Setting Up Optimal Dual Screens

[Thisonepotato]

My machine is a 5700XT, 16gig RAM and Ryzen 5 3600. So not top end but plays all I need at 1080p on best settings which is where I want to be.

As the PC is on a desk in the living room near the TV I have added a second HDMI from graphics card to TV. Automatically this has set itself up as a two screen set up so mouse goes from one to other.

How is it best to set this up as occasionally I will want to play games on the monitor (when wife is using TV) and then on the TV at times.

[OutInTheShed]

In your windows settings, you just need to set the second monitor as a replica of the first, not an extension.
You'll probably need it connected and active to do that, setting the TV to use the HDMI socket as its source.

[paulrockliffe]

Yes, there's an option to Duplicate the screen rather than Extend. That may be better, but it depends a bit on your use; if you want to work or whatever on the PC and have the option to put some background video on the TV for you to dip in and out of, or someone else to watch, then Extend could be better.

If you're gaming though you likely want the option to have either screen on and only that screen on too, to take load off the GPU, which involves changing the settings again. It used to be that you could create Profiles using your Graphics Card's software to let you quickly switch, but last time I tried to do that (NVIDIA) I struggled to find the option. I keep meaning to investigate a solution because I have 4 screens for work and want to be able to quickly turn one of them off, or turn three of them off for gaming.