1440p monitor via DisplayPort or HDMI—though, honestly, if I have to drop the resolution down to 1080p, I won't lose any sleep over it, provided 1440p remains an option.
The platform itself doesn't matter much to me, and my primary goal is to keep the price as low as humanly possible. The device's sole purpose will be scrolling through image galleries, so my main concern is just finding a way to navigate that feels intuitive and practical—whether that means using a keyboard, a remote, some dedicated buttons, or heaven knows what else.
Any suggestions?
I've spotted some cheap little stick computers for around $333, but I'm holding out hope that I can find a significantly better deal than that.

Do you even need a PC for this?

There are solutions like this that have been around since $217 on more than

https://www.amazon.com/media-centers...0&pageNumber=1

If you need extra storage, just plug in an external drive. These things handle 4K resolution easily while pulling less than 20W... plus, they come with their own OS built-in... fully legal...

Honestly, it might as well be a toaster at this point. I mean, if its sole purpose in life is just scrolling through a gallery of images, what else is there to say? 😁

Something like an Arduino would be absolutely perfect for this setup—provided you have a bit of experience with Unix (though honestly, if you don't, there are endless tutorials out there to help you along!)—just grab a WiFi module too, assuming it doesn't come built-in, and you’ve basically got yourself a nifty little HTPC 😁

Personally, I would opt for an Apple TV or a Mac Mini from China. Shipping is typically free, and since the package is quite small, there is a high probability it will arrive without any customs issues.

Since technology is constantly evolving, you really just need to do a bit of research online to figure out which model offers the best value for your specific budget.

An Apple TV or a Mac Mini is a great choice because they are compact enough to easily hide behind a TV or monitor. They also feature SD card slots, making it simple to swap or add files, and you can repurpose them for other tasks like web browsing or watching YouTube.

Even with cheaper models, displaying a photo gallery shouldn't be an issue based on the product listings. Setup is straightforward; you can start a slideshow with just a few clicks after powering it on, or even configure an app to launch the slideshow automatically upon startup.

BTW, almost every modern TV has a built-in slideshow function if it supports USB drives.