Carolyn Koh takes a look at Matrox's TripleHead2Go device that allows users to spread their computer screens over three different monitors, and how that technology can effect MMORPG gameplay.

What do you do after you've built yourself a screaming fast gaming rig that you dropped about $2,000 on? If you are like many gamers, you've already got a 17" or 19" LCD monitor with a wicked fast response time. So you lust after a 24" monitor, but that's... ouch... three times the price of the 19" monitor.

Then again, there's the really dreamy 30" screen, but you are entering the realm of diminishing returns and it's really hard to justify spending $1,500 on a monitor when the rest of your system cost you $2,000. What if I told you that you could get 51" - 57" of vivid eye-candy goodness for about $700? Would you do it?

When I was first asked about reviewing the Matrox TripleHead2Go, I was afraid that I would not have the hardware to properly review this neat little device. Where would I find three identical monitors? Would the screen size and refresh speeds have to be the same? The answer was that I didn't need three identical monitors.

I carted two 2004 vintage generic Dell 15" screens home from the office after work on Friday to supplement my 17" screen. Plugged them in, installed the software, followed instructions and... it worked. There was my windows desktop spread over three monitors.

Read Carolyn's whole review here.

Originally posted by will200
Another paid-by-the reviewee biased reveiw from mmorpg.com!

If one were to do a quick google search on this, they would be quick to note that these get bad reveiws.

Just buy an extra wide-screen monitor and dual-screen. It costs the same as this. (Assuming you bought a new GPU in the last 3 years.)

Review from Techgage: "All in all, gaming with TH2Go is pure bliss"

Trustedreviews.com: "If you’re a multi-monitor fan and you have the space you have to consider this."

Guru3d.com: "It's an absolutely marvellous experience and comes highly recommended."

That was a quick google for me... Want me to continue? You see, that you bash things on auto does not mean you seem like you know things and is really smart.. you look like a clueless fool when you dont know what you are bashing... Biased review... This has gotten praise pretty much everywhere, needing only a few simple patches to be perfect.

The only biased person here is you, that want to bash a good review with first hand experience, just because you dont know better, you have osme grudge against a site you visit (advice, get out then?) and your mommy did not hug you enough as a kid... two years ago.

Stop the monkeypoo tossing please and grow up

Glad to see a full review here of this product, and one that includes photos that I was unable to include in my own review.

As some of you may remember I won the TripleHead2Go and a Viewsonic monitor from an MMORPG contest awhile back. Here's a shameless plug to that review (notice: It's LONG!): http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/98590.

I sometimes look back on that and think, "Ya know, they were probably just wanting a Hey, this is cool! kind of response.." Heh. Oops.

I thoroughly enjoy it and highly recommend it, and it's good to know that they have a DVI version coming out. If I were to have a wishlist item for the next version of the TripleHead2Go then it would be to support higher resolutions on each individual monitor. That only makes sense with monitors growing in size as they are.

Anyway, it's late and I'm awfully darn tired. Just wanted to plug my old review and say that, no, I doubt Carolyn's review is a "paid advertisement". This thing really is an immersive, impressive piece of hardware.

a quick edit to add that the "dual monitor" config that one obtains directly from their 3D card is considerably different from what the TripleHead2Go gives. See my original long review for more info on that. IIRC I touched on that subject.

Good night!

~Mysk

i find this thing as p retty stupid, theres never a time where i would want 3 monitors to be displaying it likt e it would be. This displaying it over so many monitors has never inpressed me. Meh get a 32" LCDTV and be happy

Originally posted by mbblade

i find this thing as p retty stupid, theres never a time where i would want 3 monitors to be displaying it likt e it would be. This displaying it over so many monitors has never inpressed me. Meh get a 32" LCDTV and be happy

I know some people who run multiple displays, and it's really useful for racing sims where you need the peripheral vision. But other than making you look like a sad monitor collector or someone with too much money, it's far from a 'must have' thing.
The blind spots between monitors don't really make that much difference - your blind spot fills them in and remember there's not actually a space there in the game (so you couldn't miss an enemy or anything). And if you can afford to use LCDs or plasmas, the side bars aren't that big anyway.

Originally posted by Taevil

Originally posted by mbblade

i find this thing as p retty stupid, theres never a time where i would want 3 monitors to be displaying it likt e it would be. This displaying it over so many monitors has never inpressed me. Meh get a 32" LCDTV and be happy

With a 32 LCDTV youw ill NOT get the resolution you would from 3 monitors.  You will only get the same as a 17 inch flat panel.  I laugh at anyone who buys a LCDTV to hook up to there computer just to play games on.  Its about the realestate space and the LCD TV's do NOT have it.

Great Review Carolynn,...Spot On.....I've been using the TripleHead2Go since last October and couldn't be happier.

Given that MMO's, are my Hobby of choice. It only made sense to jump in with both feet. At 3840x1024 resolution I've got a definite advantage over my group mates and enemies. I can see a MUCH wider field of view than they can.  Combined with a THX surround sound system....nothing sneaks up on me.

I've played EVE-Online, LoTR (Beta)  and I'm currently playing Vanguard so I have to warn you...once you've played this way...you can't go back to a single 19" 20" or 21"screen ever again. It's just no fun.

Vanguard zoomed in on one of my Characters

Vanguard zoomed out on the same character

Gnabicus, those are some great photos. :D That's the way to show it off right there, hehe.

~Mysk

Notice....all of the people who have actually used this device have nothing but praise for it....

vs the trolls who scoff at the silly "low-tech" solution for "noobs"

I just hate useless trolls.....