CPU and multiple monitors

[pickanddrop]

Is having more cores like AMD's fx-6300 advisable for dual monitor? Or will a Pentium G3258 do the job? (for better upgrade path). I'm planning on playing dota2 and other RTS games like SC2 and such with skype on the other monitor plus browser. Or should I go with hyperthreaded i3? Thanks for your answers guys.

 

[Derza10]

The i3 would be your best option.

 

[pickanddrop]

The i3 would be your best option.

Yeah? I got my eyes on the 4170, what do you think? Does having two monitors while playing dota2 or other rts game affect the game's FPS? or will it affect the game in any way?

 

[R_1]

What CPU do you have, what GPU do you have?

The amd fx-6300 has more cores which will help with multitasking. in simple terms, having a second monitor is no more taxing on the cpu than one. The Display adaptor handles the GUI, as far as the CPU is concerned there is two open windows, the GPU puts the windows where it wants, the cpu is still running the same processes (two open windows) only now you can see them both. The video card, not the CPU will determine whether you can run two monitors.

 

[norseman4]

The graphics card is the most important part for dual monitor since if the card cannot drive 2 screens well, or without overheating, then the question is moot.

Current games seem to do better with higher speed cores over more, but slower cores. The i3 is a good choice while the Pentium may do the job well enough as well.

 

[R_1]

The i3 would be your best option.

Yeah? I got my eyes on the 4170, what do you think? Does having two monitors while playing dota2 or other rts game affect the game's FPS? or will it affect the game in any way?

not really, just make sure that you are gaming and only gaming. video editing and rendering will hamper game performance if done at the same time.

 

[geofelt]

First of all, having dual monitors is largely irrelevant.
When you game, it will be on the primary monitor, and the side monitor will add no load, either to the graphics card or to the cpu.

You will want sufficient ram to hold all the apps without interfering with each other.
I would get a 2 x 8gb kit up front. More ram will trump faster ram.

Most strategy games, sims and mmo will depend on the effectiveness of the master thread for performance.
The G3258 with an overclock is a beast there.

But with other activity going on, I think you are better off with a strong i3 like the 4170.

 

[pickanddrop]

The i3 would be your best option.

Yeah? I got my eyes on the 4170, what do you think? Does having two monitors while playing dota2 or other rts game affect the game's FPS? or will it affect the game in any way?

not really, just make sure that you are gaming and only gaming. video editing and rendering will hamper game performance if done at the same time.

Thanks, what you said above clears it up between CPU or GPU.
I have a EVGA 750 ti, do you think that will handle me gaming and browsing/skyping on the 2nd monitor? Will this card even support dual monitor? because i see that it only have 1 displayport . . .

 

[pickanddrop]

First of all, having dual monitors is largely irrelevant.
When you game, it will be on the primary monitor, and the side monitor will add no load, either to the graphics card or to the cpu.

You will want sufficient ram to hold all the apps without interfering with each other.
I would get a 2 x 8gb kit up front. More ram will trump faster ram.

Most strategy games, sims and mmo will depend on the effectiveness of the master thread for performance.
The G3258 with an overclock is a beast there.

But with other activity going on, I think you are better off with a strong i3 like the 4170.

hmmm now i'm confused lol so it's the RAM then? as opposed to what R_1 said? or GPU still has some role when having two monitors.

 

[geofelt]

At one time, I experimented with using a second dedicated graphics card for a side monitor. It made absolutely no difference. When the side monitor was attached to the main gpu, gaming performance was the same.

You need enough ram to keep most of the active code and buffers in ram. Exactly what that is, I can't tell.
Usually, 8gb is sufficient, but if your rendering/editing apps are 64 bit optimized, they can use lots of ram.
It depends on the specific app.
Then, you want to have the game run at higher dispatching priority so your game is responsive.
A delay in a batch app is not annoying.
I would expect a batch app like editing or rendering to be able to lower it's priority so as not to interfere.
Again, it depends on the ap.

 

[pickanddrop]

Thanks for your answers guys! I got what I came for that is to know if I can do dual monitor and it seems that I'd be able to. I was just worried that it would affect my games performance. I'll go with i-3 4170. I'm gonna see if 8gb ram will do.