Reasons for getting duel monitors?

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Soldato
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Hey guys, im going to probably be buying a new monitor soon. i was curious as to the advantages of duel monitors as ill have two DVI monitors, a 19" and probly another 22" and the GTX will be able to run them both i hope.


So, what are the advantages? I know in supreme comander you can have the main map on one and the game on the other. I think you can do similar things in flight sim. But can i do it with any game? Also, are there any other advantages baring in mind they will be different sizes?


Thanks.
 
I have two monitors but I rarely use them both. Times when I do are playing games + irc/msn or web dev with lots of windows open. Unless you have two monitors already, I'd say no.

P.S. It does look cool :).
 
Im curious as to what supreme commander is like on it. But i gues i gota go into the games section to find that one out.

I gues a mod might wana close this one as i gues i put it in the wrong place now as im intrested to find out what games wont showing differnt things on multiple screens.

Thankyou for your reply though.
 
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You can probably count on one hand the number of games that take advantage of two screens. You can span a single desktop over both screens and play games dual screen that way though, but with any sort of first person game the gap between the two screens where the bezels are kinda ruins it, plus the resolution can be a struggle.

I've played Supreme Commander dual screen, but TBH I ended up just watching one screen.
 
OOo you posted while i was editing. I didn't expect to get responses on here about games so much. MMM now i have two topics... oops :)


Thanks. Thing is, ill probably have to buy a new monitor soon anyway for moving the pc upstairs when i build my own. So i might as well try it all out with two :)
 
8igdave said:
OOo you posted while i was editing. I didn't expect to get responses on here about games so much. MMM now i have two topics... oops :)


Thanks. Thing is, ill probably have to buy a new monitor soon anyway for moving the pc upstairs when i build my own. So i might as well try it all out with two :)
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Yeah, I didn't buy a 2nd monitor to use dual screens. I just bought a tv and as it's next to my pc there is no harm having them both connected :).
 
I have dual 20" SGI CRT's, I use them for my 3D work, Any proffessional or even hobbyist requires as much screen real estate as possible for big projects just to avoid switching screens all the time or to save zooming in and out a lot.

I play mostly FP games so as hard as I have tried I can't do it with 2 I keep reverting to just one. Which is why I'm going ot be purchasing 3 x 19" LCD's soon for more screen real estate and during down time I can play FP games

EDIT: And before someone chimes in about 19" monitors and tn-film and quality and such... I have a spare, never taken out the box, SGI that I'll be using for color referencing.
 
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I'm getting some cheapy ones, after all I just need to display stuff, I don't crave awesome picture quality... the spare SGI I have will be used for that. The bezel hopefully won't be an issue as I am planning to remove the cheapy plastic casing (invalidating the warrenty of course and inserting all three into a custom casing.
 
Hornchurch said:
I only have dual screens because i like to talk on msn on one screen and play WoW on the other. :cool:
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Thats what I was planning but also have a TV card connected to the second monitor to use as a TV while I use the other to use for gaming and the likes.

Think im going to get a sinlge Dell 24" 2407 though.
 
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IMO dual screens are great if you actually work on a computer, like I do, I could never use a single screen again, its just too convenient to have two things maximised on screens next to each other, working on one screen while looking at the other, and just to be able to look back and forward between the two.

I would give dual screen a try, as it looks like your getting the opportunity, if you feel you can live without the second screen after a day, then you don't need it. But I am betting you wont be able to live without it.

Unless; The one thing I would find really annoying about dual screen would be if they had different vertical sizes/resolutions and alignments, I tried using my laptop screen and another screen once, and it just wasn't the same, not even close.
 
nb- said:
IMO dual screens are great if you actually work on a computer, like I do, I could never use a single screen again, its just too convenient to have two things maximised on screens next to each other, working on one screen while looking at the other, and just to be able to look back and forward between the two.

I would give dual screen a try, as it looks like your getting the opportunity, if you feel you can live without the second screen after a day, then you don't need it. But I am betting you wont be able to live without it.

Unless; The one thing I would find really annoying about dual screen would be if they had different vertical sizes/resolutions and alignments, I tried using my laptop screen and another screen once, and it just wasn't the same, not even close.
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FACT. got to be matching.

I use dual at work. CAD applications. but I find it really handy to have explorer windows on one screen (or across both screens) and office applications emails etcetc all over the place.

having 2 different excel sheets open and being able to see both is nice.

soon to have 2 screens at home, for music related software. far easier to have stuff over 2 screens :)
 
I get on fine with a 19" wide and a 17" regular side-by-side. The heights are very close though, physically and in terms of pixels.

Even if you're only doing basic school/office work, having two screens is a huge help; you can have the main app open in one and look at source material, websites, other programs, Folder windows, music player or whatever in the other (or a combination :D ) Its a lot more productive.

Having to use the single CRT's in the computer labs at school does my head in now when I try to throw IE onto the second monitor so I can write on the first and realise there isn't one.

For gaming, have dual screens is almost useless. Specialised games like Supreme commander and games that can run in a window easily like WoW are the only ones that benefit really. I keep a Samurize config on my second screen though, which is useful for checking system info (and the time!) during games.
 
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If you get used to working on 2 screens going back to one feels like working on a laptop, you just feel like your being slowed down. most work apps are easier to use with more space to work in (CAD, Database apps, even good old spreadsheets)

For gaming a couple of games can use the the second monitor (supcom, X2 Flight sim) and some more are planned (World in conflict for example).

TBH some games run like a dog with dual monitors enabled (more a driver issue than the game i think but not sure). But if you play allot of MMO type games or any other game with a large "social" side then being able to see Teamspeak servers/msm/icq/the web while you play is incredibally useful.
 
Dual monitors is like dual core... Quad monitors is like Quad core... once you got em and can use em to their fullest potential you don't want less
 
I find duel monitors handy if you are learning something from say a ebook or video you can have that on one screen and do what ever you have to do on the other.
 
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