ID 5335
Getting Started with NVIDIA Surround
1. What is NVIDIA Surround?
Surround is a feature of the NVIDIA Game Ready driver that allows you to combine two to three separate displays to create a single synchronized visual canvas. This technology is especially compelling for driving/flight simulation and first/third-person shooters where the widest possible wide field of view can help you experience greater immersion or take your situational awareness to new levels.
2. NVIDIA Surround Requirements
- Latest NVIDIA drivers which can be downloaded using NVIDIA GeForce Experience
- Maxwell (700 series) or later desktop GPU or laptop with Maxwell (900 series) or later GPU
- Sufficient display outputs from your GPU(s)
- i. Important: Nvidia Surround allows for combining displays which are not identical (eg in size or available resolutions or output protocol). When mixing different display types the display driver maintains image synchronization between displays (This synchronization prevents common issues like image tearing or out of sync frames across the displays). However, this synchronization requirement can lead to the driver disincluding certain resolutions and refresh rates. To guarantee that all available resolutions and refresh rates on a particular display be available in Surround it is necessary to use identical displays and connect them to the gpu with identical output protocol.
- ii. For laptops: to check the number and types of external display outputs directly connected to your NVIDIA GPU, open the NVIDIA Control Panel and click “Configure Surround, PhysX”
1. If you do not have the laptop on hand, please contact the manufacturer for display output specifications
2. If “Configure Surround, PhysX” does not appear in the NVIDIA Control Panel connect your external display(s) to different port(s). If the menu still does not appear then there are no display outputs controlled by the NVIDIA GPU
- Computer Displays: 2-3 displays with HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA, or DVI inputs
- i. It is important use displays with identical size, resolution, and refresh rate (Hz) for best results (while combining different size, maximum resolution, and refresh rates are supported the resulting surround configuration will be limited to the highest common timing)
1. I.e. Combining a 4K 144 Hz display with a 1080p 60 Hz display will result in a Surround resolution with 1080p max height and 60 Hz max refresh rate.
- i. It is important use displays with identical size, resolution, and refresh rate (Hz) for best results (while combining different size, maximum resolution, and refresh rates are supported the resulting surround configuration will be limited to the highest common timing)
- Televisions: 2-3 televisions with HDMI input
- i. Important: Combining different display protocols (i.e. DisplayPort + HDMI) is supported but not recommended for optimal experience.
- ii. To utilize DisplayPort outputs from your GPU to connect to TVs with HDMI inputs, use a DisplayPort to HDMI cable/adapter
1. Active DisplayPort to HDMI adapters can change the timings reported to the GPU and make them incompatible with the native port which may result in not being able to combine displays into a Surround configuration. When using active DisplayPort to HDMI adapters be sure to use the same adapter for all televisions to be combined and do not combine with native HDMI connection (use all adapters or no adapters; do not try to mix HDMI with DisplayPort to HDMI adapters)
- Cables and adapters
- i. Cables: ensure that the cables you use are rated for the desired Surround resolution and refresh rate. Ideally, use three of the exact same cables to reduce the chance of incompatibility
1. Cables compliant or certified according to the HDMI and DisplayPort standards are most likely to have optimal results - ii. Adapters: while Surround does support combining different display protocols, the highest possible Surround resolution and refresh rate is more likely using the same protocol (due to shared signal timings). Adapters do not change the protocol that the GPU is using for the output signal thus 2x DisplayPort outputs combined with 1x HDMI output to DisplayPort adapter is not the same as 3x DisplayPort outputs. For best results, if using an adapter for one display output, use the same adapter for all displays you want to combine to ensure a common timing can be identified (which is required for NVIDIA Surround)
- iii. Active and passive Adapters:
1. It is recommended to use the same type of adapter for all displays to be combined, not mix passive and active adapters; there may be different timings and color format/bitrate support between two different adapters (even if they have a similar specification)
- i. Cables: ensure that the cables you use are rated for the desired Surround resolution and refresh rate. Ideally, use three of the exact same cables to reduce the chance of incompatibility
- Surround Maximum Resolution and Refresh Rate
- i. Maximum Surround resolution is determined by the highest common resolution and refresh rate (with the same timing) shared between the connected displays and the maximum supported resolution and refresh rate of your GPU.
1. I.e. combining different resolution displays: if you want to combine two 4K 60Hz displays with a 1080p 240 Hz display then your maximum Surround resolution/refresh rate will be 5760 x 1080p at 60Hz if 1080p 60z timing with the exact same pixel clock is also available in your 4K displays (since 1080p 60z is the highest common resolution/refresh rate).
- i. Maximum Surround resolution is determined by the highest common resolution and refresh rate (with the same timing) shared between the connected displays and the maximum supported resolution and refresh rate of your GPU.
- Any game that supports ultrawide or higher aspect ratio resolutions and ideally games that scale heads-up display/on-screen menu elements properly to ultra-wide and beyond formats (or allows configuration of these elements).
- i. To see if the games you play support surround, refer to online communities of practice and forums (such as WSGF.org) that test game compatibility with wide-screen formats and multiple displays.
To configure my displays for Surround
1. From the NVIDIA Control Panel navigation tree pane, under 3D Settings, select Configure Surround to open the associated page.
Depending on the graphics cards installed, the link and page title may also include “SLI, PhysX, or multi-GPU”.
Display Grid Area
i. Specify the Surround resolution and refresh rate
1. The max resolution and refresh rate is determined by the highest common resolution (at the same timing) shared between your connected displays.
2. To create custom resolutions click the icon to the right of the Resolution drop down menu (it will only be accessible after you have clicked “Enable Surround”)
ii. Specify which Surround and bezel-corrected Surround resolutions are available. These resolutions will appear in the NVIDIA Set Up Surround ->Resolution section as well as in games and in the NVIDIA Control Panel.
Bezel Correction Section
i. In the Bezel Correction section, adjust for display bezel gaps so that Surround displays are aligned with each other.
iii. When you enable bezel correction, a bezel-corrected version of each surround resolution is added to the list of available resolutions - both within games as well as within the NVIDIA Control Panel. If you do not use bezel correction and wish to remove the extra resolutions to simplify the list, open the NVIDIA Surround Set Up window and clear the Bezels check box in the Bezel Correction section.
- Click Keyboard Shortcuts to create, view, or edit keyboard shortcuts (hot keys) for enabling/disabling Surround, switching between the surround and single-wide display resolutions, and performing bezel peeking (for example, to view HUD elements that are hidden behind the bezel)
Note: The NVIDIA Set Up Surround window opens if you use the hot keys to enable Surround on displays that were not previously configured for Surround.
- Single-display: The game or video is presented on the center display. To use single-display viewing, select a standard display resolution such as 1280x1024. If the content appears on one of the side displays, swap the display cables between the display in the center and the active display and then correct the display positions at the display grid section of the NVIDIA Set Up Surround window.
- Surround: The game or video is presented on all Surround displays. To use Surround viewing, select a Surround resolution - for example, 3840x1024 for a 3-wide display configuration.
- Surround with bezel correction: The game or video is presented on all Surround displays and bezel correction is applied. To use Surround viewing with bezel correction, select a Surround resolution with an odd horizontal width - for example, 3841x1024 for a 3-wide display configuration.
Surround FAQ AND TROUBLESHOOTING
What displays and projectors are supported by NVIDIA Surround?
NVIDIA Surround works with the following display types:
- Computer displays with digital inputs including VGA, DVI, HDMI, or DisplayPort
- Televisions with HDMI input(s) (for lowest latency, use televisions with HDMI 2.0 or higher input in “game” mode)
- Projectors with HDMI or VGA input(s)
Display types/sizes/connection protocols can be mixed but it is not recommended due to the necessity to conform to the highest common timing (i.e. combining 2x 4K/120 Hz displays with 1x 1080p/60 Hz display will result in the 4K/120Hz displays limited to 1080p/60Hz output while in surround mode).
Mixing display protocols (i.e. HDMI + DisplayPort) is supported as long as a common timing can be identified between the displays connected.
Note: Using DisplayPort to HDMI adapters/cables: these devices operate between and alter the signals that can be sent to the display. I.e. if connecting three identical TVs to your GPU, one using HDMI output and the other two using DisplayPort to HDMI adapters then there may not be a common timing between the TVs due to the difference in protocol. In this case it would be recommended to use 3x DisplayPort to HDMI adapters instead.
Can televisions be used for NVIDIA Surround?
Yes, televisions with HDMI 2.0 or later input(s) can be combined using NVIDIA Surround. In order to connect a GPU with multiple DisplayPort outputs to televisions with HDMI inputs you will need to use DisplayPort to HDMI cables/adapters. All displays that you want to combine using NVIDIA Surround should be connected using the same protocol (i.e. it is not advisable to use 1x HDMI output from your GPU combined with 2x DisplayPort outputs); all three televisions should be connected to your GPU’s DisplayPorts via DisplayPort to HDMI cable/adapters
- Note: some important limitations exist when converting between DisplayPort to HDMI.
- Variable refresh rate is not currently supported
My laptop only has a single dedicated display (HDMI, DisplayPort, Mini DVI etc.) output, can I still use surround?
Surround is feasible for laptops with a single HDMI output as long as there are other laptop ports that can be addressable as display outputs (such as DisplayPort over USB-C and Thunderbolt ports) Mixing display protocols (i.e. HDMI + DisplayPort) is not recommended. It is important to check the total number and type of addressable display outputs supported by your laptop. Open the NVIDIA Control Panel and navigate to “Configure Surround, PhyX” menu to assess your laptop’s readiness for NVIDIA Surround.
If this menu does not appear then either your laptop does not have a display output that connects to the NVIDIA GPU or you need to connect your external displays to another output on your laptop.
From this menu you will see the total number and types of displays supported by your NVIDIA GPU. In the example below the RTX 3080-based laptop can support 3x DisplayPort connections which can be combined using NVIDIA Surround.
My GPU in NVIDIA Control Panel indicates that has 2-3 display outputs, why can’t I get NVIDIA Surround to work?
NVIDIA Surround requires at least 3 physical display outputs indicated in NVIDIA Control Panel for 2-display Surround and 4 physical display outputs indicated for 3-display Surround. If your GPU indicates 2 or less physical display outputs in NVIDIA Control Panel then it is not capable of Surround.
While using displays for Surround, can I use other displays for non-Surround purposes?
Yes. You can choose which displays connected to your GPU(s) which will be combined or excluded from NVIDIA Surround. To add more displays not combined using NVIDIA Surround
1. Connect the additional “control” display (not to be combined) to the primary GPU.
NOTE: For non-Surround use for GPUs connected via SLI or NVLINK, you can use only displays that are connected to the primary GPU.
2. From the NVIDIA Control Panel navigation tree pane, under Display, select Set up multiple displays to open the associated page.
3. Select the display that you want to use as the control display
4. Click Apply to activate the display.
What happens if I remove or switch a Surround display while playing a game?
NVIDIA recommends exiting the game before removing or switching out a Surround display. Removing a Surround display while playing a game could cause the game to crash.
What types of content can I view with NVIDIA Surround?
You can view the desktop as well as full-screen games and most videos with Surround.
There are some restrictions with playback of HDCP DRM-restricted content:
- To view content using the PVP-OPM protocol, all three displays must use identical connector types.
- To view content using COPP, you must first switch to single-display viewing.
Can I combine different display orientations (portrait + landscape modes) using NVIDIA Surround?
Currently, combining different display orientations is not supported by surround. All displays combined using surround must be in the same orientation, either portrait or landscape.
Why can’t I set the resolution or refresh rate supported by my highest resolution/refresh rate monitor when in surround?
While combining different size, maximum resolution, and refresh rates are supported the resulting surround configuration will be limited to the highest common resolution/refresh rate with shared timing. I.e. Combining a 4K, 144 Hz display with a 1080p, 60 Hz display will result in a Surround resolution with 1080p max height and 60 Hz max refresh rate.
Can I use NVIDIA Surround for displays connected to a DisplayPort MST (Multi-Stream Transport) hub?
Currently combining displays using NVIDIA Surround connected through a DisplayPort MST is not officially supported.
| Common Error messages | Troubleshoot |
| "Display connection error. See connection guide” |
|
| "Surround requires displays that share at least one common timing. Select different combination of displays" | The displays are incompatible. One common resolution is to create identical timings across the displays and try again. |