Triple Monitor Setup with different refresh rates still an issue?

[badesalz]

Hi everyone!

 

so I tried googling around a bit but I can't really find a conclusive answer to my question. Tehere is a lot of talk around it, but a lot of the information floating around seems to be very case-specific or even contradicting, so i'll try to keep it simple:

 

I am currently running a typical triple-monitor setup: one 27" 1080p 60Hz in the middle and a 24" 1080p 60Hz on either side. (I need the space mostly for work-stuff but do also game on it) While gaming i mostly use the secondary monitors for messengers/Discord/YoutTube etc.

Even though that is a lot of screen space, I more and more often find myself in the situation of wanting a bit more space on the main monitor and so i started to look around a bit for a 1440p monitor to replace the old one in the center. Since prices for high refresh-rate monitors are starting to come down, I thoght: hm, if I'm already at it, why not futureproof it a bit? Until I started reading posts about how running different refresh rates in multi-monitor setups seems to be a giant can of worms wich I don't neccessarily want to open. Most of the posts were quite old though, so i'm not sure how much of it still applies today.

 

So my actual question in summary:

Can I just upgrade one of the three monitors to a 1440p 144Hz and play games in 144Hz while still running YouTube videos etc. on the side or will i run into weird issues like stutters, limiting framerates to 60Hz and so on? If so: is there any easy workaround? (like just fitting a second GPU to run the 60Hz displays or something that won't require fiddling around with settings in every single application and troubleshooting for hours and so on...) 

 

Any input on what would be the best course of action for a hassle-free solution would be much appreciated.

 

PS: Basic System specs:

HP Z620 Workstation

Dual Xeon CPUs, 32gb RAM

GTX 1070 (yea I'm aware this wont be running many games at 144Hz 1440p anyways)

Windows 10

[Slottr]

I use two displays, one ultrawide that runs at 100hz, and a 60hz side display. I always watch YouTube while I play games and have never had an issue.I can't imagine the situation changes with three displays.

[Princess Luna]

It's a hit or miss being honest... while the support for multiple different refresh rates is indeed so much better nowadays and I'm positive you'll have no issue it is worth noting sometimes certain configuration still just won't work no matter what you do.

[Mick Naughty]

Never had an issue using additional monitors at different refresh rates. Doing so for a decade. I don’t watch videos while playing games so I can’t say that is the factor though. 

[badesalz]

Okay, thanks! That does sound like the amount of setting-fiddleing should be managable. Off to finding a suitable candidate!

[BoxxyPrime]

Just a heads up - I actually do have this problem. My main (middle) display is the Alienware AW3418DW (120hz), and my two side monitors are the Dell U2412M (60hz). If I have ANY motion on either side monitor with a game open - a lot of the times it'll pull the game's refresh rate of the gaming monitor down to 60hz. Games with exclusive fullscreen don't have this problem, as far as I can tell.

 

I have tried just about everything trying to alleviate the problem, since I do the same - play a game while watching youtube or twitch - and for some games it's just not feasible. Now, a buddy of mine has a 34" ultrawide 100hz monitor and a 60hz side monitor - and he does not get the same problem. I've tried registry edits, disabling/enabling gamebar, different cables, moving side monitors to a 2nd GPU, nothing seems to be working for me.

 

From what I've gathered, it seems to be windows' built in vsync or something.

 

It's very possible you'll get a monitor and have no issues. But also possible you will, like I have. And as a side note, if anyone here has any info on how to work around the issue, please lemme know lol.

[badesalz]

So i received my new Monitor today (iiyama GB2760QSU). Hooked it up via DisplayPort, updated nVidia Driver to latest version (was still on 388.something). Set the refresh rate in nVidia Control Panel to 144Hz. Enabled FreeSync on the Monitor, showed up right away in the Control Panel and activated it (for fullscreen and windowed). 

For now everything seems to be working as expected. The only game I have installed right now is WoW Classic (running in borderless window mode) and it appears to be working just fine with framerates >60Hz (there is also a function on the Monitor's OSD that tells me exactly what it's running at) while playing a YouTube video on the side. 

If I find the time in the coming days I will try some other games and generally keep a close eye on it, but for now, I'm very pleasantly surprised.

 

Thanks again to everybody sharing their experience with this. If there are any news to report, I'll make sure to add them here.