Does Running Multiple Monitors on the Same Card Affect FPS Even When the Second Monitor Is Off?

Running multiple monitors on the same graphics card can have an impact on FPS (Frames Per Second) even if the second monitor is turned off. This guide will explore the various scenarios and factors that can affect performance, providing insights into optimizing your setup for the best gaming and productivity experience.

Resource Allocation

Even when a secondary monitor is turned off, the graphics card still allocates some resources to manage it. This background overhead can lead to a slight decrease in performance, particularly in graphics-intensive applications. While the impact is usually minimal, it is a notable factor to consider.

Resolution and Load

The primary monitor's resolution can heavily influence FPS. If running at a high resolution, the graphics card may be more strained. Adding additional monitors can exacerbate this load, further impacting FPS in demanding games or applications. The overall workload can noticeably affect performance.

Background Processes

Even if the second monitor is off, if applications are running on it, they may still consume resources. This can have a cascading effect on performance, as those resources would otherwise be available for the primary monitor. Monitoring and managing background processes can help mitigate these issues.

Driver and Software Optimization

Some graphics drivers and software are better optimized for multi-monitor setups, which can help mitigate the impact on performance. However, the effectiveness varies greatly depending on the system and hardware. Regular updates to drivers and software can improve compatibility and performance.

Game and Application Behavior

Different games and applications can behave differently with multiple monitors connected. Some games prioritize rendering for the active monitor, while others may not. Understanding the behavior of your specific applications and games can help you better optimize your setup.

Common Scenarios and Experiences

While the minor impact on FPS when using multiple monitors is generally not a deal-breaker, it can be noticeable in certain situations. For instance, if both monitors are open with nothing more than a browser, you might notice a slight drop in FPS when gaming on the primary monitor. However, the impact is usually minimal.

Running benchmarks on your graphics card may not show significant changes, but actual gameplay can give a more accurate picture. The extra space and VRAM required for displaying on additional monitors can contribute to the observed decrease in performance. Turning off the secondary monitors will reclaim some of this performance, as the GPU no longer tries to display anything to them.

Conclusion

The impact of running multiple monitors on FPS can vary based on hardware settings and specific use cases. While there may be a minor impact, it is generally not significant enough to warrant disabling additional monitors. If you are experiencing significant drops in performance, testing with only one monitor connected can help isolate the issue.

In my experience, adding screens does decrease performance, albeit marginally. Having three screens, I have noticed slight FPS drops when gaming on my primary monitor, even when the other screens are open with minimal activity. When benchmarks are run, the results do not show a significant change, but in actual gameplay, a difference can be observed. Disabling the secondary monitors does bring back some performance.

For many users, the benefits of having more screens outweigh the minor performance drop. My recommendation is to test your specific setup and determine if the additional screens are worth the cost of FPS. If the minor performance drop is not a concern for you, then running multiple monitors is definitely worth the cost.