Hardware Canucks - Increase in Idle Temp for Dual Monitors

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Increase in Idle Temp for Dual Monitors

Hello,

My dual monitor set up causes my idle temperature to increase from 38 degrees Celsius to 47 degrees Celsius. Is this normal?
I have my monitor connected to my video card by DVI and my other monitor by HDMI port.

My specs are:
--Samsung Syncmaster E2220 (DVI)
--Playstation 3D Display (HDMI)
--ATI HD 5850
--MSI Afterburner for monitoring the GPU Temperature and dealing with fan speed.

Thanks in advance.

CPU or GPU idle temps?

If it's GPU, it's not surprising -- I ran into a similar issue with my Nvidia card when I went dual-monitor. The GPU would insist on running at full speed with two monitors attached, or at a minimum in the low-power (not idle) state. I ended up having to install Nvidia Inspector to manage the dual-screen power states. I find myself wondering if AMD's PowerPlay is keeping your card at the moderate power level instead of idle.

Took me a couple Google searches, but found this: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...re,2878-3.html

Quote:

PowerPlay saves power via engine voltage, engine clock, and memory clock switching. Memory clock switching is timed to be done within an LCD VBLANK so that a flash isn't seen on the screen when the memory speed is changed. This can be done on a single display, but not with multiple displays because they can (and in 99% of the cases, will be) running different timings and virtually impossible to hit a VBLANK on both at the same time on all the panels connected (and when we say "timings" it’s not as simple as just the refresh rate of the panel, but the exact timings that the panel's receivers are running). So, to keep away from the end user seeing flashing all the time, the MCLK is kept at the high MCLK rate at all times.

With regard to power savings under multiple monitors, we have to trade-off between usability and power. Because we can't control what combinations of panels are connected to a desktop system we have to choose usability. Other power saving features are still active (such as clock gating, etc.) so you are still saving more power than peak activities. Note, that in a DisplayPort environment we have more control over the timing and hence this issue could go away if all the panels connected where DP.

Latest driver, and power states and it is not a problem.

I am still quite new to how video cards work and interact with my computer. Oh, and sorry for not specifying that it was the GPU that was increasing its idle temperature.

If I understand the quote correctly by Galcobar, my AMD video card's idle temperature is running higher because it is the only way for it to run with stability, and there is no way to counteract this.

However, Adzsask has commented that the latest drivers and the managing of Power States will solve this. I am unaware of how to manage power states, and what power states are exactly.

Thanks again.

I actually have the same problem. I am running triple monitors right now. Just one for gaming. My GPU used to run at 30C on idle, but now runs at 40C since I installed the two extra monitors.

I'm a temp whore and all I can think about is ditching the two monitors. :D

Power states are the level of power usage, which may be regarded as card speeds -- no use, idle power state; mild use, low power state; heavy use, full power state. In short, the card runs faster and uses more power depending upon how it is used.

I'm not familiar with AMD's controls for power states, but if Adzsask says the latest drivers address the issue of incorrectly managed power states for multi-monitor setups, then I expect you should be able to find the controls for power states to set them to your liking. A search for other users who've resolved the issue, now that you have the appropriate terminology, should yield results. Just remember to come back and post what you did.

Okey, I'm brand spanking new on this forum, but I spent so much time trying to fix this, i'm going to register on every forum where I
looked for a fix and post the fix I found :

Bios : Turn on integrated graphics card + allow dual monitor on integrated graphics card.
Windows : Go to hardware and turn on integrated graphics card if it isn't turned on.
Software : Install Virtu (lucidlogix with GPU Solution)
Connect one screen to dedicated GPU and one to onboard graphics.

Problem solved :) Took my HD7850 down from 50°c to 33°c idle at stock speeds. Found out about Virtu while overclocking my HD7850 from
860 Mhz to 1300Mhz core clock 1.3V

Quote:

Originally Posted by GVCBELGIUM (Post 645185)

Thats great if the user doesn't want to game on multiple monitors but if they do, slightly useless..

Long and short of it seems that the card can't idle when more than 1 monitor is connected (unless using display ports)
which means the card is using more power.. more power = more heat..

Try the latest drivers and AMD's forums.. it's bound to have been discussed there at length..