Are VGA-connected screens still valid?

[PTNLemay]

I've long hesitated getting a multi-monitor setup for two reasons really...

1) I'm a stickler for symmetry, either from aesthetic taste, or due OCD... I can't stand the idea of mismatched monitors, so I would probably have to get 3 identical panels. Which brings me to my next reason.

2) Price. Getting three nice panels all at once would be very expensive, even the relatively cheap panels are 250$ or so, and I don't have 750$ to burn. (I'd need even more if I want to get some of those fancy rotating wall-mounts.)

At the moment I have a decent 24-inch 1920x1080 LED backlit monitor by Gateway. But I've been thinking... the symmetry wouldn't be broken if I got 2 side monitors. And if it's just for peripheral vision in FPS/RPG games... would it matter if the resolution was a bit blurry? So I've been considering getting 2 cheap side pannels. And I found some nice 19 inch 1440 x 900 screens on Newegg for 100$ (each), but... they're VGA only. This is it by the way: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236203CVF

What kind of framerate could I expect out of these? I know my current 24-incher uses HDMI and it can get a solid 60 frames, would the old VGA connectors bring that frame-rate down? Also I imagine I would need adaptors. I currently have one GTX 670 card, it has 2 kinds of DVI connectors, 1 HDMI (used by my current monitor) and a DisplayPort. VGA are analogue, right? So I would only be able to use the analogue DVI and the DisplayPort with special adaptors?

Is this do-able? Or am I making too many compromises that will hinder the experience?

 

[PTNLemay]

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815158150

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812120612CVF

I figure these would work to connect the VGA screens to my card. If the DVI port can handle two screens I might even be able to do it all with just that second one (again, I'd have to know if that would impede frame-rate somehow).

 

[hang-the-9]

For gaming, all 3 monitors need to run at the same resolution. The game does not run in 3 windows at 1920, 1440 and 1440 resolution. It would run at one window at 5760x1080 if you run at your max resolution, divided into 3 screens.

 

[PTNLemay]

I see... so... would that mean the middle screen would drop to 1440 x 900? Or would the side-screens approximate 1920 x 1080 into the lacking pixels?

Here's a chart I made for what I'm looking for.

If I can't get three orange screens, I figure I can go for 2 identical side ones.

 

[hang-the-9]

For gaming, you won't be able to run the side monitors at a different resolution, you need to get 2 more 1920x1080 monitors. You can use different monitors in other applications though for extra space, that won't matter then what additional monitors you get. You can use either example you have, just not for games.

 

[friskiest]

@ LeMay,. you can lower the resolution of the center monitor to 1440x900 and it should work @ 4320x900, but most if not all LCDs have terrible scaling so it really depends on you if you find that as an acceptable compromise.

If you could stretch your budget, its ideal to get 2 FHD monitor instead- eliminate the scaling and actually get the equivalent of roughly 4 1440x900 monitors.

Do note that its best to have identical monitors (same models and brand) especially when using it as a single "canvass"- otherwise, factors like the changing contrast, brightness, viewing angles and even the bezels between the screens would be uncomfortable.