Dual Screens and Gaming?

[BusyBeaverHP]

I'm considering adding a second monitor to my desktop (see sig) for productivity, but I also game (L4D2, SC2, Crysis, etc. etc. etc.), and was wondering how will having two screens affect my gaming performance.

Ideally, dual screens should be for productivity (like MS word while having Firefox open), while gaming should happen only on the main screen. Before I go down the dual screen path though, a few questions for dual screen owners:

1. When you play games on dual screens, what really happens? Do you need to make any special adjustment to keep your game on one screen? My biggest concern is how SC2 and L4D2 will be affected by having a second screen.

2. If the game is able to be confined to the main screen, what happens with the second screen? Does it stay as desktop, or does it black out?

3. Is there a noticeable performance hit having the second screen on, while gaming? I know that playing Crysis in windowed mode (instead of fullscreen) carries a performance penalty, for example.

Thanks ahead of time!

 

[Dangman]

1) Nothing really. Most games just confine themselves to one monitor without any tweaks or such. Though with the CoH games, those take a short to register being confined on one monitor but that's the biggest issue so far. SC2 works just fine with a second monitor active. Haven't had any trouble with any of the source games with a second montior

2) Stays as desktop most of the time. Though for BFBC2 for me, the second monitor occasionally blacks out

3) Nope.

 

[Zepher]

game plays on primary screen, secondary screen(s) show the desktop.
If there is a performance hit, I don't see it on my setup. I play with most games maxed out @ 1680x1050 and game play is smooth.