Multiple monitor gaming, Help?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
PC-GIRL88

PC-GIRL88

Honorable
Jun 18, 2013
188
0
10,690
How do i set up dual or tripple monitors??? Do i need a individual GPU per monitor or can i run multiple ones off one gpu? if i do that does it drop FPS?

And if i can use one gpu how do i set up multiple monitors with the gpu only having one hdmi port???
 
Solution
ubercake
Dual monitor gaming doesn't make sense because most games place your dude (3rd person) or the crosshairs (1st person) right in the center of the screen. With a two-monitor gaming setup this means the center of the action is split across the monitors bezels. You don't want to do that.

Knowing that, a three-monitor setup is the way to go when gaming across multiple monitors.

The way you connect the monitors depends on the GPU.

If you're running with an AMD card and don't have a flex edition of the particular video card, you need to use the displayPort (DP) or mini displayPort as a connection to one of your monitors. In many cases, people don't have monitors with DP connections, so they have to buy an active DP-to-HDMI or DP-to-DVI...
Sort by date Sort by votes
ubercake

ubercake

Splendid
Oct 28, 2009
7,270
5
29,815
Dual monitor gaming doesn't make sense because most games place your dude (3rd person) or the crosshairs (1st person) right in the center of the screen. With a two-monitor gaming setup this means the center of the action is split across the monitors bezels. You don't want to do that.

Knowing that, a three-monitor setup is the way to go when gaming across multiple monitors.

The way you connect the monitors depends on the GPU.

If you're running with an AMD card and don't have a flex edition of the particular video card, you need to use the displayPort (DP) or mini displayPort as a connection to one of your monitors. In many cases, people don't have monitors with DP connections, so they have to buy an active DP-to-HDMI or DP-to-DVI adapter to get the 3-screen setup.

A typical AMD setup for three monitors:
Monitor 1) DVI Connection
Monitor 2) HDMI Connection (center monitor carrying sound)
Monitor 3) DP-to-DVI adapter using DVI connection to monitor

On the other hand, a flex edition of an AMD video card allows you to connect your monitors using any combination of connectors without the DP restriction, though these cards are pretty rare.

Newer Nvidia cards (600 series and newer) don't have the DP restriction, so a typical Nvidia setup:

Monitor 1) DVI Connection
Monitor 2) HDMI Connection (center monitor carrying sound)
Monitor 3) DVI Connection

If you're using separate PC speakers and not relying on HDMI and one of your monitors for sound, you wouldn't have to set up your HDMI-connected monitor as your center monitor.

If you're video card has three or more connections, you should be able to run three monitors off the card.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
PC-GIRL88

PC-GIRL88

Honorable
Jun 18, 2013
188
0
10,690

what if i wanted 2 monitors say like one to do desktop stuff on while playing a game on the othe rone? just hook my best cable up to the monitor i want to game on (HDMI i would guess) and the dvi to the one i wana do desktop, web browing stuff on to the other monitor?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
ubercake

ubercake

Splendid
Oct 28, 2009
7,270
5
29,815
Yes. If you're using the monitor's speakers, run the HDMI to the monitor you want to game on. This should be set up as your primary monitor.

This is the easiest, otherwise you'll have to run a 3.5mm stereo cable between the sound on the motherboard or sound card to the monitor.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
PC-GIRL88

PC-GIRL88

Honorable
Jun 18, 2013
188
0
10,690
Thanks :)

So you say if i want sound comming from both of them i would need to add a stereo caple going to the second monitor to the audio jack in the mobo at the back of my pc?

 
Upvote 0 Downvote
ubercake

ubercake

Splendid
Oct 28, 2009
7,270
5
29,815


So you are using the monitor's speakers for sound?

You will get sound from one monitor or the other. You have to choose one output source for your sound in the OS.

I would run the HDMI cable to the monitor you want to game on and use the speakers on the monitor for your sound (the sound would be carried with the video over HDMI). I would then run the DVI cable to the other monitor.

If you want to get sound from both monitors, there are ways to go about this, but it would ruin the stereo effect while gaming.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom