Dual monitor on a single card & RAM query

[Deleted]

Was rooting around the attic when I stumbled upon my old system, including a perfectly working monitor.

A dual monitor system has always appealed to me, yet I was weary of needing 2 graphic cards, yet I am under the impression some cards can manage this on their own. My current card is a GeForce GTX 460, 1024MB GDDR5 - does this card fall into that category? If so what extra cables/connectors would I actually need, I tried with a VGA/DVI combo yet the second wouldn't register.


I decided to crack open the old system to nab that GPU, though it seemed someone beat me to the punch - however their was a single stick of RAM left, which I wondered if adding would help my current system (It merely says Buffalo 512mb 400MHz CL2.5) with 4GB DDR3 1600MHz being my current?

[Deleted]

Two screen monitor setups are not too taxing on the Graphic card, as it will always go to one monitor when gaming anway. I'd say go for it and see how you like it. some advice, its quite handy to have your second display in a portrate view, great for viewing websites!

The gtx 460 should have dual DVI, so you could plug into the second adapter, and from memory you can still use a VGA to DVI adapter on it if your screen is only a VGA.

[FlawlessSoul]

First, you likely won't be playing games across both screens, since very few games support or even benefit from it. I assume you're doing this to have one for gaming and the other for video/browsing. Second, plug them both in, turn them both on, and open your display control panel. Activate the second screen on the settings page (you never mentioned your OS).

Finally, on the subject of the memory, no.

[Deleted]

yet I am under the impression some cards can manage this on their own

All (single) cards can manage dual-monitor setups; even Intel integrated.

Its when you want to use three that you'll need a secondary card if using NVIDIA or Intel, and for AMD - you need to use the Displayport connectors for each successive monitor beyond two.

Keep in mind that for the second monitor to show up, you need to give it an actual role once connected: e.g. Extend or duplicate. It won't do it automatically, and the monitor will remain off until one such role is given.

The RAM is incompatible with your current.