living with Eyefinity when NOT gaming...

I

indokyne

2[H]4U
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Jun 21, 2006
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for those who went from a large format screen to an Eyefinity setup, how is daily life using multiple smaller screens for things other than gaming?

I can see the benefit of giving up my 28" for 3 smaller 22-24 inch for gaming (i.e. field-of-view, peripheral vision etc...) but how about every other thing you use the computer for?

Are three screens more beneficial to...
surfing? movies? Windows in general? etc etc?

Do you guys just turn off the two outside monitors when not gaming?

Please post your Eyefinity experiences OUTSIDE of gaming...
 
I'd imagine it would be like any other multiple monitor setup which is EXTREMELY useful for general tasks.
 
when i am not gaming..
usually i will just turn off eyefinity( which is one single big desktop)
and back to 3 extended desktop.


no matter what i love having three monitor even for general use.
internet, movie, and others.. like gaming in window mode.
 
The usefulness of having more desktop space is marginal compared to the experience in games. Its great having three monitors, but my "productivity" has not increase anywhere near 3 fold. There is only so many websites I need to have open at once. I only have 1 set of eyes.
 
You very quickly find use for all three screens imo. It's pretty handy to never have windows overlapping or covering each other up.

I have my browser in the centre screen, almost taking up the entire thing. On my right I have Steam games list, friends list and several widgets with clocks, calendars and weather. On my left is where I open other working windows like browsing for files, control panel, file downloads, conversations etc.

Since Windows just remembers where you open up certain windows, you don't have to move anything about. It just always opens where you expect it to.
 
As a programmer, multiple monitors work awesome for coding/testing.

I'm only using 2 monitors right now. A third monitor might be marginally more useful, but definitely not necessary.
 
I have dual 19" screens at work, had dual 20" lcds at home 5 years ago, and now I have triple 22" at home. More desktop space is always great.

I tried rotating the 2209WA into portrait last night..... holy cow. Less scrolling is awesome! I could only imagine having triple 22" in portrait... that'd be sweet.
 
I went from dual 17" CRTs to a single 19" LCD back in the day and it *SUCKED*. Once you go dual you'll never go back to a single. I'm excited about trying triple now that I have a 5870, although I haven't taken the plunge yet.

Multiple monitors don't help at all with watching a movie, but are a godsend for pretty much everything else. Surfing the web on one monitor, music on the other. Word on one monitor, research on the other. There are tons and tons of uses. Once you try it you'll be hooked and wonder how you ever survived with a single monitor.
 
If applications maximize across all displays with Eyefinity it'd probably drive me batty within a few hours. If not it'd be just like regular multi-display setups, like the one I currently have :)
 
Elledan said:
If applications maximize across all displays with Eyefinity it'd probably drive me batty within a few hours. If not it'd be just like regular multi-display setups, like the one I currently have :)
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Yes. Maximising a window is like jumping to hyperspace. You can set up profiles to switch between Eyefinity desktop or plain Jane Windows extended desktop, with hotkeys.

Personally, I can't be bothered with that and just keep the Eyefinity one up all the time. I only use a few applications and they always open in the same place, same size every time.
 
Finkus said:
Yes. Maximising a window is like jumping to hyperspace. You can set up profiles to switch between Eyefinity desktop or plain Jane Windows extended desktop, with hotkeys.

Personally, I can't be bothered with that and just keep the Eyefinity one up all the time. I only use a few applications and they always open in the same place, same size every time.
Click to expand...

Heh, eventually i'll get around to setting up profiles too. I always forget when i open a browser window and it jumps to the full 3 screens.
 
veedubfreak said:
Heh, eventually i'll get around to setting up profiles too. I always forget when i open a browser window and it jumps to the full 3 screens.
Click to expand...

yeah, that's I think the biggest con of using eyefinity for everyday computing / surfing etc... full screen means knock you out of your seat full! :p ;)
 
There is no need for hotkey-swapping profiles, just use Hydravision. Put the limits right in the middle of monitors and thats it. If you still want some programs to maximize over all screens, you just maximize it, but if you want it to be only on one or only on 2 monitors, or whatever you come up with, just use attach to grid option.
Its better than changing profiles all the time.:D
Also, there is a need for 3 monitors, there's always a need for hardware :D
I use left one for TC, remote desktop for my seedbox-printserver pc, middle and the right one for my virtual XP (still haven't transferred all my programs to win7 and some of them don't work in 7), all 3 of them while playing. compatible game and all of other combinations.
 
im split between my single 37" and my eyefinity monitors

it is a new tech, and there are plenty of bugs - that being said i often swing the smaller monitors out of the way and use my central larger display

like for mass effect - im playing it on the 37" @ 1080p instead of on a single 20" @ 1600x1200

and for movies and hdtv - i use my ... hdtv and not 3 smaller monitors linked together...

so yes its cool, yes i like it... but no, it's not being used 100% by me
 
jamhamm said:
like for mass effect - im playing it on the 37" @ 1080p instead of on a single 20" @ 1600x1200
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Can you not get Mass Effect to work with Eyefinity? I was really hoping it would. I've never played it through and have been waiting until I get my setup.
 
Doesn't Hydragrid, within CCC, setup areas where programs open up, so that your applications always take the same space on your desktop? I dont use it, I think Win 7 does exactly the same thing. With eyefinity enabled in desktop, maximizing is annoying for sure. I have a non-Eyefinity hotkey profile that turns off my right mon. I've had 2 monitors for 6 years now, and I only need 3 for games.
 
I currently use 3 monitors and would never give it up. 37" -- 24" -- 37", I am seriously considering getting rid of the whole lot of em and getting either 3x 28" or 3x 30" monitors just for Eyefinity. Just can't decide what monitors to get yet.
 
If you can afford it, 3x30 is the way to go. I just cant justify spending another 3000 bucks to get 2 more 30s.
 
veedubfreak said:
If you can afford it, 3x30 is the way to go. I just cant justify spending another 3000 bucks to get 2 more 30s.
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There is the problem of running games at that resolution though. You'd need 2x 5970 to reliably push that size at decent speeds.

I have a 5970 and use 23" screens for a resolution of 5760x1080. You're not looking at consistent 60fps in this years' games. MW2, DIrt2 and Batman could all use a little extra muscle at that resolution on a 5970 for 60fps so using 30" displays would mean compromises, like 30fps, or lowering settings, on a 5970.

I wouldn't recommend 30" displays for Eyefinity unless you have some crazy multiple crossfireX setup and the drivers for crossfireX and Eyefinity have matured.
 
I agree with Finkus. I would love to get another 30" and run Eyefinity but as of today it just requires too much GPU power. I would only consider doing it if they let you mix resolutions and I could run 1280x800 (which scales really well) on the side monitors.

Right now I think 3 27" monitors (1920x1200) would be my optimal, realistic setup. 24's are a bit too thin IMO and the only 28" monitors I know of are TNs. Something like 3 27" Dells would be a great combination of size and a common resolution that is easier for graphics cards to handle.
 
Finkus said:
There is the problem of running games at that resolution though. You'd need 2x 5970 to reliably push that size at decent speeds.

I have a 5970 and use 23" screens for a resolution of 5760x1080. You're not looking at consistent 60fps in this years' games. MW2, DIrt2 and Batman could all use a little extra muscle at that resolution on a 5970 for 60fps so using 30" displays would mean compromises, like 30fps, or lowering settings, on a 5970.

I wouldn't recommend 30" displays for Eyefinity unless you have some crazy multiple crossfireX setup and the drivers for crossfireX and Eyefinity have matured.
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Have to agree, there...I am running a single 5970, stock, on 3 2209WAs, and while it's blazing on MW2, FC2, etc..., Crysis/WH can still PUNISH it at max resolutions (almost to the point of just playing those games single monitor). I can see going much beyond 5040x1050 being a problem without extra GPU HP (I am SOOOO wanting to see some better scaling/driver optimization, to rationalize dropping a 5850 in for trifire to help our Crysis/WH.)
 
I run triple 37" Westinghouse monitors (5760x1080) and couldn't live without the desktop space after using them every day. ;) Gaming is total immersion, as well.
 
Thanks for the tips guys Hydragrid totally helped me get over not having a workable aero snap in Win7. Does anyone know how to setup keyboard shortcuts though or do I have to right click and attach the window to the grid every time?
 
I'm in Dubai working for the next week, when i get back I'll post pics. Love the setup =)
 
I have 3 x 2408wfp 24" Dell in portrait, when not gaming I just hug them when I sleep at night...
 
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man oh man, i feel like such a loser with my old 19" dell lcd. 1280x1024 mas res, not even widescreen.

way to give me an inferiority complex, folks!

for some reason, i always find excuses to not upgrade my monitor. i was using a crt up until about a year and a half ago. planning on an ssd upgrade before a monitor upgrade at this point.

i think i'll ultimately end up with an hdtv as a monitor anyway.

so jealous though!
 
RandysWay said:
I run triple 37" Westinghouse monitors (5760x1080) and couldn't live without the desktop space after using them every day. ;) Gaming is total immersion, as well.
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three 37's??

dood... you gottttta post pics of that setup
 
B^gD^ddy~CF~ said:
hydravision, attach window to grid simple as that
Click to expand...

I've been trying to live in eyefinity mode on 3, 24's, but hydragrid is limited..

For instance.. remote desktop windows wont stick to a grid, they end up spanning 1.5 screens.. so far, the only workaround is to reduce the display resolution in the remote window, but even then, you cant stick it to a grid, it always goes to the left one if you try, so i find my self moving them around.

I'm mainly trying to stay in spanned mode for awhile to see if it fixes my flickering issue i'm having.. i've tried the profile tweak in ati, but that hasnt worked for me (see other thread)..

Also.. having the task bar span 3 screens is a loss of realestate.. so for now i'm trying to live with auto hide of task bar. (my task bar is 3 layers high)
 
I have 3x30" 3007WFP-HC's in eyefinity and love it! Too bad I only have 2 5770's in CF ATM pushing and surely as you folks know that's not nearly enough GPU power for those LCD's at full res so of course I have to compromise res and/or in game settings as a result, but on the bright side this is only a temporary solution until cards drop in price :) I have 3 profiles setup 1st one is of course 3x eyefinity, 2nd extened desktop, and 3rd probably the one I use most is single center display when I'm not gaming.
 
When I switched to dual monitors, it was an amazing experience and I could never go back. Then I switched to three, and two just sucks. I'm afraid to go to 5. :p

I get a HUGE productivity bonus having multiple displays in the type of work I do; and it's mostly just general office type tasks. Say I'm updating a Database with some information, having the source full screen on another monitor is leagues above putting them side by side, or alt-tabbing between.
 
If I had an eyefinity setup...

Browser
Media Player Classic
Winamp/Foobar2000
Explorer
Ventrilo
Utorrent
E-mail
IM
Netmeter
Remote Desktop
 
I don't have eyefinity, but I'm running multiple monitors for productivity and it's awesome. in short, having way more pixels easily outweighs the downside of having bezels. and I think having the screens divided actually helps with organization - I pack my monitors with a bunch of windows that are all border-to-border. without the divisions I might get lazy and waste screen space.

In short, I'm sure eyefinity is awesome for gaming, so aside from trivial stuff like energy draw, there is ABSOLUTELY NO DOWNSIDE to having multiple monitors. I got set up with my second one before christmas and I'm never going back - in fact I'm looking into a third one :D
 
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