[SOLVED] geforce 940m (64 bit) and maximum pixel load

[techniet]

I have a 64 bit NVIDIA GeForce 940M (2 MB) in my Asus N551JB laptop. I want to attach 1 or 2 monitors and try to find out what is the maximum burden for this video card. I use the laptop for Word, Excel, internet, photo browsing (ACDSee), viewing video and simple photo editing (paint, ACDSee, perhaps Photoshop in the future). If I will use 2 monitors they will display different imaging (no simple duplication). According to info I found about this video card 2560x1600 would be the maximum digital resolution (4.096.000 pixels). I intend to work only with external monitors. In other words, I will turn of the laptop’s screen. My questions:
1 How strict is this resolution limitation? If I connect 2 monitors 1920x1200 (4.608.000 pixels) will I not be able to work in Word or Excel or do photo browsing AT ALL?
2 This same question for the following combination: 1920x1200 + 1600x1200 (adding up to 4.224.000 pixels).
3 Would I be able to view a video on a 2560x1600 monitor at 60 fps? Is there a risc that the video will run with interruptions as the video card will be active at its limit?

Thank you in advance for any answers and suggestions!

 

[hotaru.hino]

The output is per port, not total resolution.

 

[techniet]

The output is per port, not total resolution.

Thank you for your reaction!

My laptop has a hdmi port and a mini display port. Your answer suggests that in my case I could attach a 2560x1600 monitor to both ports... Some sources warn that you can not simply assume that if a video card has 2 or 3 ports, the respective video card can provide capacity for 2 or 3 times the maximum resolution (2560x1600)...

 

[Jacozeelie]

Check your laptop specs. It will spicify under display, the max res and refresh rate for each output. Video does not punish a gpu very hard or at all

 

[hotaru.hino]

Thank you for your reaction!

My laptop has a hdmi port and a mini display port. Your answer suggests that in my case I could attach a 2560x1600 monitor to both ports... Some sources warn that you can not simply assume that if a video card has 2 or 3 ports, the respective video card can provide capacity for 2 or 3 times the maximum resolution (2560x1600)...

That may be true back in the old days of video cards, but even a dinky Intel GPU has no problem driving a couple of 4K displays.

Also one or both of the ports on your laptop may be driven by the IGPU. My money is on the HDMI port.

 

[techniet]

Check your laptop specs. It will spicify under display, the max res and refresh rate for each output. Video does not punish a gpu very hard or at all

Jacozeelie, thank you for your reaction!

Where can I find this information? In the Windows 'device manager'? Or in 'Display Settings' (right mouse click on desktop)? I tried two system info programs Speccy and Cpuid CPU-Z but I cannot find it there...

 

[Jacozeelie]

You will need to go to the manufacturer's website and enter your laptop model or serial number that will be on the bottom of your laptop. Then you will find all the specs for it

 

[techniet]

That may be true back in the old days of video cards, but even a dinky Intel GPU has no problem driving a couple of 4K displays.

Also one or both of the ports on your laptop may be driven by the IGPU. My money is on the HDMI port.

My motherboard has the Intel HD Graphics 4600. I expected that my laptop screen would be managed by the Nvidia card, but I see that it is being managed by the Intel 4600.

I do not quite understand when the Nvidia would become activated... Will this be when the workload becomes too much for the Intel 4600 of does the Nvidia card only apply to either one of the ports?

 

[Jacozeelie]

The nvidia gpu will work with external monitor only

 

[techniet]

You will need to go to the manufacturer's website and enter your laptop model or serial number that will be on the bottom of your laptop. Then you will find all the specs for it

I will do this just now. I think I downloaded all this info before from the Asus site.
When I contacted the Asus helpdesk sometime ago for another problem, much to my surprize I learned that Asus itself does not have much documentation about the motherboard. The design of the motherboard had been outsourced by Asus by which reason they did not know details about the MB!
I'll see now if I can find the info the way you suggest...

 

[hotaru.hino]

My motherboard has the Intel HD Graphics 4600. I expected that my laptop screen would be managed by the Nvidia card, but I see that it is being managed by the Intel 4600.

I do not quite understand when the Nvidia would become activated... Will this be when the workload becomes too much for the Intel 4600 of does the Nvidia card only apply to either one of the ports?

The NVIDIA GPU will kick if an external monitor is connected to it (if one of those ports are connected to it) or if you run a specific app. NVIDIA's drivers attempts to figure out which app needs the discrete GPU but sometimes it needs a little help. You can force which GPU to use per app in either the NVIDIA control panel or the Settings app in Windows.

 

[techniet]

The nvidia gpu will work with external monitor only

And will the nvidia work with either one of the video ports (hdmi 1.4b and mini display port) or with one of them. If the latter would be the case, I guess this would be the mini display port... Is that correct?

 

[techniet]

The NVIDIA GPU will kick if an external monitor is connected to it (if one of those ports are connected to it) or if you run a specific app. NVIDIA's drivers attempts to figure out which app needs the discrete GPU but sometimes it needs a little help. You can force which GPU to use per app in either the NVIDIA control panel or the Settings app in Windows.

Thank you! This is very wellcome information. I will keep this in mind when (soon as I hope) my Asus will need the nvidia's power!

 

[techniet]

Check your laptop specs. It will spicify under display, the max res and refresh rate for each output. Video does not punish a gpu very hard or at all

I cannot find any info any more about my Asus N551J on the Asus support site (like I could before). This model was launched long time ago (2014, I believe). I am searching in other sources now about the "refresh rate for each output". I don't know exactly what the latter means...

 

[Jacozeelie]

Hdmi and dp will work