Why Do You Need Two Monitors for Gaming?

The computer monitors you can use as a second monitor for gaming are also referred to as secondary displays. Read on to know more about why you need 2 monitors for gaming. Your gaming potential can be greatly increased by using dual monitors.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The use of two monitors for gaming enhances visual immersion.
• It is recommended to use monitors with the smallest bevel edges for this kind of setup as they merge more seamlessly.
• Multitasking is made easier when gaming.
• Having a second monitor for streaming games is almost as essential as having a microphone.

6 Reasons Why You Need Two Monitors for Gaming

Although dual monitor gaming seems straightforward, it needs a specific hardware setup to function.

If you are a professional gamer who wants to use both screens for a specific gaming competition, you will need two mid-range GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) or potent high-end graphics cards to power the two screens; only one GPU will do.

Having monitors with at least a tolerable input lag for gaming would also be fantastic. Listed below are some reasons why you need 2 monitors for gaming.

1. Sustained Efficiency While Playing Games 

When it comes to keeping an eye on emails, or other productivity or social-focused apps while you game, a second monitor is fantastic.

You must configure your monitors so that they are in an extended view rather than a cloned view for this configuration to be usable.

Simply put, this means that instead of the two displays showing an identical copy of one another, your desktop is spread across them. This configuration makes even more sense if the two screens have different native display resolutions.

When you play games, you will also need to practice effective program switching.

The simplest way to do this is to hold down the Alt key on your keyboard while tapping the Tab key until you can focus on the application you want to use. You can let go of the Alt key once the desired application has been chosen.

It should be noted that gaining focus on an application merely indicates that this is the active window that you have chosen and which accepts input from peripherals like the keyboard or mouse.

2. The Use of Two Monitors Enhances Visual Immersion

When you set up two monitors to span across your games, they become incredibly immersive. Get your hands on monitors with the smallest bevel edges you can for this kind of setup.

As a result, there will be less physical interruption between screens because they can blend more naturally.

Without many gaps between screens or borders in the form of bevels, it appears as if you have a big single screen, making it possible to focus or zoom in to view any specific elements or actions.

The viewing area provides a much better and more accurate viewing perspective thanks to graphics cards’ strong support for multiple screens.

In general, a more powerful graphics card will be needed to run additional monitors at optimally smooth frame rates, though it is relatively simple to configure with most types of graphics cards.

The use of dual monitors specifically for gaming is not advised. The main justification for this is that it will be undesirable to have both screens’ bevels in the center of the view.

The center of your viewing area being constantly occupied by the bevels of both monitors will be too distracting and constantly draw your attention to it.

A more seamless experience is produced when using three monitors because the bevels of each monitor join up at a different location rather than in the middle.

3. Multitasking is Made Easier When Gaming 

A dual monitor setup can be very helpful for that if you want to listen to music or watch other videos while you game. Once more, you must have the monitors set to extended or spanned display mode.

By pressing Alt and Tab on your keyboard as previously mentioned, you can quickly and easily switch to music or video players while you are still playing your game.

For most games, it is advised that you pause them first by pressing escape to open the main menu before switching to another program.

Although if you plan on multitasking, you should remember that your computer’s resources are limited, and accessing other programs while gaming is equal to consuming these resources.

So, if you are playing a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or GPU resource-intensive game you must ensure, your system has sufficient resources to handle all these tasks.

3. Easy to See Maps or Other Materials for Reference 

For some large open-world games like the latest versions of Fallout or Far Cry, having a map on the second monitor can help you locate places easier.

This is relevant when using walkthroughs because it can be challenging to find specific locations on the game’s map where certain locations or items are mentioned.

On the second screen, it is constantly visible so you do not have to switch between the game and the reference material.

Even better, you can play a video walkthrough of the game while you play. It also helps when you need to refer back to lists of information such as cheat codes.

4. Makes Game Streaming Easier to Manage 

A second monitor is almost as necessary as a microphone when streaming your gaming sessions.

When you have only one monitor, it can be challenging to operate the streaming software or tools while gaming. This makes it simpler to view chat in real time for more nimble communication.

Once more, using the Alt and Tab keys on the keyboard will make it simple for you to switch between your game and the streaming applications.

5. Increased Output Using a VR Desktop Workspace 

When it comes to productivity and being able to access your PC from the VR headset without constantly taking it off and putting it back on, VR is evolving at a rapid pace, so it’s fun to watch the newest features coming out.

This is especially true for applications that function as virtual desktops, like Virtual Desktop, which, after some initial setup, can produce a workspace environment with more features.

Again, to make the most of this advantageous environment, make sure your monitors are set to extended displays.

It is still advantageous to move application windows around as little as possible even though you can only see one desktop screen at once.

Software solutions are getting better at delivering more monitors in a virtual environment, and apps like Immersed, which offers a free version, are constantly working to improve this area.

6. An Improved Gaming Experience from a Laptop 

The larger screen size provided by a second monitor connected to your laptop makes for a better viewing experience.

Even a relatively inexpensive monitor can improve your enjoyment of the visual setting and level of immersion in your games.

Just be mindful to purchase a monitor that does not have a resolution that is too high for the capabilities of your laptop’s graphics card.

Purchasing a 4K monitor might be too much for the laptop to handle, which would result in noticeably slower frame rates even when the graphics details were reduced in the game’s settings.

Also, pay attention to the monitor output connector. To change the plug from a mini type to a standard-sized connector, you might need to buy a different adapter.

In some circumstances, you can buy a special cable with the proper connectors on it to do away with the requirement for an adapter.

Another option for adding a second screen to a laptop is through portable USB-C monitors. They are intended to make transportation more reliable and simpler, as their name suggests.

However, to benefit from the larger screen size options and viewability while gaming at a desk, a typical computer monitor might be the best option.

Questions & Answers:

Conclusion

Now, you know the reasons why you need two monitors for gaming. However, specifications for these monitors vary according to your requirements as well as your system specifications.

Two monitors will undoubtedly be very helpful if productivity or streaming are the main areas of focus.