Should I get a separate PCI Video Card to run a 2nd Monitor?

[cmc1980]

Would running a second monitor off of my X800 Pro decrease the performance of my video card significantly?

If so, I will probably get a half-decent PCI video card for my second monitor (Probably a 9200SE that can be bought for cheap now). Would having 2 ATI video cards cause any issues?

Since I have to connect to my computer at work via VNC most of the time when I'm home, it is much more convenient for me to have a second monitor so that I can work on files at home and at work without having to switch windows.


Thanks a lot for your input!

 

[cmc1980]

Oh yeah, here is the details on my system:

2.8GHz P4HT w/ 2 x 512 DDR400 running in dual channel mode

 

[Mermaidman]

nm

 

[NuNuNYC]

Perfectly fine to have two monitors hooked up to your (I'm assuming) AGP video card. Unless you are doing some sort of graphics intensive stuff, which I doubt since it's for work, you're fine... If you want to add in a PCI video card to your setup, you can do that too. Then you can have three monitors hooked up... *drools*

If you honestly feel like your computer is lagging after you hook up two monitors to one vid card, buy a second vid card, but i wouldn't... just my $.02 but i'm a nub at these things.. /me has a ATI AIW 9800 Pro AGP and 3dFx Voodoo2 PCI card... 2nd monitor just for basic web browsing and AIM..

 

[cmc1980]

Thanks all for the replies!

I will most probably stick with the 2 monitors on one video card temporarily. It is also good to know that I can run 2 video cards from my computer if needed.

Thanks again.

 

[vskagentsmith]

I don't think it hinders performance at all, actually. I could be wrong, please correct me if I am.

I've run my video card with multiple monitors and it doesn't make the card work any harder, it just passes the data to different monitors, depending on if you clone the display or span it, either way it should have no, if any, impact on your display properties.

The only problem I could possibly forsee is that you need to find a display type that both monitors can share. If you run it set up as a span across both monitors, and the resolution is set too high for one, then it'll usually blow the other one up and draw it in the space outside of the screen, if you move your mouse into bizzaro world, then drag it back if you want. Or sometimes it'll do the same, but when you drag your mouse into the outside area it'll drag the display up, either way you can't see everything on that side of the display.

Phew...

Anyway, play around with it, try it out, let us know if you have any sags in your display rates, cause I'd really like to know myself!

Great question!


Edit:

I have a correction to make, the oversized desktop I mentioned is only a clone display option, my bad! I'm also referring to using a GeForceFX video card, so it might not be the same.

 

[phatrabt]

I run a 9800Pro 128 with dual displays and I haven't seen any probs or slowdowns. You could technically add multiple graphics cards to the system using PCI until you don't have any more PCI slots and run like 10 monitors. IIRC the windows limit is 32 displays, but I could be wrong. The only thing is if you're running two displays off the same card (i.e. the 9600-9800, etc...) then I THINK you can only have 3d acceleration on the Primary display. HTH