With the Radeon HD series 5xxx, AMD (yes, for those who did not, it's over ATI, now AMD Radeon place) was very happy we announce a concept exclusive to their cards: the Eyefinity. Prior to that, and if one puts aside Matrox graphics card was for one or even two screens. Eyefinity with the bourgeois delusions will be able to speak, since this function has to manage, for each card, up to 3 screens (5xxx series, despite the existence of some exotic models) and Now up to 6 screens in series on the 6xxx series. One constraint: it is mandatory to go through DisplayPort if one wants to go further than simply connecting 2 screens.
I personally like tri-screen for a while. Being a Fanboyz ATI anyway, it was an argument for me to stay true to the brand of Ruby (ATI's muse, nothing to do with some Italian president). Configuration changes recently, passage on Radeon HD 6870. The opportunity dreamed of cracking and thus pass into the camp of the wealthy and decadent hardware. For this, several steps
- must buy an adapter miniDP - > DisplayPort (attention, release DP 6xxx cards are formatted miniDP!)
- must buy an adapter active Sapphire DisplayPort to DVI Adapter (for lack of a screen with DisplayPort input)
- after much hesitation, I chose the cleanliness and discipline Soviet, where nothing must pass and where everything must be integral and imposing resale of my old LG monitor, I keep my main screen Samsung (P2450H, 24 inch FullHD), and I bought two more copies, for a total of 3 screens P2450H Samsung.
Total bill, taking into account the resale of the LG: about 350 euros. It's expensive, I admit, but "finally" the price of one 27-inch now.
Installation is relatively simple: you plug the 3 screens on GC, they are aligned correctly, the computer is turned on. Base, the 3 screens are detected, no worries. Rest to refine the installation in the drivers: it aligns the screens in good order, we prepare a few profiles (Finity eye, not eye Finity), and go for some tests.
Eyefinity The concept is to provide a gaming experience across multiple screens (even if the games do not include this option at the base, which is still the case very general). In this case, it will be the 5760 * 1080. However, the Eyefinity is not always a perfect solution: the quality of experience depends greatly on the type of game and some design details. Below are my few tests:
- GRID, Burnout Paradise : Superb. These games are ultra-smooth with all options enabled, the effect of speed is enhanced. The player does not really watch the side screens, but the expanded display improves immersion and sensation.
- Titan Quest : Very good. Also perfectly smooth, but there is a "bug" interesting. Indeed, with such a viewing distance, you realize that the enemies are activated only when the character close enough. In this case, the external displays, one discovers static enemies who eventually come to life only if we are moving towards them. It breaks the immersion, but it can be a simple option to change a bit stashed.
- Dawn of War II: Not terrible. ; one hand, we must tweak hidden options to get a usable display (HUD elements are spread over 3 screens, which makes the game super boring). Another concern, the effect of "distorted vision" on external displays disorder legibility of the game. Finally, the performances are not exceptional: it begins to be felt in the fluidity of the action.
- Sins of Solar Empire : Contrast. Stretching the vision at the edges is noticeable. But by nature austere 4x game, this is not necessarily problematic even if a little cloudy (the elements 2d does not appear stretched unlike anything 3d). Moreover, the huge display area to manage its end with a galaxy of true comfort.
- Battlefield Bad Company 2, Crysis, Team Fortress 2 : Test Eyefinity on some SPF was a moral obligation. In BF2, it works perfectly, but it will calm down on the graphics, or leave one or more cards more powerful. With my triple FullHD resolution, the game runs about 25 fps with my usual options: it's too little. On Crysis, surprisingly, performance remains reasonable, provided they do not abuse either. Again, we are in the 20 fps on average. Too little for my taste, so I continue on the single screen. However, on most FPS optimized or older, the contribution of Eyefinity can be very interesting, provided that the HUD can adapt. Indeed on TF2, the HUD is completely broken on three areas of displays, which sacked a little experience. In short, Eyefinity and FPS are pretty good household in theory, is to align the computing power. A test on titles such as Fear, which rely a lot on the atmosphere for disposal.
- And finally, the crack cocaine of gaming: Eve Online ... beautiful, upscale. And not even need to switch to Eyefinity, the game includes an option to switch to multi-screen. The field of vision is perfect, the huge display area can finally manipulate the game without choking on the figures, windows and extensive information, the performance of 6870 are well beyond what it takes to EO. Fabulous.
More generally, a few remarks:
- ; The performance degrades obviously with such a display surface, but less important than I feared. A single graphics card and 200 euros just to keep the shock condition of not being too greedy in some way.
- With such a display surface, with such screens, the beginnings are a little disturbing: it seems to spend his time to rotate the head, you feel lost. Do not panic: it's coming soon. And after a month of practice, provided that the backspace seems impossible.
- The field of vision is sometimes disappointing with Eyefinity. In fact, default on games that do not provide, we are witnessing around the edges to distortion of perspective, a stretching of the image. On a racing game, do not worry, the sensation of speed is greatly increased. By cons on RTS as DOW2, it seems to fly over a planet so small that its curvature appears violently, while the angle of vision, skimming off (you start to see very far on the edges). For this genre, the best would obviously be a non-distorted vision, but just wider. Or why it is necessary to calculate an angle of vision screen, and not one for the 3 screens.
- is often forgotten when talking about games and Eyefinity, but have 3 screens outside gaming concerns, it's still exceptional comfort. It was never an office big enough, do not forget.
- There is obviously no obligation to play Eyefinity if one branch 3 screens. The player is free to play in mono screen, duo or tri screen.
By remaining aware of the ultra-bourgeois character sorting screen, and the limitations that still has this technology, I admit being partial to this sort of thing and I applaud ATI / AMD for this beautiful shot. It works well, and commercially, that's an excellent concept: if I want to have 3 screens at the same time, there is no much choice, I must stay with ATI / AMD. Unless Nvidia not getting down. Below is an overview of my installation. As you can see, there must be an office large enough to hold everything. But what comfort!
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