using multiple displays

[runLoganrun]

I just got a new TV/monitor, 37", and decided to use my older dell 24" wide screen as a second monitor, not so much for a dual monitor setup, but so I can surf/use computer, while having tv on, so I have it in cloned mode.

my question is: does having a 2nd monitor hooked up take away graphical processing power from primary screen, like for games? and if so, can I merely turn off the 2nd monitor to deliver all power to primary screen, or do I have to go into ccc and disable 2nd screen when I want to use primary for games?

my next question: if I use the screens in dual screen mode, not cloned (not sure if I want to do this, but I think some games make use of dual screens), does it do the same thing? ie: would it be dividing up processing power to power both screens, essentially decreasing performance for both screens?

thanks,
rlr

 

[tel0004]

If you are playing games on just one monitor, it shouldn't slow your computer down by any noticalbe difference. The exception would be if you are running something intensive on your second monitor, but even using a TV tuner or something like that should have a minimal impact.

Since games are designed for full screen, the second monitor is kind of useless, as you really can't click on anything on that monitor, without putting the game in windowed mode, and that will slow it down.

I don't have a lot of experience with games that use dual monitors. If you are drawing twice as many pixels, it would be logical to expect half the performace, but I haven't tried it myself.

Also, you wouldn't want to use cloned mode, as it would draw the exact same thing on both monitors. (Plus, I don't think cloned mode works well if the resolutions are different)

You would just have it on dual screen mode, and have your TV tuner program open on one of the monitors.

 

[runLoganrun]

If you are playing games on just one monitor, it shouldn't slow your computer down by any noticalbe difference. The exception would be if you are running something intensive on your second monitor, but even using a TV tuner or something like that should have a minimal impact.

Since games are designed for full screen, the second monitor is kind of useless, as you really can't click on anything on that monitor, without putting the game in windowed mode, and that will slow it down.

I don't have a lot of experience with games that use dual monitors. If you are drawing twice as many pixels, it would be logical to expect half the performace, but I haven't tried it myself.

Also, you wouldn't want to use cloned mode, as it would draw the exact same thing on both monitors. (Plus, I don't think cloned mode works well if the resolutions are different)

You would just have it on dual screen mode, and have your TV tuner program open on one of the monitors.

The second, smaller screen is the one that I use for the computer if I'm watching tv at the same time, the first monitor uses a cable box for tv on a separate input, but is my primary screen for computer, if just using that, like for a game.

The way it's set up now, in cloned mode, I don't have the other monitor even on if using big screen for the pc. I wanted it to be the same as the big screen if I switched that off to watch tv, so I could just turn on the other monitor if I wanted something, and it would be the same desktop, I though dual mode would make it like one desktop, essentially.

I'm wondering if just the mere fact that the display driver is set to cloned, or dual screen, mode if that in itself would divvy up the resources, even with the second monitor off, and just using primary.