number of display screens connected brands

There are those who argue that choosing displays from the same manufacturer ensures optimal compatibility and performance, while others point to the fact that similar models from different brands may be equally well suited for your needs.

Multiple monitors do not have to be of the same brand in order to function as intended in a dual monitor setup. In fact, the monitors don’t have to be the same size, have the same refresh rate, or even run at the same resolution. It comes down to personal preference because using monitors of the same brand is mostly for aesthetic purposes.

Ultimately, many factors will influence your decision about what, and from whom, to purchase. But keep in mind that the performance of each individual monitor is more important than the relation between the two monitors.

So, while we’ve stated that there’s no need to match your monitors, I thought it would be wise to include the perks of using two monitors of the same brand or model for your dual monitor setup.

Color reproduction will differ substantially from one monitor to the next. You will most likely have to adjust multiple settings to get both monitors to match. There’s brightness, color, gamma, and a bunch of other settings that can differ slightly between the two monitors.

If the purpose of having dual monitors is to edit videos and photographs or work with graphic design, then you want the color of the two monitors to match as accurately as possible. This is also true for game development, where colors play a major role.

Moving your work of digital art from one monitor to the next can basically change the way the media looks if the colors aren’t calibrated to match. This can make it hard to work with the object.

Yes, one of the perks of having two monitors of the same brand is that it can be visually pleasing because of their matching designs. Same brand monitors tend to differ in looks from model to model. So if you’re wanting to match your entire setup, make sure to purchase two of the same model.

These are the perks that people argue make it worth to purchase two of the same monitor. The color calibration is probably the only thing that I recommend you take into consideration when making your purchase or deciding which monitor to use.

While it is possible to use any monitor for dual monitors, there are a few factors that should be considered before making this decision. For one thing, the display resolution of each monitor must be compatible with your computer.

Many monitors only support certain display resolutions and may not work well with a secondary monitor. Another factor to consider is the connection type. Some computers have multiple video ports, while some only have one port.

If the latter is the case, you will need to purchase an adapter to connect your two monitors. Additionally, it is important to consider the size of each monitor as well as its screen quality.

After all, using two large or low-quality screens can actually impair your productivity and viewing experience rather than improving them. The same applies to using two curved monitors for dual monitors, as the curve will wrap around the user which can lead to neck strain.

You can connect two monitors to the same computer, regardless of their refresh rate, resolution, brand, shape, and size as long as the computer can support it.

The primary monitor’s refresh rate will sometimes scale down to match the secondary monitor when media of any type is playing on the secondary monitor.

Yes, there’s no need for the monitors to run at the same resolution. Each individual monitor can be set to its recommended resolution or any resolution of your choice. When doing general tasks, your graphic card will most likely be able to run the monitors at high resolution.

The more powerful your GPU is, the more resources the monitors can use without lowering the computer’s performance. Gaming on both monitors at the same time is probably an activity that will require a lot of resources, which means you’ll need a strong GPU.

But the resoltuon in and of itself isn’t going to be a problem. Think of each monitor as its own entity, which receives input from the rest of the setup. So monitor resolution is more of a balance than a limitation.

First, what is your budget? Second, what is the purpose of the second monitor? If you plan on doing a lot of graphic design or video editing, you’ll need a monitor with high resolution and good color reproduction.

Second, think about the size of the monitors. Again, if you’re doing graphics-intensive work, you’ll want two large monitors. But for general use, two smaller monitors might be a better fit. The shape is also relevant, with curved monitors becoming more common.

Finally, pay attention to the stand. Make sure it’s solid and stable, and that it can adjust to the perfect height for you. When you’ve considered all of these things, it’s time to start looking at the different alternatives.

I’ll tell you what monitors I would look at if I was looking for a new station. During the last 5 years, I’ve set up multiple dual monitor workstations for myself, friends, family, and colleagues. It’s safe to say that I’ve worked with a bunch of different monitors, and that I’ve found a couple that I like more than others.

Dell S2722QC 27-inch 4K: An incredible monitor when it comes to anything other than gaming. It supports 4K but doesn’t go past 60hz, which is why it isn’t the best alternative for gaming. Other than that, the monitor is a beast. The monitor is large enough to put two applications next to one another and the bezel is small enough to not bother you if you were to have two of these monitors and stretch an application over both screens.

ASUS TUF 27-inch: This monitor is a beast for gaming. There’s no doubt about it. With a refresh rate of 280hz and G-SYNC, the ASUS TUF delivers amazing in-game video. It’s sleek and fits well in a dual monitor setup. The bezel is slim enough to not be bothersome either.

When connecting multiple monitors, you could end up missing an HDMI port if your GPU doesn’t have enough. Chances are the same GPU will have at least one VGA, DVI or Displayport available. If that’s the case, then your problem is solved.

You can connect monitors to the same computer using different ports. For instance, the primary monitor could be connected to the HDMI port, while the secondary is connected using VGA. In fact, you can even connect the second or third monitor to the iGPU.

The IGPU, which is short for Integrated Graphics Processing Unit, used to be an integrated part of a motherboard, but has in modern days moved over to the CPU. Not all CPUs have an IGPU.

When it comes to video cables, there’s not much to worry about. As long as you have cables for all of your monitors and your graphic card has two or more ports, then you’re fine.

Remember that using a splitter to connect two monitors won’t allow you to display two different images. The splitter is connected to a single port and then split into two monitors. The single port can only send on video signal, but it sends it to two monitors. Therefore, the image can be displayed but it’s duplicated.

Some manufacturers may restrict systems. This means that even when the Intel® Graphics processor is capable to manage more than 1 monitor at a time, the manufacturer could limit the option to 1 or 2 monitors. This limitation could be software limitation or physical limitations (number of video ports for example). Contact the manufacturerto determine if the system presents any restriction on the number of displays that can be handled.

Multi-monitor, also called multi-display and multi-head, is the use of multiple physical display devices, such as monitors, televisions, and projectors, in order to increase the area available for computer programs running on a single computer system. Research studies

Measurements of the Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance showed that the quality and quantity of worker performance varies according to the screen setup and type of task. Overall, the results of physiological studies and the preferences of the test persons favour a dual-monitor rather than single-monitor setup. Physiologically limiting factors observed during work on dual monitors were minor and not generally significant. There is no evidence that office work with dual-monitor setups presents a possible hazard to workers.

One way to extend the number of displays on one computer is to add displays via USB. Starting in 2006, DisplayLink released several chips for USB support on VGA/DVI/LVDS and other interfaces.

In many professions, including graphic design, architecture, communications, accounting, engineering and video editing, the idea of two or more monitors being driven from one machine is not a new one. While in the past, it has meant multiple graphics adapters and specialized software, it was common for engineers to have at least two, if not more, displays to enhance productivity.

More recently, games have used multiple monitors to show a more absorbing interface to the player or to display game information. Various flight simulators can use these monitor setups to create an artificial cockpit with more realistic interfaces.

A large number of older games support multi-monitor set-ups by treating the total screen space as effectively a single monitor to the game, a technique known as spanning. Many games without inherent multi-monitor support such as

The concept of "multi-monitor" games is not limited to games that can be played on personal computers. As arcade technology entered the 1990s, larger cabinets were being built which in turn also housed larger monitors such as the 3 28" screen version of Namco"s Sega"s Dariusburst: Another Chronicle game, released in Japan in December 2010

Nintendo demonstrated the feasibility of playing multi-monitor games on handheld game consoles in designing the Nintendo DS and its successor, the Nintendo 3DS, which both became successful consoles in their own right. Games on these systems take advantage of the two screens available, typically by displaying gameplay on the upper screen, while showing useful information on the bottom screen.

Ordinary software does not need special support for multiple screens even if it uses the graphic accelerator. At the usual application level, multihead is presented just as a single larger monitor spanning over all screens. However, some special approaches may increase the multithread performance.

With multiple monitors present, each screen will have its own graphics buffer. One possible scenario for programming is to present to OpenGL or DirectX a continuous, virtual frame buffer in which the OS or graphics driver writes out to each individual buffer. With some graphics cards, it"s possible to enable a mode called "horizontal span" which accomplishes this. The OpenGL/DirectX programmer then renders to a very large frame buffer for output. In practice, and with recent cards, this mode is being phased out because it does not make very good use of GPU parallelism and does not support arbitrary arrangements of monitors (they must all be horizontal). A more recent technique uses the wglShareLists feature of OpenGL to share data across multiple GPUs, and then render to each individual monitor"s frame buffer.

A second display or second displays is a common term describing the multi-monitor setup with just one additional monitor attached. Today it is particularly common to have one workstation with two monitors connected where the second monitor is referred to as the second display. Many tablets will serve as a second display connected to a laptop.

Today"s second display has evolved from a multi screen personal computer monitor to having multiple technical features such as a touchscreen, web cam or even a barcode reader in stores.dual input.

Retail and hotel businesses have a professional meaning for a "second display", also known as interactive customer display or dual-screen for shops. The term is used in retail and hotel environments when referring to a customer facing display that is connected to the point of sale (POS) system. Normally a second display solution contains both hardware and interactive software allowing the shopper to perform certain actions. The second display is most commonly used to show the total purchase amount and the purchase list. Some advanced systems contain functionality relating to loyalty and member data. In an article from 2021 the Swedish retail magazine Dagens Handel mentions the provider of second displays ID24

The second display can draw shoppers" attention to new products, advertisements, charities, or special offers. The displays can also be used for different kinds of user input - for example entering an email to receive an electronic receipt, give feedback or sign up for loyalty to the customer relationship management (CRM) system.

Trying to boost your productivity with a second screen? Want more immersive gaming sessions? Multiple monitors can help. Dual displays are great for multitasking and are easy to set up, but there are a few things to consider before you wade into a multiscreen world—whether you"re on Windows or Mac.

Be sure to check out our advice on how to use a second monitor or screen with your laptop, and you can find recommendations for monitors, monitor arms, and desks in our Home Office Gear guide.If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more.

Windows: The presence of several ports on your graphics card indicates it can likely handle multiple monitors. But you should check the maximum number of supported displays and resolutions. (You can see what graphics card you have by typing Device Manager into the Search bar, opening it, and then expanding Display adapters.) Visit the manufacturer’s website to find the specifications for your graphics card, and look for a section titled Display Support or something similar that will list this info.

Mac: If you"re adding monitors to a Mac, click on the Apple icon > About This Mac and double-click your serial number, then tap Command-C on your keyboard to copy it, go to Apple"s website, and paste it into search. Click on Support to find the Technical Specifications and search for Video Support.

You can mix and match the types of screens you have at your workstation, though you"ll likely want some consistency. The most common monitor size is 24 inches, but 27-inch screens are increasingly popular. Having the same size screens will be nice for symmetry. Just keep an eye on resolution when you buy. A 1080p screen on a 27-inch monitor might look too fuzzy.

We dive into orientation and arrangements below, but consider different types of screen arrangements. My current preference is a 34-inch ultrawide screen paired with a 27-inch screen in portrait orientation. As the name suggests, ultrawides are really wide and can deliver the experience of two screens, minus the screen"s bezel in between. Pairing it with a screen in portrait mode means you get enough space on the ultrawide to run two full-size browser windows side by side, plus a vertical screen on the side for apps that benefit from it, like Slack and email.

Alternatively, you can mount your screen to your desk and get rid of the stand, freeing up a lot of space. (You can also freely move your screen to various angles and positions.) Many displays support the VESA mount system. There are different sizes, and monitor arms have a screen size range and maximum weight they can support. Always check whether the monitor"s product page mentions VESA support, and note the VESA mount size. When you buy an arm mount, make sure it supports the screen size and weight of your new screen.

To get the most from your computer and monitors, you"ll need to think about which ports and cables to use. For Windows PCs, your choice is often HDMI vs. DisplayPort. Unfortunately, this isn’t as straightforward as you might expect. There are several versions of each connection type, each with different capabilities. For example, HDMI 2.1 supports up to 8K resolution at 120 Hz, DisplayPort 1.4 can deliver 8K at 60 Hz, and HDMI 2.0 is limited to 4K at 60 Hz.

For laptops, you might be looking at Thunderbolt, Mini DisplayPort, or even USB-C. Sometimes you will need an adapter or USB hub to connect an external monitor.

Check the technical specifications for your graphics card and monitor to find the best option for you. Remember that the card, monitor, and cable (and any adapters) you use must support the same technology and the same version. High-end monitors usually come with a selection of cables in the box, but some manufacturers annoyingly provide a single option that might not match the monitor’s top capability.

Multi-monitor setups are a great way to improve productivity and your gaming immersion, especially if they are large enough to wrap around your peripherals. But not every graphics card or laptop supports the cables you need to send data to those displays, and in some cases, distance from the host system can present problems of its own. That"s where daisy-chaining comes in.

Daisy-chaining, officially known as multi-stream transport, or MST (in the case of DisplayPort technology) involves connecting a monitor to another monitor instead of directly to your system’s video out port.

It"s a great way of minimizing cable clutter and extending the range of your monitors from the source system. There are some limitations to it since the maximum bandwidth of the single cable between the first monitor and the host system will need to handle the video stream for all daisy-chained displays, but there are plenty of high-end cables to help you daisy chain monitors while making the most of their display resolutions and refresh rates.

Daisy chain monitors are no different from any other monitors. There"s nothing special about the displays themselves. It"s all about how you manage the cables and Cable Matters has just what you need to make it possible.

Note: USB-C daisy chaining for extended displays is supported on Windows only. On macOS, Thunderbolt 3 is required for extended displays; daisy-chaining through USB-C only will result in mirrored displays.

First, you need two or more monitors that support at least DisplayPort 1.2. Displays that will act as a middle link in the chain must include DisplayPort output ports as well as input ports. You also need DisplayPort cables, preferably high-quality ones, though they can be 1.2, 1.3, or 1.4, generation, they"re entirely interchangeable.

DisplayPort is the more established daisy chain medium, as it has been supported since DisplayPort 1.2, which debuted in January 2010. To daisy chain DisplayPort monitors, all you have to do is connect the first display to your host system using a compatible DisplayPort cable, and the second display to the first"s secondary DisplayPort output connection.

Note: Some monitors may need you to select the higher-end DisplayPort configuration (at least DP 1.2) to utilize extended monitor modes. Otherwise, you may be restricted to mirror mode, where both displays show the same content.

If your graphics card or laptop supports it, you may be able to increase the number of your DisplayPort daisy chain monitors even further, so that you have three, four, five, or even six displays – although that"s typically reserved for the highest of high-end graphics cards. Unless you"re running relatively low resolutions across all those screens too, you may start to run into bandwidth issues with the DisplayPort cables. For example, a DisplayPort 1.2 daisy chain can handle four 1080p screens, and two displays running at 2,560 x 1,600. DisplayPort 1.3 and 1.4 can daisy chain DisplayPort monitors up to 4K resolution, though only two of them at the highest resolution and only at 60Hz (even though DisplayPort does support higher refresh rates). They could do up to six 1080p daisy chain monitors, however.

Note: Intel’s current integrated graphics card supports up to 3 displays (this includes the laptop"s built-in display). To use 3 independent external displays, you must close the lid of your laptop.

USB-C connections offer a similar multi-monitor solution to DisplayPort daisy chain technology. It has the option to extend and duplicate displays, useful for different scenarios, and cuts back on cabling while extending the range of your displays from the source system.

This is thanks to USB-C"s alternate mode functions. Alternate mode simply allows a video signal to be sent over a USB connection, which was previously reserved for data only. In this case, it"s the same DisplayPort 1.4 protocol, but over USB-C instead of the DisplayPort connector.

As well as using a high-quality USB-C cable, you"ll also need to use a converter. You can use a cable with DisplayPort connectors, an adapter, or a multi-port hub, depending on your daisy monitor needs. Whichever solution is right for you, though, the USB-C output on the master display, must then output to the DisplayPort connection on the first or subsequent slave displays.

Note: Because DisplayPort cannot provide power for the subsequent displays in your daisy chain, you will need to provide a separate power cable for them, rather than relying on just a single USB-C cable for everything. That can mean the monitor charges your laptop though, which does at least eliminate the charging cable for that device.

Once set up, you shouldn"t notice much of a difference with daisy chain monitors that use USB-C instead of DisplayPort. The only difference may be in terms of the maximum resolution or number of monitors you can support using the USB-C connection, as it doesn"t have the same bandwidth as DisplayPort 1.4. That may mean running your daisy chain monitors at a slightly lower resolution or refresh rate to maintain full support for your multiple monitors.

For daisy chaining monitors, you’ll need DisplayPort cables to connect the monitors, and a DisplayPort cable to connect your first monitor to your host – either over DisplayPort or USB-C. Cable Matters recommends high-quality DisplayPort 1.4 cables to ensure you’re getting the most feature-rich cable possible. To add a stylish look to your gaming setup and ensure that you"re getting the longest life out of your cables, Cable Matters recommends a braided cable. The braided outer cable jacket provides extra flexibility, protecting the cable from kinking. It also adds an extra layer of protection from an unexpected impact damaging the cable core.

Connect your display to power, then connect your display to your Mac. Check the ports on your Mac to find out whether you need an adapter. If you"re using a USB-C or Thunderbolt adapter to connect your display, the adapter must be compliant with DisplayPort Alt Mode, Thunderbolt 3, or Thunderbolt 4.

If you use an external keyboard and mouse with your Mac notebook, you can close the built-in display after you connect your external display. You might have to press a key or click your mouse to wake the external display. To use your Mac with the display closed, you need to connect your power adapter or connect an external display that also charges your Mac, such as the Apple Studio Display or 23.7-inch LG UltraFine 4K Display.

Sometimes, if you"re trying to use an HDTV or a particular high-definition display as a second monitor, you may need to update its firmware to fix bugs or compatibility issues. If this is the issue, make sure to check your display manufacturer support website to find out how to apply the latest firmware update.

If none of the above troubleshooting steps help get the external monitor working on Windows 10, you can try using more advanced ways to fix the issue.

Alternatively, you can update your video card driver using the control panel software from companies like AMD, NVIDIA, and Intel depending on the brand you use to fix problems connecting to an external display.

When it comes to updating graphics cards, computer manufacturers can customize drivers (such as those offered by Intel). This means that if you have a branded device, you should try getting the latest update from your manufacturer before trying the driver from Intel to avoid additional problems.

Harassment is any behavior intended to disturb or upset a person or group of people. Threats include any threat of suicide, violence, or harm to another.

Determine the type of video connectors that are available on your computer and the monitors. The number of video connectors depends on the type of graphics card that is installed in your computer. Most graphics or video cards on a desktop computer can support two or more monitors depending on the graphics card and computer specifications. However, laptops can support up to two monitors depending on the computer specifications. To learn more, see the Dell Knowledge Base article How to Connect a Monitor to a Dell Computer.

Once the cables are connected securely, your computer should automatically detect and display the desktop screen on the connected monitors. You can now select the display style that best suits your needs.

Microsoft Windows provides multiple display style options on how the desktop screen is displayed across multiple monitors that are connected to your computer.

Extend - Stretch the desktop across the two displays. The desktop screen of your computer is extended across all the detected monitors and allows you to have a desktop screen that spans across all monitors.

To learn how to change the screen resolution, adjust the refresh rate and change the size of fonts and icons, see the Dell knowledge base articles that are listed below based on the operating system that is installed on your computer:

Any Windows laptop will support two screens – at least, I’ve never heard of one that won’t. Supporting three screens can be just as easy, or much trickier. It depends on the laptop, the graphics card (or integrated graphics), the graphics drivers, and perhaps the amount of memory available. There’s no easy way to tell in advance. However, if you search online for your exact laptop, you may find that someone has already tried it, and this is probably the best guidance you can get.

Some laptops will support two external monitors if you can find a way of plugging them in. For example, you could plug one into an HDMI port and the second into a VGA port. This is not quite as good as using two HDMI ports because HDMI and VGA are different video standards. The two screens may have slightly different colour renderings, or other differences (brightness, contrast etc), which could be annoying.

Alternatively, if your laptop has a DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort, you can buy a splitter or multi-monitor hub that will drive two or three screens. These are usually used to “clone” screens, but Windows should be able to set up an extended desktop that bridges two or more screens.

If your laptop only has one video port, you can use a USB display adaptor instead. Amazon searches find lots of examples, none of which I’ve ever used. From a position of ignorance, I looked for better-known brands such as Plugable, Kensington and Climax Digital, but readers with experience of multi-monitor laptops are welcome to suggest alternatives below.

I expect you will need an adaptor that includes an external graphics card. One example is the Plugable UGA USB 2.0 to DVI/VGA/HDMI Adaptor, which costs £37.95. (Although the spec says it supports Windows and Linux, it is clear from the Amazon comments than Mac OS X owners are also using it.) Alternatives include the ClimaxDigital USB 3.0/2.0 to DVI, VGA or HDMI Adaptor (£29.99), the Plugable USB 2.0 to VGA/DVI/HDMI Video Graphics Adaptor Card (£42.95) and the Kensington Universal Multi-Display Adaptor (£65.99). You need one adaptor per USB monitor.

Although an external graphics card will usually solve the three-screens problem, there may be limitations. The bulk of the work is still done by the laptop’s processor, which can mean that everything else slows down. The extra screen may not be fast enough for gaming, but it should be fine for normal office purposes, such as email or news feeds.

You will generally get better results with USB 3 adaptors, because USB 3 is about ten times faster than USB 2. However, it shouldn’t make much, if any, visible difference if you’re only driving one extra screen – see some of the YouTube demos mentioned below.

You don’t say whether you move your laptop around, though I assume you do. If you don’t, it’s a very bad idea to use a laptop for work. You should replace it with a desktop PC, which provides more power for less money, is easier to expand or repair, and – most important of all – has much better ergonomics. With a standard laptop, it is impossible get both the screen and the keyboard in their optimum ergonomic positions without adding either a separate keyboard or a separate screen.

The other problem with connecting multiple screens to a laptop is that you have to unplug them all when you take the laptop out of the office, and plug them all back in when you return. The solution is to use a docking station or a USB hub. For ergonomic reasons, I’d recommend plugging an external keyboard and mouse into the hub, as well as your two screens. That way, you will only have to plug one USB cable into your laptop to make everything work.

Plugable’s founder Bernie Thompson has also produced YouTube videos showing a multi-port USB 3.0 hub running seven monitors from a Windows 7 laptop and, more recently, running 14 monitors from one tiny Windows 8.1 PC, a Core i3-based Intel NUC. The increase came from changes in the DisplayLink technology used by Plugable and other suppliers, not from any changes in Windows.

A hub is obviously not the cheapest option, in hardware terms. However, it is a lot cheaper than a course of physiotherapy. And, sad to say, I have had more than one experience of that.

Multiple monitors make a huge difference in productivity and gaming. Two or even three displays give you a lot more screen real estate to work with, but you need to know how to set up multiple monitors. In this guide, we’re going to show you how.

Before getting started, keep in mind that all displays are different, so you may need to do some individual troubleshooting. Setting up multiple monitors for PC gaming is usually a matter of just plugging everything in, but there are a few key settings you need to change before that.

Ensuring that the monitors are the same model makes it very easy to measure and plan for them, as well as set them up and maintain them properly. Without the right height adjustments, you may also struggle to get different monitors precisely parallel with each other. At the bare minimum, it’s nice to have monitors that all have similar ports. These days, that probably means that all your monitors should have either HDMI or DisplayPort connections (yes, there’s also DVI, but that’s less likely).

You also want all your monitors to have support for the same features, such as graphic syncing. Your game may look seriously weird if your monitors have different display features and support options.

You can mix and match ports if necessary — say, two HDMI and a DisplayPort — but again, it’s much easier if you just have several of the same monitor models. If you don’t have a dedicated (not integrated) graphics card or don’t know anything about it, that should probably be your first step before setting up your set of monitors. A dedicated graphics card is basically a necessity for most multimonitor setups.

There’s good news here — today’s GPUs are typically produced with the understanding that some people will want multiple monitors, so if you’ve recently bought a GPU, support is included out of the box. That makes things much easier than it was in the old days. However, if you are buying a graphics card specifically for this project, you can make extra sure that it has the right kind and number of ports. You should also confirm particular multiscreen features (see directly below):

AMD: AMD’s graphics cards have supported multiple monitors for several generations now and even broke ground with multimonitor Eyefinity technology, which was introduced with support for up to three simultaneous monitors on one GPU. Eyefinity ensures that the image is properly spread across all connected screens and ensures that the bezels don’t cover up any important details. It’s a very effective setting that’s necessary for a quality gaming experience. Note that Eyefinity is friendly with DisplayPort connections, so those are the ports to look for in your monitors.

This step is easy. Plug everything in first, double-check your ports to make sure they are the right ones, and then turn it on. You will only need to use one screen for setup, so don’t freak out about how the other screens look right now.

At this point, you may run into some problems, such as the other screen not connecting properly or having very obvious visual issues that make it impossible to use. That’s all right! We suggest consulting our troubleshooting guide on multimonitor setups to check out what’s going wrong and how to put it right again. Sometimes, it’s simply a matter of finding the right cable or updating some drivers.

The best place to start tweaking your gaming setup is your GPU control panel. It’s time to take advantage of that beefy graphics processor, which means skipping any operating system settings.

Most major manufacturers of graphic chipsets, including AMD and Nvidia, have custom control panels that will allow you to set up multiple monitors as well as a host of other settings.

There are plenty of up-to-date lists of multimonitor games online that include just about every current popular game, as well as a surprising number of titles that date back to a decade or more. That’s because game designers are still way ahead of graphics card manufacturers, so you can run many older games on your new multimonitor system. Playing your old games on a dual-screen setup can finally be more than a dream. Just remember that support isn’t universal, and it varies by title, especially for indie and some older games.

The online lists of games that are compatible with mult-imonitor features are updated regularly. If you look at a list, you’ll see that it includes a mix of the most recent games and quite a few from the past decade. In fact, games have probably been advancing in this capacity more than graphics cards in the past. So there’s a good chance that you’ll get lucky and find your favorite game on a list of compatible titles. Just remember that not all indie or older games have full support for multimonitor play.

Setting up dual monitors helps your productivity immensely. From having multiple browser windows open to using complex sets of editing tools for photos or video or having guides open on a second screen for research or gaming — it’s always an excellent way to maximize your productivity.

If you’re interested in this type of setup, our guide can show you the way — and Windows 10 makes it easier than ever. If you have any problems with your setup, you can also check out our guide on common multi-monitor problems for more info.

Your PC has an area for all important cable connections, typically called the I/O panel. If it’s been a while since you’ve peeked back there, take a look before you buy a secondary monitor. If you have a discrete (non-integrated) GPU, then there may also be a GPU section with ports of its own to take stock of. Snap a quick photo of this whole section for quick reference if necessary.

Now check to see what kind of display connections you have to work with. For modern monitors and PCs, the two common options are HDMI and DisplayPort, with even newer models also offering USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 for A/V data. You may also have a DVI-I port for managing older digital/analog connections, and some PCs might still have a VGA port (although we don’t advise using this for a second monitor).

Make sure you have at least two of these display ports for two monitors. Note which spare port you will be attaching the new monitor to and what connection type you’ll need.

You can also use a monitor as a second screen with a laptop, as long as that laptop has compatible display ports of its own. The laptop screen itself can also be used as a second monitor with the right setup, although that isn’t as common.

With port information in hand, you’re ready to pick out the best new monitor for your dual-display setup. We have some suggestions to help get you started and a list of budget models that are handy for saving money. Double-check to see that the monitor includes the right type of port for your open PC connection, and buy any necessary cables as well. For a smooth whole-screen experience, it’s a good idea to pick a monitor with a “bezel-less” or thin-bezel screen.

The window this brings up will show your connected displays, which display is your primary display, and on which side the secondary is positioned (you can choose a different side by dragging the screen numbers). If you do not see your second monitor show up, try unplugging the cables and plugging them back in again. There is also a wireless option if you scroll down and choose Connect to a Wireless Display —less common but potentially useful.  If it’s still not working, check for Windows 10 updates, reboot, and try again.

If both of your monitors are showing up, then you need to choose how they will work. Select your secondary monitor at the top, then scroll down in the Display Settings window, and select the Multiple Displays list to see your options.

You have two primary choices. The first is to Extend Desktop to This Display. This will make your two monitors function as a single whole monitor with a stretched-out desktop that you can freely move things between — the ideal choice for most dual-monitor users. The other option is to Duplicate Desktop on 1 and 2. This option is usually reserved for teaching and training setups where one screen will be facing the learners.

While you are in Display Settings, adjust other features so that both monitors are set up in the way you need. You can change the orientation and resolution of either monitor by clicking on it and then selecting from the choices below. For example, if you are a photographer editing a photo, you may want to buy a 4K secondary monitor and set it for a higher resolution for the photo while keeping your editing tools and menus on the primary screen. Keep in mind that resolution limits will also be limited by GPU and video output standards.

If you continue to have issues with your dual monitor performance, we suggest taking a closer look at your GPU and what it can support, as well as other hardware limitations on your PC. Our troubleshooting guide can help you find more specific causes of multi-monitor problems. As with many problems and dual monitor issues, in particular, unplugging everything and plugging it back in can solve many problems.

If you use a more advanced GPU, you also have the option of setting up dual monitors there or in concert with Windows’ own approach. GPU software tends to give more options for tweaking multi-monitor setups, which may be an ideal option for streamers, gamers, and visual professionals.

Once you have your monitors set up, why not make sure they look their best with our list of the top dual-monitor wallpapers? Or if you’ve decided that the dual-monitor approach isn’t for you, you should take a look at our top picks for ultrawide monitors.

Check the specifications of your laptop for information regarding the number of displays it can support and the type of connections the laptop has available, such as HDMI, USB, Thunderbolt, etc.

Typically, there will be at least one connection available from the laptop for another display such as HDMI or VGA. You can connect your first external monitor to this connection to get a second display.

For a third display, you will typically need a docking station to add more ports to the laptop. There are universal docking stations that will work with most systems.

Connect the docking station to the computer. You should hear a jingle to indicate that it has connected successfully and is recognized. Connect the second external monitor that you want to use to the docking station.

You will now see three monitors available to select and arrange. Scroll down until you see the Multiple displayssection to ensure that you have it set to Extend these displays to extend the display across the monitors.

Return to the Select and rearrange displays area and select the Identify button. A large number will appear on each display to correspond to the display settings numbers to identify each monitor. This will help with arranging the monitors in the settings to ensure they are extending properly between laptop and external monitors.

Before you start shoving wires into ports in the back of your PC or the sides of your laptop, stop and take a closer look at those ports so that you know what you"re looking at. Modern computers handle video via an HDMI port, but older computers feature a variety of other ports:

DisplayPort: A DisplayPort was originally designed as a superior video port to older VGA and DVI ports, but is far less popular on modern computer systems than the HDMI port.

DVI: The Digital Visual Interface was originally designed by the Digital Display Working Group, and was next-generation to the inferior VGA port. Many older computers have one of several configurations of the DVI port.

Thunderbolt: A Thunderbolt port is a combination of several technologies, including DisplayPort and PCI Express, in combination with a power supply to power the external display if required.

Typically, if your computer has two ports on it, the video card should be capable of sending an output signal to both. If there"s only one port, then it probably can"t. However, your desktop might have available slots for additional video cards. So, even if there"s only one port on your desktop, don"t hesitate to pop the cover and check for any available slots for another video card.

If you have two ports, but you can"t seem to get both ports to work at the same time, the next step is to determine if your video card even has the ability to display to multiple monitors.

In the display settings, you may actually see the multiple displays come up, with some disabled and others set up as either your primary display or as an extended display. You can ignore those for now and instead click on Advanced display settings at the bottom of this window.

On the next page, you should see Display information for each connected display if your graphics card "sees" the number of monitors that you"ve plugged in.

If you only see one, then you should quit here because even though you managed to connect multiple displays, the card is only able to utilize one at a time. Much of your success in this comes down to hardware capability, so checking this first is the most important thing.

However, if you"ve confirmed that your video card can "see" all displays that you"ve plugged in, yet you can"t seem to get additional monitors to work, don"t give up. There are a few more things you can try to fix the issue.

If you"re still not certain whether your computer can support dual monitors, another option is to research your graphics card. First, look up the brand of your graphics card.

Head to Google and research the brand of your graphics adapter, followed by the word "multi-display" or "multi-monitor." Hopefully, you"ll be able to find some evidence of whether your graphics card can handle multiple monitors.

If your laptop or PC has a DisplayPort, then you might be able to take advantage of what"s called multi-stream transport (MST) to daisy-chain two monitors off the single DisplayPort. These are the requirements:

Now, in the Display Settings screen, you should see both monitors detected. You can arrange them to either mirror or extend your desktop. There is also the option to split an HDMI signal to multiple monitors.

A docking station is a great way to add additional ports to your laptop, including ports for external monitors. The Anker PowerExpand Elite 13-In-1 Thunderbolt 3 Dock, for example, lets you hook up two 4K 60Hz monitors using its Thunderbolt 3 and HDMI ports. By using a splitter on your Windows laptop, you could even connect a total of three 4K monitors. Other laptop docking stations feature similar options.

Even if your PC or laptop graphics card only supports a single output port, you can still extend your system with a second display using a USB-powered monitor and DisplayLink software. Find an external display that"s USB-powered, plug it in, and install free DisplayLink software to make it all work.

Whichever approach you take to set up a dual monitor setup, you configure it all under Settings (press Windows + I) > System > Display. The example above is a laptop connected to an external monitor using the HDMI port on a USB-C dock.

To display different things on two or more displays, you need to extend your screen to the other monitors. Under Settings > System > Display, scroll down to Multiple displays and select Extend these displays.

As you can see, there are a lot of steps in the process where some people would give up and conclude that it just doesn"t work. If that"s still you, consider getting a larger monitor.

But really, it comes down to just making sure your video card is capable of doing this, and then playing around with those display settings and making sure that the monitors are configured correctly. If you have one DisplayPort, consider the daisy-chain option. And if all else fails, buy a USB monitor and install DisplayLink software.

If the second screen says no signal, the best course of action is to check where the problem lies in the first place. But that’s not always easy to figure out, so you’ll have to use a process of elimination. If possible, use a different monitor to see if the problem persists.

Out-of-date drivers can cause all sorts of problems with your PC or your laptop, so it’s essential to stay on top of them. When it comes to the second monitor, without the latest drivers you might encounter stuttering problems and the “no signal” message.

Another clue that you might have a drivers issue is that lack of signal only occurs from time to time, not from the start. If that’s the case, here’s how you can get the latest drivers and hopefully fix the problem.

When the second monitor says no signal, it’s also possible the PC hardware is causing the problem. It might not be a fun process, but opening it up and checking inside may reveal the problem. If there is a loose or faulty component, it can cause all kinds of problems.

A part may be angled incorrectly or entirely out of place. If there’s something wrong quite obviously, try to re-attach it or put it in the right place.

DisplayPort or DP is an audio and video transmission cable widely used with desktop monitors. Typically, though not always, they offer a better bandwidth range than HDMI; thus, they’re often used to connect the second monitor.

However, if the problem persists, you are likely dealing with a faulty DisplayPort cable. The best way to be sure is to try using it with a monitor you know for a fact is working properly.

When the second monitor displays the message “No Input Signal,” you can try a couple of solutions. The most straightforward approach is to check the monitor input source settings.

Nearly all newer monitors have several input sources, so using the correct port with the corresponding cable is vital. For example, if you’re connecting your monitor via DisplayPort, you must ensure the settings reflect it. Here’s how:Open the “Display Menu” on your monitor. Many models have dedicated buttons on the side.

However, sometimes the lack of input signal means that the monitor is not compatible with the refresh rate settings on your computer. Fortunately, that’s a relatively simple fix.

You also have to be sure that the cable is connected correctly with the ports and not loose, which sometimes can happen. Don’t’ hesitate to push the cable as much as possible until you’re sure that all the connectors are locked in.

Sometimes, a reboot is necessary when you’re setting up a second monitor with the VGA, as it can resolve some minor technical issues. If none of these efforts pay off, you might need to get a different VGA cable.

Unless you’re dealing with brand new equipment, it’s not surprising to encounter issues when connecting a second monitor. Dusting off an old monitor and the DP or VGA cable might mean learning one of these components isn’t in great shape.

Hardware issues often require repairs and even replacements. But sometimes, all you need to do is change a few settings, clean the port, and restart your computer.