Dual 120Hz 3D Enabled (Lightboost Hack) GPU question

UglyWaffle

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Jan 3, 2012
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Hello everyone,

I just ordered a second 120Hz 3D monitor and plan to use the lightboost hack on both displays. I currently have the hack running on my main display and liked it so much I wanted to have a second one with the same thing. My concern is my GPU power and if it can handle the two monitors at 120Hz with the "3D" running all the time.

I have to stick with NVidia due to the 3D so I suppose my options are either SLI 770's or if this card will be okay until the 8xx series comes out and picking up a 880/890.

Monitor: Asus VG278H
GPU: MSI GTX 770 OC 2GB
Resolution: 1920x1080 x2
Games: DotA2, BF3/4, FFXIV, next gen games
 
Solution
You don't want to play games across two screens as that will split the crosshairs or central figure across both screens' bezels. I would use the second monitor as an extension of the desktop and still game on just one until you can get a third; now three is a different story altogether and the way to go with multi-monitor gaming as the crosshairs appear in the center of the center monitor rather than split between two screens. As a rule, multi-monitor gaming should be done with an odd number of screens.

Subsequently, you won't need to get an SLI setup until you get the third monitor.
You don't want to play games across two screens as that will split the crosshairs or central figure across both screens' bezels. I would use the second monitor as an extension of the desktop and still game on just one until you can get a third; now three is a different story altogether and the way to go with multi-monitor gaming as the crosshairs appear in the center of the center monitor rather than split between two screens. As a rule, multi-monitor gaming should be done with an odd number of screens.

Subsequently, you won't need to get an SLI setup until you get the third monitor.
 
Solution

UglyWaffle

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Jan 3, 2012
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Perfect, that was the plan was to just have it as an extension and not use both monitors for the game itself. I was actually toying with picking up 3x 24" monitors but I like the 27's a bit too much.

Now games like BF4 can use a second monitor to display the minimap, will that cause any issues with it running in 120hz/3d?
 
I like the 27s myself. I like targets with larger heads.

I did not realize BF4 had this 2nd-screen capability. Do you have to run in Windowed mode to get this functionality?

If so, SLI won't kick in. It runs in full-screen mode only (unless something's changed that I don't know about).

Also, I tried playing BF3 in 3D and found that in a multi-player setting, I was at a massive disadvantage. Now the high refresh rate of my 120Hz monitor has proven advantageous in a 2D setting in BF3. I guess if I stuck with the 3D, I might have gotten used to it. It's just a different feel altogether. Do you really play multi-player BF3 or BF4 (beta) this way?
 

UglyWaffle

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Jan 3, 2012
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I was going to swap back to the 24's simply because its the same resolution and I could get 3x monitors for around the same end price, but couldn't give up the 27" lol.

I am in the same boat as you, I tried BF3 in 3D when I got the monitor last year and I was at a disadvantage. It was harder to spot units as everything garbled my vision. If I had stuck with it I am sure I would be fine but I got a headache after about 5 hours so I called it quits on 3D. That plus the obvious FPS decrease caused the game to behave slower, input lag almost.

Just yesterday I messed around with the lightboost hack and played a round of DotA2 and immediately noticed the difference, so much crisper and smoother. I will have to read up on the BF4 second monitor thing but I've heard a few people mention it has that ability.

Update: Sounds like for BF4 its a browser window you have open on your other monitor which displays a full view of the map and updates realtime. Might cause some lag since their website especially takes up so much memory, but it sounds like it runs ok.