Pc Gamers.. simple questions about multiple monitors. Why use them?

Title says it all.

Recently I've been thinking of hooking up my gaming laptop to a docking station and buying a 40inch monitor or even a 23inch 3d monitor. Doing some research, I came across videos on youtube regarding curved monitors and multiple screens. I have been amazed. They looked really cool. Anyway, so I'm wondering. Besides it looking cool, why would a person play on three screens when they can just look at one? Wouldn't it be annoying to actually look to the left or right compared to just looking at one screen? Just wanted to get some opinions about this in case I'm missing out on something.

Immersion. Racing games is a genre that is PERFECT for multiple montitors.

Here is a example

Iracing, 3 screen on a 5850 and headcam

Very nice.

Let me ask you this. Would you need any special hardware to hook this up to a desktop or laptop? Im guessing a speical docking station for a laptop.

I don't see the point of it, I think one moniter is plenty good enough.

Very nice.

Let me ask you this. Would you need any special hardware to hook this up to a desktop or laptop? Im guessing a speical docking station for a laptop.

lightingbird

Some laptops may have VGA, DVI or HDMI or a combination of the 2 in which case you should be able to have both enabled, but there are actually USB to VGA converter boxes that are about as cheap as a basic desktop video card but use USB (obviously) to output a signal. Here's one example: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4266219&CatId=467

For one, I can play two instances for EVE Online and do research, Skype or simply browse the 'net on my third. Three monitors help with immersion, too, as mentioned above.

For the same reason why we have moved on from 4:3 displays to 16:9 wider displays fill up more of our vision which is primarily horizontal, this in turn provides greater immersion into a game. Your not really meant to look around with your eyes at the side monitors while gaming you should focus on the center screen. Even with one monitor(currently a 32" lcd) I don't move my eyes to look around in a game if I want to move my vision I move the camrea around with my mouse. If you have no problem focusing on a single screen your currently use then I don't see how 2 extra monitors of the same size will make it more difficult to do so.

Only 2 genres really make good use of multimonitor: driving/racing games and flight sims. The bevels of the monitors don't really get in the way because there are frames, pillars in the interior of the car or aircraft that block the outside view.

Multimonitor does feel weird if I play an FPS because of the bevels.

It'd be nice though if there were monitors with screensizes equal to two or more regular monitors.

I doubt your gaming laptop could handle multi-monitor gaming tbh.

I doubt your gaming laptop could handle multi-monitor gaming tbh.

dbzfreak123

Hmm i wonder why you think that and I never mentioned anything about my laptop regarding specs or well anything.

Anywya, I've already verfiied that my gaming laptop can support it. This post was just a question of "why" more than anyting else.

Anyone saw that gaming monitor alienware made which is suppose to immitate Eyefinity/Surround but without the borders :P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yT6OuGXmGo

Anyone saw that gaming monitor alienware made which is suppose to immitate Eyefinity/Surround but without the borders :P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yT6OuGXmGo

NoodleFighter

Ha yea I saw it. I was actually excited until I saw how thick it was and then the price. Thing goes for $6500

It's cool for multitasking. Right now I only have one display, but I'm getting my 1080p monitor soon and I'll be using my current display as a secondary monitor/TV (for sports games :P)

[QUOTE="dbzfreak123"]

I doubt your gaming laptop could handle multi-monitor gaming tbh.

lightingbird

Hmm i wonder why you think that and I never mentioned anything about my laptop regarding specs or well anything.

Anywya, I've already verfiied that my gaming laptop can support it. This post was just a question of "why" more than anyting else.

Any laptop can support an extra monitor... not any laptop can support multiple monitors for gaming. Don't confuse the two.

[QUOTE="lightingbird"]

[QUOTE="dbzfreak123"]

I doubt your gaming laptop could handle multi-monitor gaming tbh.

FelipeInside

Hmm i wonder why you think that and I never mentioned anything about my laptop regarding specs or well anything.

Anywya, I've already verfiied that my gaming laptop can support it. This post was just a question of "why" more than anyting else.

Any laptop can support an extra monitor... not any laptop can support multiple monitors for gaming. Don't confuse the two.

I'm not, Ive already verified my laptop can run games like battlefield 3 and COD3 via by 3 monitors at high settings as they can be run on max now. Again, this post was not about that or seeking help setitng it up. I was just wondeirng why. Not sure why this keeps coming up.

[QUOTE="FelipeInside"]

[QUOTE="lightingbird"]

Hmm i wonder why you think that and I never mentioned anything about my laptop regarding specs or well anything.

Anywya, I've already verfiied that my gaming laptop can support it. This post was just a question of "why" more than anyting else.

lightingbird

Any laptop can support an extra monitor... not any laptop can support multiple monitors for gaming. Don't confuse the two.

I'm not, Ive already verified my laptop can run games like battlefield 3 and COD3 via by 3 monitors at high settings as they can be run on max now. Again, this post was not about that or seeking help setitng it up. I was just wondeirng why. Not sure why this keeps coming up.

The field of view with three monitors approximates the field of view of what the human eye can see without turning or moving away to a farther distance.