Topic: Dual Monitors

[GodsFury]

Anyone currently running their system with dual monitors ? How is that working out for ya ? My primary monitor is a Dell S2409W (24 Inch Full HD). I just purchased another monitor which I should receive within the next 2 weeks. The 2nd is a small 19inch widescreen (DellTM  S1909WX).

How's the performance ? If anyone is running with 2.

[Woapalanne]

Dual monitors is the only way to go.  Use them both at work and at home.  At work I am thinking about getting a third.

Performance?  that is going to be up to your video card(s). 

[GodsFury]

Video cards... I'm running a single EVGA Geforce 9800GTX+.

Since we're on the topic of components... When I purchased my computer about 2 years ago I guess I wasn't thinking straight. Because I purchased an ASUS P35 chipset motherboard that supports crossfire technology. And I purchased 4gb of Dual Channel SLI enabled memory. With a SLI capable video card. I was obviously oblivious to SLI/Crossfire Tech at that point. So now comes the debate of purchasing an intel sli enabled mobo. But, since I barely game and all I really do is play with photoshop/dreamweaver/flash and website stuff is it even worth moving to a SLI ready board ? Would SLI memory have a big impact on performance ?

Since I'm not good at grading sh!t but I manage just fine at building & troubleshooting computers; Here is my computer specifications.

Windows Platform: Windows Vista Home Premium 32bit (should have got the 64bit)
Motherboard: Asus PK5 p35 chipset mobo
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 3.16ghz
Memory: 2x2gb & 2x1gb OCZ DDR2 PC2-6400 SLI Dual Channel Kit. 5-5-5-15 latency (6gb total).
Video Card: eVGA Geforce 9800GTX+ 512mb.
Hard Drive:  Western Digital 640GB 16mb cache (not much difference from my 32mb chache)

I get some lag with photoshop. Not quite sure why. I've disabled openGL drawing which is something they say helps. But it doesn't seem to be helping me at all. Neither did adding 2gb of ram going from 4gb to 6gb. Would a quad core cpu help with photoshop ? Going from a E8500 to a Q9400 or Q9550. I shouldn't be upgrading anything or buying anything for my computer but I just can't help it. I've gone long enough without adjusting or upgrading anything. 

[Woapalanne]

You're out of my league now young one.

VISTA. (virus installed switch to apple)  ick!  wait until windows 7 and go 64 bit.  since you have it now, you can downgrade to XP pro.

IMO, your current proc is better side of average now.  You can always upgrade your name for better latency but don't think you are going to see that much of difference.

I do not know much on how your website apps play with video cards so you will need to seek you answers elsewhere on that.

Really I think your machine is fine, wait another year or two then upgrade the whole thing rather than just one or two pieces now.

 

[GodsFury]

Yeah It's what I will do. I purchased vista a while back. Installed it and uninstalled it 3 days later. But then I lost my XP pro key when we moved so when I ended up with a pretty big virus I decided to install Vista. I haven't had any issues with it. SP2 just came out and my system actually uses less memory now. Instead of 1.2gb it's using 800-900mb with all the processes running in the background.

When it comes to upgrading computers i'm always on the forefront to do it. I can't go long without upgrading something. If I had a full time job then I would probably consider slowly building a new pc with newer CPU's/mobo/memory but since money is a bit tight I'm happy I didn't purchase something else. I'll just try dual monitors when it arrives and if I don't like it I will simply sell it. I got it for over 50% off so I'll be able to make quite a profit from selling it new. (i'm the same way with websites. WHen i had my own team and hosted the site/designs I could not go more than a month or two without changing something if not the whole design. 

Either way, thanks for your input I'll let you know what I think of dual monitors soon enough.

Fury.

[Sidewinder{DoH}]

I don't know what's with all the hate for Vista. I haven't had any problems with it at all. I just wish I had the 64 bit version is all. Windows 7 does look cool though.

[Thor]

*knocks on wood*

I have not had one lock up or BSOD at all on Vista in the 9 months I've had it. XP...yeah, when I ran that I'd lock up at least once a week. My mac at work locks up and has kernel panics. Vista, runs like a dream beside either of those.

[Woapalanne]

I don't know what's with all the hate for Vista. I haven't had any problems with it at all. I just wish I had the 64 bit version is all. Windows 7 does look cool though.

When you work on so many laptops like I do and you see the issues and notice how XP does not have them said issues....  you become a hater!

[Razor]

*knocks on wood*

I have not had one lock up or BSOD at all on Vista in the 9 months I've had it. XP...yeah, when I ran that I'd lock up at least once a week. My mac at work locks up and has kernel panics. Vista, runs like a dream beside either of those.

I haven't had any vista issues on my computer - just hardware issues (think my motherboard is toast now).

The only complaint was on my fiance's computer that I built for her (64 bit) when I installed SP2 it changed something in the registry which made the disc drive disappear.  Rather than fix the issue microsoft just tells you which lines to delete from the registry (which is not a very good solution for the average computer user). Registry fix worked... but the whole thing freaked me right out since I had a printer, computer and TV die on me during the three days before that.

[Sidewinder{DoH}]

This has gotten really off topic. Although I'm sure Fury has done his fair share of that also so it's only fair.

[GodsFury]

Yes, I have done my fair share. But i've always made things go off-topic. It's in my nature. Why do you think i have over 3500 posts ? Certainly not by talking on-topic for every post 

Vista is running smooth for me. Updated to SP2 and for some reason I cannot understand my pc uses less memory now. From 1.20gb to 800-900mb with all the startup programs i have.

Medal of Honor... can't wait... V22222222222 <3

[Razor]

That's because Microsoft seems to finally be catching on to what Apple has been doing for years - making its releases more efficient and smaller.  Hopefully a trend that continues.

[GodsFury]

Oh and i'm running dual monitors now. At first I wasn't impressed but now after adjusting to it a little it's pretty damn neat. THe clarity of my 2nd monitor (Dell S1909WX) is better than my 24 inch HD Wide (S2409W) both are Dell's. I guess certain things has to do with the resolution and whatever i'm running on it.

So now I'm just waiting on my Raptor drive ( I kind of got screwed. I saw a sale and jumped quickly for it. Only to realise today that it wasn't the velociraptor from WD. It's just the 'Raptor'. SATA I (1.5gb/s) and not SATA II (3.0gb/s). But i compared that drive with my current drive and I should see a performance hike of about 40-50% with the drives.

And I'm getting a Intel Core 2 Quad. Q9550. Next upgrade will be video card but That won't happen for a while. Besides this 9800GTX+ has been nothing but great with all the games. Able to run most games with All maxed or nearly all maxed graphics.

I'm done talking... for now =)

[Sidewinder{DoH}]

I am running a Q9550 also, along with a gtx 280. Its a pretty sweet setup I must say, but I do wish I had the new I7 though. Have heard they are a good bit faster than the core 2.

[Razor]

I do wish I had the new I7 though. Have heard they are a good bit faster than the core 2.

Yup. Price isn't bad on the base model either.