Difference between connecting dual monitors to MOBO vs GPU?

[TheEnthusiast]

What (if any) would be the difference between connecting my dual monitors(via HDMI) to my MOBO instead of my GTX 970 Graphics card? The GTX 970 only has 1 HDMI port and my monitors only use HDMI.. So Im thinking one off of the GPU and one off of the MOBO. Any problems there?

 

[Darkbreeze]

If you connect to the motherboard, any monitor connected to it will only be able to use the integrated graphics, it will not have access to the firepower of the 970. For an extended desktop, that's fine. For gaming or GPU intensive tasks, it's not. If you wanted to game on one monitor, and connect it to the card and connect the other to your motherboard for browsing and the desktop, that would be fine.

 

[TheEnthusiast]

If you connect to the motherboard, any monitor connected to it will only be able to use the integrated graphics, it will not have access to the firepower of the 970. For an extended desktop, that's fine. For gaming or GPU intensive tasks, it's not. If you wanted to game on one monitor, and connect it to the card and connect the other to your motherboard for browsing and the desktop, that would be fine.

Thank you for the quick response! Last question though.. If I want to play a game on split screens from one GTX 970, how do i do that? Meaning the same game displaying on 2 monitors, half and half.

Also.. If the monitors are connected separately, one to MOBO and one to GPU, and on your desktop you start a game.. which monitor will it display on?

 

[Darkbreeze]

You'll need to get a DVI to HDMI adapter if your monitors both only have HDMI inputs and no DVI or Displayport inputs and you want to use both monitors for a split gaming display. Any monitor connected to the motherboard CAN NOT use the graphics processing capabilities of the GPU. Both monitors HAVE to be connected to the GPU in order to game using the GPU card.

The game should display on whichever monitor you have connected to it if you designate that monitor in the desktop resolution settings. Or, if you drag the game to the display that is connected to the GPU, it should use the GPU.

 

[TheEnthusiast]

You'll need to get a DVI to HDMI adapter if your monitors both only have HDMI inputs and no DVI or Displayport inputs and you want to use both monitors for a split gaming display. Any monitor connected to the motherboard CAN NOT use the graphics processing capabilities of the GPU. Both monitors HAVE to be connected to the GPU in order to game using the GPU card.

The game should display on whichever monitor you have connected to it if you designate that monitor in the desktop resolution settings. Or, if you drag the game to the display that is connected to the GPU, it should use the GPU.

Thank you Darkbreeze. You say game should display on whichever montiro i have connected to it.. meaning if I initiate the game on the monitor using the MOBO it will start up there; and if I double click the game on the monitor connected to the GPU then it will start up on that one?

 

[Darkbreeze]

It doesn't matter where it's started, it matters where it's DISPLAYED. If you start the game up, wherever, drag the game in a minimized window to the display powered by the GPU, it should start there. You should be able to designate where games start though. Once you've designated the display as the location through settings or by dragging it to that display and then closing the game there, the game, or even applications and folders, should open there the next time you open the program.

 

[TheEnthusiast]

Very helpful! Thank you so much.

 

[Darkbreeze]

anytime. If you google "designate monitor for gaming" you'll probably find a lot of information on how to do it.