Tips for a DUAL MONITOR setup

[jonathan1107]

Hi guys

Lately I've been wanting to get myself a second monitor. I often search stuff on the web while I have a PC game running... so usually I just ALT-TAB out of the game to do my web browsing, but sometimes it messes up with the Game or causes weird behaviors with the game's ram usage... anyhow... here's what I'm looking to do:

I'd like to find a way to run my PC game on one screen and have my web pages and other apps opened on the OTHER monitor. Is there a way to do that? Now I know for some of you that might be basic knowledge but I've never had more than 1x monitor in a PC setup, so I'm trying to get a walkthrough of what to do.

I have a gtx 670 and an i7, I already have a 24inch asus monitor. NOTE that I DON'T intend to use the 2x monitors for gaming, only ONE would be used for gaming the other for other applications.

So here are the questions I need answers to:

A) Do my 2x monitors need to be the same size?
B) Do I need to run any specific programs to be able to run 2x monitors? Do I just use windows parameters or are there programs out there that optimize the system for dual monitor use?
C) Can my graphics card handle the work load that would generate?
D) Any other recommendations ?

 

[Aquinus]

A: No.
B: The only game that I'm aware of that will use two displays out of the box is Supreme Commander, but generally speaking, dual displays isn't intended to be used this way in the sense of easily switching between them while in a full screen game. Dual monitor only enables you to have windows open while you game, but you must still alt-tab to interact with them (unless you're playing a game in windowed mode.)
C: Not much extra load is added by just having a second display, however I think the GPU will use a little more power in general just to drive it. We're talking <10 watts with your GPU with little to no impact on performance.
D: I used to have a 28" and a 22" and the difference and size and resolution drove me nuts. Since then I've acquired 3 displays of the same model and I'm extremely pleased with it. I use them productivity and I game on a single display, the center one, so my goals were similar to yours. If you like the display you already have and can buy another one, I would do it otherwise I would save and buy two displays of the same kind unless you're planning to do something like this, otherwise always stick with the same model display.

 

[jonathan1107]

A: No.
B: The only game that I'm aware of that will use two displays out of the box is Supreme Commander, but generally speaking, dual displays isn't intended to be used this way in the sense of easily switching between them while in a full screen game. Dual monitor only enables you to have windows open while you game, but you must still alt-tab to interact with them (unless you're playing a game in windowed mode.)
C: Not much extra load is added by just having a second display, however I think the GPU will use a little more power in general just to drive it. We're talking <10 watts with your GPU with little to no impact on performance.
D: I used to have a 28" and a 22" and the difference and size and resolution drove me nuts. Since then I've acquired 3 displays of the same model and I'm extremely pleased with it. I use them productivity and I game on a single display, the center one, so my goals were similar to yours. If you like the display you already have and can buy another one, I would do it otherwise I would save and buy two displays of the same kind unless you're planning to do something like this, otherwise always stick with the same model display.

oh... that sucks. So If I got this right... Windows treats the game as a kinda "fullscreen" active application, so I have to alt-tab out ? ....... hurrrr....

So then. what are the benefits of multiple monitors (aside from the possibility of stereo gameplay and bigger res of course) ?
more programs and windows visible because of additionnal monitors ?

Cause my problem with games, is whenever I alt-tab out of them, I can interact with my other opened programs, but often, when returning to the opened game, it's like the game's performance lvl drops everytime by a little... few hiccups here and there that always show up when I alt-tab a lot

 

[Hellfire]

Hi guys
A) Do my 2x monitors need to be the same size?
B) Do I need to run any specific programs to be able to run 2x monitors? Do I just use windows parameters or are there programs out there that optimize the system for dual monitor use?
C) Can my graphics card handle the work load that would generate?
D) Any other recommendations ?

I've been running multi monitors for ages. I adore it and use it for more than gaming, I even have it set up so I can have movies and sound going to my TV via HDMI and play a game on my monitor with sound of the game coming via the surround sound (thus game and movies at same time)

To answer your questions

A: No, this isn't required however it is MUCH MUCH easier to and nice to use monitors of the same size and same res, However I use to use one monitor at different res and there is no problem.
B: No, No software is needed, for me I just set the displays and layout in CCC (ATI card) or within windows display settings and you're sorted. Be aware not many games use multi monitor it's sad I know and to access the game you'll still be required to alt tab out of the game. BE AWARE a lot of games do not keep the mouse in the window, so if you scroll toooo far to the edge of a game with the mouse and click, you might find you've clicked on the desktop and come out of the game
C: No problems at all, I use to run multi on my 5850 without issues
D: if you can, match monitor brand,make or resolution. I use Multi Monitor at work and got shafted with a cheap second monitor for a while, you notice the differences in colour/brightness and how crap one is compared to the other might just be me but it does my head in. Other than that, what Aquinus said is spot on.

 

[Hellfire]

oh... that sucks. So If I got this right... Windows treats the game as a kinda "fullscreen" active application, so I have to alt-tab out ? ....... hurrrr....

So then. what are the benefits of multiple monitors (aside from the possibility of stereo gameplay and bigger res of course) ?
more programs and windows visible because of additionnal monitors ?

Cause my problem with games, is whenever I alt-tab out of them, I can interact with my other opened programs, but often, when returning to the opened game, it's like the game's performance lvl drops everytime by a little... few hiccups here and there that always show up when I alt-tab a lot

Yeah, tbh I normally use my MM for surfing and watching tv at the same time, or when I am doing work on it and have Databases open and coding on one screen etc. It doesn't get used a lot.

You could have the game running in a boarder-less window mode (so it looks full screen) but then the mouse will probably not be locked to the inside of the game, so moving too far one way and you're out of the game window. (causes few problems) also I find running in boarder-less window does effect performance a bit on some games.

I've come to the realisation unless using eyefinity kind of set up, multi monitoring for gaming is a fraking waste...

 

[Hellfire]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-monitor#List_of_video_games_that_support_multi-monitor_set-ups

List of games which support Multi Monitors (ie uses two monitors for the game)

Only ones I really play are SUP COM 1 & 2, EvE (not anymore, )

Never used it on Deus Ex, didn't know it had it to be fair.

btw this list is not which support Eyefinity (but two separate monitors as separate entities)

 

[tordogs]

I use a 30" and 24" side by side. Never really notice the difference in screen colors or resolutions since generally I'm doing different things on each monitor. I open something in the primary monitor (30") then drag it over to the 24"--just have to make sure I size it down pretty small so it doesn't overfill the 24" Often drag two or three windows to the 24 and maybe open a movie or video full screen on the 30. I can then maximize, scroll, search, do e-mail or whatever with the windows on the 24-incher. Remember to drag those windows back to the primary monitor before I close them or I won't find them when I go back to using the primary by itself. You'll figure it out--pretty simple. As others have mentioned, if you used similar size/brand it makes things easier but these are the two monitors I had on hand and saw no reason not to use them. No extra programs needed and very little power hit running the dual monitors. I find using Windows Key + P is the easiest way to control the displays. Did set up primary/secondary display using the Nvidia control panel when I set up the two monitors. I've gotten used to having all the screen real estate and enjoy being able to do a multitude of things at the same time. Sometimes I reverse it and open a video, game or something on the smaller screen and then open 6-8 windows on the 30"--really useful when doing side-by-side comparisons of products, specs and prices( right click the clock and show windows side-by-side).