Choosing between monitors

[cactusjack]

Hello

I currently have a monitor for work and will buy a 120Hz monitor for gaming.

I do not require both to be in use at the same time.

Instead, I would like to choose between 1 or the other, without having to reach to the back of the PC and unplug one monitor to put the other in.

Is there a mechanism that would allow me to achieve this? - again, it would simply be a case of choosing which 1 of the 2 monitors is active (not running both at once).

Thanks!

[Andeh13]

Just buy a splitter that duplicates the HDMI/dvi output then turn on/off whichever monitor you want to use?

[scaryjim]

Tricky. Any solution you choose is almost certainly going to mean changing the monitor resolution and refresh rate settings when you switch.

Assuming you're using Windows 7, the easiest way is to have both plugged into your graphics card, then use the "screen resolution" dialog to switch between them (in the "Multiple Displays" drop down select "Show desktop only on 1" or "Show desktop only on 2"). When each monitor is active you can set their resolution and refresh rate individually, and it will then remember those settings as you switch between them. So it'll take a bit of set up, but then is fairly easy to manage once you're done.

OTOH, it'd be much easier to either just use the 120Hz monitor (they're good for desktop work as well as gaming you know!) or to run both monitors in an extended desktop and bind programs to one screen or the other. I don't really get why you're so intent on swapping between them...?

[cactusjack]

The reason I want to swap between is because I presume having both running at once will tax my graphics card - i.e. gaming on the 120hz whilst working on the other monitor at the same time = not as good performance on gaming?
Also, the graphics card only has 2GB of memory - so may struggle to run both at once?

[deejayburnout]

I can imagine that 2 monitors on any modern GPU will not put the card under 2 much load. If your GPU has 2GB of memory I can imagine its rather good.

I had 8600GT 512MB running 2 22inch monitors for years with no issues.

What card do you have.

[cactusjack]

Gtx 680