How Unplugging Monitors Can Improve Vr Performance

There are conflicting opinions on whether unplugging monitors can help improve VR performance. Some people argue that turning off or unplugging monitors while using VR can reduce processing power and improve performance by reducing the number of screens the graphics card has to render. However, others claim that since the scene has already been rendered for the VR headset, displaying it on an additional monitor does not significantly impact performance. In some cases, people have reported seeing improvements in VR performance by reducing the refresh rate or resolution of their monitors, rather than turning them off completely. Ultimately, the impact of unplugging monitors on VR performance may depend on various factors such as the specific hardware and software configurations.

Performance improvements from disabling monitors

Disabling or unplugging monitors while using VR may offer some performance improvements, although the impact may vary depending on the specific hardware and software setup. Some users have reported that turning off their monitors during VR gameplay can help reduce processing power and improve performance.

In some cases, it may be possible to achieve similar results by reducing the refresh rate or resolution of the primary monitor, rather than completely disabling it. This can be a good option if you don't want to physically disconnect your monitor each time you use VR. However, if you're running multiple monitors, disabling one of them might be beneficial.

The impact of disabling monitors on VR performance can depend on the specific game or application being used. Some games may have settings that enable spectator options or camera smoothing, which can impact performance. Additionally, certain games with poorly coded VR support may experience performance issues when running post-processing on the preview window.

It's worth noting that even when a monitor is turned off, a Windows PC still renders the contents of the primary monitor. This means that there may not be a significant performance gain by simply turning off the monitor. However, if you're running multiple displays, disabling all but one monitor could potentially free up resources and improve performance.

Overall, while disabling monitors may not always provide a meaningful performance improvement, it is worth experimenting with different settings and configurations to optimize your VR experience, especially if you're running multiple displays or experiencing noticeable performance issues.

GPU load and rendering

Unplugging monitors while using VR may help improve performance by reducing the GPU load and optimising rendering processes.

When a monitor is connected to a computer, the GPU must render the output for that display, even if it is turned off. This means that with VR, the GPU has to work on rendering for multiple screens, which can impact performance. By unplugging the monitor, the GPU no longer needs to render for that display, reducing its workload.

In some cases, the impact of unplugging a monitor may be minimal, especially if you have a powerful GPU that can handle the load of multiple displays. However, for those with less powerful hardware, unplugging the monitor can free up resources and improve VR performance.

Additionally, some VR games may have poorly coded implementations of VR support, which can lead to performance issues. In these cases, the game might be running post-processing or other rendering tasks on the monitor display, even if it's just mirroring the VR output. This can cause significant performance hits, and unplugging the monitor can help mitigate these issues.

It is worth noting that simply turning off the monitor may not be enough, as the GPU may still detect and render for the display. To ensure the GPU is not rendering for the monitor, it may be necessary to physically disconnect the display connector or power cable.

Furthermore, the impact of unplugging a monitor can depend on the specific game and settings. Some games offer spectator options or camera smoothing features that require additional rendering, which can affect performance. Adjusting these settings or disabling the features can help improve performance without needing to unplug the monitor.

Overall, while unplugging monitors can help reduce GPU load and optimise rendering for VR, the impact can vary depending on hardware, software, and specific game settings. It may be beneficial to try different configurations and benchmark the results to determine the optimal setup for a particular system.

Refresh rates and resolution

In terms of refresh rates, it is important to note that a higher refresh rate means more data for the GPU to process. For instance, a 1080p display at 120Hz requires a significant amount of data to be transferred per second. By reducing the refresh rate, such as from 144Hz to 90Hz or 60Hz, you can decrease the load on the GPU and potentially improve VR performance. This is especially true if you have multiple monitors with high refresh rates.

Regarding resolution, lowering the resolution of your primary or secondary monitors can also reduce the strain on your GPU. For example, setting your main monitor to a lower resolution like 1280x720 or reducing the resolution of your secondary monitors can help improve performance without noticeably affecting your VR experience.

The number of displays can also impact VR performance. Some users have reported that disabling or unplugging one or more of their monitors had little to no impact on frame rates. However, others have found that disabling or unplugging a monitor can free up GPU resources and improve performance, especially when dealing with multiple high-resolution, high-refresh-rate displays.

It is worth noting that the impact of disabling or unplugging monitors may vary depending on the specific game and GPU setup. Some games may have settings that enable spectator options or affect how content is rendered on the desktop, which can influence VR performance. Additionally, the GPU's ability to handle multiple displays simultaneously plays a role in determining whether disabling or unplugging a monitor will have a noticeable effect on VR performance.

In summary, while disabling or unplugging monitors may not always provide a significant performance boost, it can be beneficial in certain scenarios, especially when dealing with multiple high-resolution, high-refresh-rate displays or when specific game settings are affecting VR performance. Adjusting refresh rates and resolutions can also help improve VR performance without requiring you to disable or unplug your monitors.

VR overlays and FPS

Unplugging monitors will likely not lead to any meaningful performance improvement for VR. The power required to produce the image has already been expended, so pushing it out to another screen is a negligible task. However, some VR games may be affected by the size of the rendered desktop window, and changing this can have a significant impact on in-headset performance.

For those who wish to monitor their VR performance, there are several options available. SteamVR, for example, has a performance settings menu that allows users to display frame timing and view it in their headset. While this does not display FPS, CPU utilisation, or GPU utilisation, it does provide an on-screen graph that can be viewed on the monitor or in the headset.

For those who wish to view FPS, CPU and GPU utilisation, and other performance metrics, there are third-party applications available, such as fpsVR and MSI Afterburner. These applications offer in-game overlays that display detailed performance information. FpsVR, for example, provides features such as:

• Display of current and average FPS
• GPU and CPU usage
• GPU memory and RAM usage
• GPU and CPU frame times
• GPU and CPU temperatures
• Ratio of reprojected frames to presented frames, and number of dropped frames
• Controller battery charge
• Ability to change Steam VR audio and supersampling settings

Another option for displaying FPS in VR is to use the Oculus Debug Tool, which has a frame drop indicator that shows how well your system is rendering a scene.

Power usage and heat

Unplugging your monitors while using VR can help reduce power usage and heat generation in your system. While the impact on performance may be minimal, there are some benefits to this approach. Firstly, by unplugging your monitors, you can save a few watts of power, which can be significant if your PC tends to run hot. This is because a Windows PC will always render the contents of the primary monitor, even when it's turned off, which can generate heat.

Additionally, in some games, the flat-screen settings have affected VR performance due to poor coding. In these cases, the game runs post-processing on the preview window, as if it were in windowed mode, along with the VR display, causing a performance hit. Therefore, unplugging your monitors can help reduce heat and improve performance in these specific cases.

However, it's important to note that simply turning off your monitors may not be enough, as most monitors only go into standby mode when powered off and may still respond to DDC protocol requests from the GPU. To completely disable the monitor, it's recommended to unplug the power or display connector.

Furthermore, while unplugging one monitor can help, the impact on a good GPU is minimal. For users with multiple monitors, it might be more effective to disable the secondary monitors through settings or by lowering the resolution or refresh rate of the primary monitor. This can help improve performance without completely unplugging the monitors, providing a balance between power usage and performance.

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