Dual monitor setup: Extended desktop and games
I'm thinking of getting a 2nd monitor at home and utilising the extended desktop fuction in windows, as I do at work.
Could you please let me know how this would work if I wanted to play a game? Would I be able to have the game appear only on one monitor? Also does this incur any performance penalties?
Re: Dual monitor setup: Extended desktop and games
The game will only display on your primary monitor and no you wont get any performance penalties. Your card might have to run a bit more speed at idle (depends upon the card) when powering both monitors but its not something you have to worry about.
Re: Dual monitor setup: Extended desktop and games
Quote:
Originally Posted by
dfour
The game will only display on your primary monitor and no you wont get any performance penalties. Your card might have to run a bit more speed at idle (depends upon the card) when powering both monitors but its not something you have to worry about.
This.
I run two identical 23" panels at the moment, my primary screen is used for gaming and work on the odd occasions I actually do any work! My personal preference is to use my second screen for browsing and email so that if I'm playing a game and an email comes up I can see the email. Also in some games I can have the map open on a web page on my second screen just to remind me where things are. Having run this way for a while I would find it hard to go back to a single monitor configuration.
Re: Dual monitor setup: Extended desktop and games
A few really old games have required me to disable the second monitor, but even if they do it only takes a minute either side.
Day to day it works absolutely fine.
Re: Dual monitor setup: Extended desktop and games
Once you go to two monitors, you'll never want to return to just one.
Ultramon is a nice tool to use for some dual monitor enhancements too!
Re: Dual monitor setup: Extended desktop and games
I forgot the software name, but there is a really nice one that will allow you to stay full screen in a game while clicking off while you work on a other desktop, the game will stay in a active state and not "freeze" so you can keep playing.
Re: Dual monitor setup: Extended desktop and games
Thanks for the advice guys. I'll definately have a dual setup once I buil the new PC. It will not be ideal as I'll be combining a new 24" monitor with my existing 19" one...but its a start.
Re: Dual monitor setup: Extended desktop and games
Sorry to intrude, but can you run two different resolutions? i.e., I have a 1920x1080 main monitor and a little sqaure 19" monitor at a different resolution. Can I have extended desktop on this? Like a game on the 1080p one and FireFox on the other?
Re: Dual monitor setup: Extended desktop and games
Yes you can, I'm using a laptop at work along with a 17" monitor, both have different resolutions and the exteded desktop works fine. You can always choose which of the two is your primary monitor.