Setting up dual monitors with integrated graphics via MOBO (Z690 DDR4 Tomahawk) and a separate discrete GPU.
Setting up dual monitors with integrated graphics via MOBO (Z690 DDR4 Tomahawk) and a separate discrete GPU.
For clarity, your setup includes an MSI tomahawk z690 with DDR4 WiFi, paired with an Intel i5 12600K and a previous GTX 980. This might seem like a simple query, but it raises questions about how your system handles graphics when using different devices. If you connect one monitor directly to the GPU via I/O instead of the discrete card, the integrated graphics will likely take over. When running demanding applications or games, your discrete GPU should activate automatically unless the game specifically asks for more power from the integrated unit. With two monitors—one using the integrated GPU and another with the discrete GPU—both displays should operate simultaneously for each monitor.
Sorry, but this approach seems unlikely to succeed. Inserting the dedicated GPU into the motherboard will fully control the video output, making the mobo display useless. For two monitors, both must connect to the dedicated GPU. There doesn’t appear to be a solution allowing one monitor to function from the mobo and another from the card. Others in the forum have reported similar issues. Good luck!
The graphics card requires a connected monitor to function properly. My setup uses an MSI Z690 board with a dedicated multi-monitor configuration between the dGPU and iGPU. I haven’t tested it yet, but there’s no reason it wouldn’t work. However, if Monitor 1 is connected to the 980, that’s the only display you’d use for gaming.
Gotcha. Is this a setting in the BIOS? So, if I am not doing something demanding enough to require the dGPU and I have 1 monitor (non gaming) plugged into the MOBO and 1 plugged into the dGPU, will they both be able to use the iGPU during non-demanding tasks, or will the iGPU and dGPU always be split between the monitors?
I previously attempted to run several monitors with an Intel i5-4690K on an MSI motherboard, paired with Radeon R9 390, GTX 970 and 1050 Ti. It’s important to verify the BIOS settings are correct. In my setup, the primary display was selected as the dGPU, but the iGPU was forced ON rather than set to AUTO. Ideally, both the iGPU and dGPU should operate independently with separate monitors connected to each component. However, performance suffered significantly. Games ran smoothly on the dGPU panel, yet any video or image displayed on the other panel would cause the dGPU to lag. Specifically, frame timing became unstable. While I maintained around 75+ FPS in games, the experience felt erratic with noticeable micro-stutters. On the Windows desktop or static webpages, performance remained stable. But when using media players like YouTube, VLC, or Imgur with auto-play previews on the secondary panel, games would crash entirely. Recent Windows 10 updates addressing multi-monitor setups at varying refresh rates might have improved this situation. Nonetheless, if gaming isn’t a priority and you’re using the system for other tasks, it’s probably safe to skip this configuration.
Your iGPU remains functional even when all monitors are connected to the dGPU. It stays active during light tasks like web browsing or YouTube playback and only engages the dGPU when higher demands arise. This setup lets both GPUs work together automatically.
The explanation is clear. If you shared the workload, you'd have more capacity for your dedicated GPU and avoid underutilizing your integrated GPU.
It seems the process isn't functioning as expected. Intel processors include a capability named quicksync, which allows encoding and decoding video, but that's all.