connecting two lcd monitors one pc price

Even a generous 24-inch monitor can feel cramped when you’ve got multiple windows open on your desktop (and who doesn’t?). It’s much worse if you’re confined to a laptop screen. Fortunately, it’s simple enough to add a second monitor to your PC setup and spread out.

Note: While the monitors we discuss below are 1080p, our article about 1080p vs. 4K monitors can help you determine what approach to take for your own dual-monitor setup; you should also check out our comparison of ultrawide monitors vs. a dual-monitor setup to learn the pros and cons of each. Learn why now is the right time to upgrade your monitor. And if you are in the market for a second display, check out our recent review of the Monoprice 24-inch CrystalPro. This 1080p IPS monitor is priced right, at around $150. It’s also got a thin, discreet bezel that’s ideal for a dual-display setup.

Any modern desktop or laptop PC has the graphics capability to run dual displays. All that’s required is a second monitor. Prices for displays have gone up the past few years, but good deals can still be found. See, for example, PCWorld’s review of the Acer K24HYL 24-inch ISP display—it focuses on the features you should care about to hit $150.

If you’re determined to get the price even lower, HP’s V20 HD+ Monitor comes in at slightly less, with a 19.5-inch diagonal screen using TN technology, which offers faster response times but less clarity off-axis. Another good option is Dell’s SE2222H, which steps you up to a 22-inch screen that features slim bezels, nice for minimizing the disruption between your two screens. If you want an even bigger screen (although the same 1920×1080 resolution), Dell’s S2721HN 27-inch IPS panel is a fine option at $190.

Today’s monitors typically come with some combination of VGA, DVI, HDMI, and DisplayPort ports. In other words, you’ll have a couple options for how to connect the monitor to your PC. While its common for VGA and DVI cables to come included with the display, you may have to purchase your HDMI or DisplayPort cable separately if you go that route. Those can be easily purchased on Amazon.

In the resulting dialog box you can specify the displays’ arrangement. The Multiple Displays pull-down menu allows you to control how the two screens work together. Choosing Extend these displayswill prompt Windows to treat your displays as one contiguous screen.

The Make this my main displayoption controls which monitor gets the taskbar and Start button. If you don’t see that option, the currently selected monitor is already the main one.

Running dual monitors is relatively easy and requires only a few connections and settings adjustments to complete. The dual monitor setup helps with your workflow by making an easy transition between separate but related tasks.

No more clicking through multiple tabs or toggling between windows. You can drag windows and programs across the monitors and easily use them together. In some cases, a third monitor is also possible and useful. Graphic design professionals requiring multiple programs for a single job will often connect a third monitor or even use a laptop screen in conjunction with the dual monitors.

Monitors are relatively inexpensive and even easy to find used, making a second monitor an easy decision for increased productivity. Modern monitors come with a variety of ports and will often have several cables included. Make sure you have the power cable and an HDMI cable for the connection.

Not many monitors come with the HDMI cable included and you will likely have to purchase it separately. The cable is effective, however, and makes your setup run smoothly. The monitors may come with VGA or DVI cables but the HDMI is the standard connection for most office dual monitor setups. The VGA can work easily with a laptop to monitor connection, especially with a Mac.

Before you go about setting everything up, position your monitors on your desk. Having two screens changes the perspective while requiring extra space. Slight tweaking to achieve a slight inward angle with your chair positioned somewhat centrally is comfortable. You also need to consider the extra cords, plugs and access required to reach outlets while positioning the monitors.

With the monitors positioned, setup a power strip within easy reach. Plug the power cords into your power strip. Connect the first monitor to your computer through the HDMI port or through a VGA port, if desired.

Do the same for the second monitor. If your computer only has one HDMI port and one VGA port, which is common, find an adapter to complete the connection. Adapters are often sold alongside the cables in retail stores. You don"t need to connect the monitors with the same cable styles to make it work.

Programming the monitors to work as desired varies slightly by your operating system. Regardless, the overall process is relatively simple and straightforward.

On a PC, right click on a blank space on the home screen and choose ​Display Settings​. At this point, you must determine how the displays should work. You can ​Duplicate​ to have two separate displays doing the same thing. Or choose ​Extend Display​ to work between two monitors. Extending is the common choice and you can drag windows between the two screens. Apply the desired settings and you are ready to use the dual monitor system.

On a Mac computer, click the ​Menu​ then ​System Preferences​. Choose ​Display Settings​ to reach the options. Choose ​Mirror​ to display the same screen on both monitors or remove the check from the ​Mirror​ box to extend the display.

Again, extend desktop is the preferred method for working with ​dual screens​ You can open and work on different applications in each monitor. The Mirror screen function does however work well when multiple monitors are used to share the same presentation. Adjust the angles and you can present to a large audience using this method.

A dual monitor setup isn"t always plug-and-play. Extending your screen to a second or third monitor requires a suitable graphics card with sufficient ports. This is particularly challenging if you"d like to add more than one external screen to your laptop.

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:

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.

When it comes to laptops, another option is to purchase and use compatible docking stations. You may have a docking station option that could extend your laptop (which may only have a single video port), into a docking station that features two or more ports. So, even if you only have one video port available, definitely research the graphics cards if you want to set up a dual monitor laptop.

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.

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.

To determine where your mouse can cross over from one monitor to the next, drag the squares representing your monitors around to rearrange them. Click Apply to save your changes.

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.

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.

Even a generous 27-inch monitor can feel cramped when you’ve got multiple windows open on your desktop (and who doesn’t?). It’s much worse if you’re stuck on a tiny laptop screen. Fortunately, it’s simple enough to add a second monitor to your PC setup and stretch your legs... I mean eyes. You know what I mean.

Today’s monitors typically come with some combination of VGA, DVI, HDMI, and DisplayPort ports. In other words, you’ll have a couple of options for how to connect the monitor to your PC. While it is common for VGA and DVI cables to come included with the display, you may have to purchase your HDMI or DisplayPort cable separately.

Step 4: Choose the primary display. The Make this my main displayoption controls which monitor gets the taskbar and Start button. If you don’t see that option, the currently selected monitor is already the main one.

If any of these use cases apply to you, you’ll get a whole lot out of a dual monitor setup. And fortunately, there’s no real wrong way to add a little extra screen real estate to your workspace. But since the sheer number of monitor and accessory options out there can be overwhelming, we’ve assembled some pointers and products (including the monitors we’ve tested extensively) that will help you create the dual display setup of your dreams.

So whether you’re looking to boost your productivity or just want to be able to check email during boring Zoom calls (we won’t tell anyone), here’s everything you need to know about building a good dual monitor setup.

A dual monitor setup is exactly what it sounds like — by plugging in two displays to your desktop or laptop (typically via HDMI or DisplayPort connections) you can significantly expand the amount of screen real estate you have for work or play. There’s no real wrong way to put a dual monitor setup together, whether you want to mix and match screens or have two identical displays mounted together for a seamless ultrawide experience.

I personally use a basic, asymmetrical setup consisting of a Dell S2417DG as my main display and an Acer KG221Q as my secondary screen. The Dell monitor has a crisp 24-inch, 2560 x 1440 display that lets me get immersed in my favorite PC games or hammer away at Google Docs with minimal eye strain, while my smaller 1080p Acer monitor allows me to keep an eye on emails or monitor my chat when I stream on Twitch. My particular Acer monitor is hard to find these days, but this $93 model (Acer SB220Q) makes for a good alternative if you’re looking for a dependable and cheap second display.

If you want a more organized two-monitor setup, there are plenty of displays that are optimized to sit side by side with each other. The Lenovo L24q-30, our pick for the best computer monitor overall, is perfect for a dual display setup, thanks to thin bezels that can create a nearly seamless viewing experience when you place two of them side by side. The L24q-30 also supports VESA mounting, meaning you can mount several of them together on walls or various types of stands (more on those later).

It’s also worth considering monitors that can be positioned vertically when putting together a dual monitor setup. Vertically oriented monitors are especially ideal for programmers, thanks to their ability to show multiple lines of code, and also simply save desk space — something not everyone has a ton of in their home office. The $124 HP VH240a is a popular and inexpensive option that supports vertical orientation as well as VESA mounting if you want a more elaborate two-screen setup. And yes, you can switch between vertical and horizontal on the fly.

You can simplify your dual monitor setup a bit by daisy chaining, which essentially means combining your various display outputs into a single wire that goes into your computer. To boil it all down, one monitor connects to a second monitor, with that display sending both signals to your PC with only one cable to worry about. It’s a nice feature that’ll make your setup a little cleaner, though not all monitors support it.

It’s easy enough to plop two monitors onto your desk, but what if you want to clean things up a bit? That’s where stands and wall mounts come in. By mounting your monitors, you can save yourself precious desk space and gain even more freedom for adjusting your displays and finding that perfect viewing angle.

For those looking to connect multiple monitors to their laptop (or just simplify their mess of cables), a USB-C hub is worth looking into for your dual monitor setup. And if you’re a true power user, a KVM switch, which can connect peripherals to two computers at once, will allow you to use your dual displays across multiple machines with ease. Here are some accessories worth checking out to make the most of your dual monitor setup.

The Vivo Dual LCD Monitor Desk Mount Stand is one of the most popular stands on the web, allowing you to mount two monitors ranging from 13 to 27 inches and up to 22 pounds each. Each arm of this stand is highly flexible and allows you to swivel your displays up to 180 degrees or rotate them 360 degrees for when you need some portrait mode action. The stand’s clamp is built to fit securely on any desk up to 4 inches thick, and it includes detachable cable clips for keeping all of your wires organized.

If you’d rather mount your monitors to a wall, Wali’s dual display mount is a popular and relatively affordable way to do so. This wall bracket fits any monitor up to 27 inches with a 75-by-75-millimeter or 100-by-100-millimeter VESA mount, with a ton of articulation points, including a 90-degree swivel and 360-degree rotation for positioning your monitors vertically. Wali’s Dual LCD Monitor mount also sports an adjustable gas spring, which allows the mount to offer increased or decreased tensions based on how heavy your monitor is.

Many modern laptops are slim on port options, meaning you might have trouble connecting to multiple displays right out of the box. That’s where a USB-C hub like the Totu 9-in-1 Triple Display adapter comes in. One of our picks for the best USB-C hubs you can buy, this affordable gadget can power up to three displays thanks to its dual HDMI ports as well as its single VGA connection. There’s enough power here to run two displays side by side at 4K, or have a total of three monitors running at 1080p. We also love this hub for its sheer amount of ports for the price, with lots of handy connections that include three USB 3.0 slots, SD and microSD card readers, and a USB-C port that supports fast charging for your laptop.

For power users or Twitch streamers who are using multiple computers with their dual monitor setups, a KVM switch is well worth looking into. These switches give you a single connection point for your monitors as well as your mouse and keyboard, allowing you to go from controlling one computer to another at the touch of a button. This well-rated Steetek switch supports both full HD and 4K monitors, and packs an extra two USB ports for sharing accessories such as printers or external drives across multiple PCs.

Ultrawide monitors have a few benefits over dual monitor setups. For one, these monitors involve less setup and can potentially save you money, as you’ll only need to purchase and set up a single display for your work area. You also get the benefit of a truly seamless screen that can take advantage of games, movies and shows that have been optimized to fit a 21:9 aspect ratio. And many ultrawide monitors are curved, allowing for greater immersion while preventing your eyes from having to strain too much when moving from side to side.

However, dual monitor setups give you a level of versatility that’s hard to top. The freedom to mix and match displays means you can invest in a high-end 4K monitor as your main screen while picking up a cheaper 1080p model for web browsing and work calls. And you’ll quite literally have greater flexibility when it comes to positioning, whether you want to have one screen sit vertically or adjust the height and angle of both of your monitors independently on a wall mount.

Of course, if money and space aren’t issues, you could enjoy the best of both worlds and pick up multiple ultrawide displays. But for most people, an ultrawide monitor gives you simplicity and immersion, while a dual screen setup allows for more flexibility.

It’s worth considering a stand or wall mount if you want a cleaner, more flexible setup, as well as an ultrawide monitor as a simpler alternative to getting two displays. But no matter how you go about it, increasing the amount of screen space on your desk will boost your productivity — and help you have more fun — in a big way.

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Processor / Chipset CPU Intel Core i5 Cache Memory Installed Size 3 MB Cache Per Processor 3 MB Per Processor Size 3 MB Installed Size 3 MB RAM Memory Speed 1600 MHz Memory Specification Compliance PC3-12800 Features dual...

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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.

You may get along just fine with only one computer screen, but adding a second can give you much more room to work. This upgrade isn’t just for creative professionals or seasoned programmers—it’ll let anyone spread out their apps, edit documents side by side, and multitask like a pro. That, in turn, will boost productivity and efficiency.On top of the benefits, it’s both easy and cheap to hook up that second screen to your desktop or laptop computer. Here’s how to set up a second monitor, from purchasing a good screen to setting it up properly.

If your computer has one of these ports, all you’ll need is the proper cable. However, some thinner and lighter laptop models lack a compatible port. For those, you may have to add an adapter into the mix.

For example, slimmed-down laptops like Apple’s MacBook Air and Google’s Pixelbook rely on USB-C ports for data transfer, charging, and video output. A few monitors do accept USB-C, but not all do. In that case, you’ll need an adapter to covert USB-C to HDMI (like this $16.99 dongle) or to DisplayPort (such as this $9.85 adapter cable) before you can plug the laptop into your monitor.

Some computers will require other dongles. Take Microsoft’s Surface Pro 5: it includes a Mini DisplayPort that accepts a Mini DisplayPort-to-DisplayPort cable (like this $10.99 one), which will, in turn, plug into any monitor with a DisplayPort. Alternatively, if you prefer an HDMI monitor, you could connect the Surface to a Mini DisplayPort-to-HDMI dongle (such as this $5.99 adapter), then a standard HDMI cable.

You won’t necessarily have to buy your second screen. If you’ve got an old monitor lying around the house, see if it will work with your laptop or desktop computer before getting rid of it. Even if it’s a bit dated by today’s standards, you should be able to find an adapter to help. This will help you avoid spending any money on your extra display.

Still, you may have to buy new gear to complete your second-screen setup. Now that you’ve checked your computer’s ports, you’ll need a monitor that matches them—or that can be made to do so with a suitable adapter. Ideally, look for monitors with USB-C, HDMI, or DisplayPort inputs, as these are the most common modern standards.

On Windows, tap Windows+P to switch between four display modes: PC screen only (only the original computer screen is active), Duplicate (your two screens show the same thing), Extend (your two screens act as one large display), or Second screen only (the external monitor is the only active one). Most of the time, you’ll want the Extend option, which will allow you to open apps and windows independently on both screens. To further configure your second display, open the Start menu, click the Settings icon (the cog symbol), and choose System, followed by Display. From here, you can configure the brightness, resolution, and orientation of both screens. If you’re using two displays as one extended screen, you can also use this menu to set which monitor will be on the left and which on the right.

Over on macOS, open the Apple menu, choose System Preferences, and then click Displays. Under the Arrangement tab (which will only appear once you’ve connected to a second screen), you can change the relative positions of your displays—which one is on the left screen and which is on the right. Using the Mirror Displays checkbox, you can also switch between mirrored mode (the two screens act as duplicates) and extended mode (the two screens act as one display). In addition, you can set the screen resolution from this same menu.

If you’re on a Chrome OS computer, click the information panel in the lower right-hand corner (where the clock is). Then select the cog icon, go to the Settings panel, and choose Displays. From this menu, you can configure whether the second display acts as an extension or a duplicate of the first one, set the resolution and orientation of your displays, and position them in virtual space.

When you’re done, sit back and enjoy using your second screen. If you’re operating in extended mode, you can drag program windows between displays and maximize them on either screen. And whenever you disconnect or switch off the second monitor, your operating system will automatically revert back to its default configuration.

Set the Primary and Secondary MonitorRight-click on your desktop and select "Display". At the top of the resulting dialogue box, your available monitors appear as blue, numbered boxes. Each box represents a monitor (e.g. box "1" corresponds with the left monitor and box "2" corresponds with the right monitor).

Set the Monitor ResolutionRight-click on your desktop and select "Display". At the top of the resulting dialogue box, your available monitors appear as blue, numbered boxes. Each box represents a monitor (e.g. box "1" corresponds with the left monitor and box "2" corresponds with the right monitor).

Set the Monitor Display StyleRight-click on your desktop and select "Display". At the top of the resulting dialogue box, your available monitors appear as blue, numbered boxes. Each box represents a monitor (e.g. box "1" corresponds with the left monitor and box "2" corresponds with the right monitor).

Set the Monitor PositionRight-click on your desktop and select "Display". At the top of the resulting dialogue box, your available monitors appear as blue, numbered boxes. Each box represents a monitor.

To change the monitors" position, click, drag, and place the blue, numbered boxes to your preferred position. If you are unsure which monitor is "1" or "2," click the "Identify" link. The assigned monitor number will then appear on each monitor"s screen.

The best monitor for dual setup that we"ve tested is the Dell UltraSharp U2520D. With a 25-inch screen size, you can easily place two of them next to each other, and it provides great features for work use. It has a big USB hub with three USB-A ports to charge your devices while working, and it has two USB-C ports, one of which supports DisplayPort Alt Mode so that you can display an image from a compatible device and charge it at the same time. What makes this great for a dual setup is that it also has a DisplayPort output, allowing you to send a signal to another monitor if your computer or laptop doesn"t have a second DisplayPort output.

With the revival of the “Start Menu” from Windows 8 to Windows 10, this user-friendly desktop UI (user interface) realizes a more operable multi-display function. Let’s take a look at how we can use this multi-display tool on a Windows 10 notebook or desktop PC.

On July 29 2015, Windows released their new operating system “Windows 10.” Devices equipped with Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 were given one year to upgrade to Windows 10 for free, and so the migration to the new OS (operating system) Windows 10 is happening much faster than previous Windows operating systems. Even corporate users who emphasize stability over innovation, will proceed to slowly migrate towards Windows 10 when Windows 7 support ends in 2020.

When using Windows 10 in your notebook PC or desktop computer you’ll notice one major change – the revival of the desktop UI. This UI was revived after the complete removal of the Start Menu in Windows 8/8.1 - previously present in Windows 7 and earlier - was met with mixed reactions. The latest UI has become much easier to use, with the modern UI “tile format” being integrated with a virtual desktop feature in order to enhance multitasking and workability.

With the new focus on the desktop UI, Windows 10 has naturally improved the display settings. For example the “multi-display” function (Multiple displays connected to one’s PC for simultaneous use) has been greatly improved. Let’s go through some of these surprisingly not well known Windows 10 multi-display functions found on both notebook PCs and Desktop PCs.

Example: EIZO LCD display FlexScan EV2455 connected to 13.3" 2in1 notebook PC (VAIO Z). Projecting the 13.3" notebook PC display to a 24.1" WUXGA (1920 x 1200 pixels) external display greatly enhances one’s work efficiency.

Example: The expanded display of two EIZO FlexScan EV2455 monitors connected to a desktop PC. Aligning two 24.1" WUXGA (1920 x 1200 pixels) monitors side by side achieves a combined resolution of 3840 x 1200 pixels.

Setting up a multi-display environment on Windows 10 is incredibly simple. When you connect a second display to your PC, Windows automatically detects the display and displays the desktop UI.

In this case we opened the multi-display function from the desktop UI by selecting the OS “Project” menu. From the taskbar, click on the Action Center (bottom right of screen) and select “Project,” or if you want to use the shortcut keys, press the Windows Key andP key and the “Project” menu will appear. There are four types of display methods that can be chosen. If you want to expand the desktop UI over two screens, select the “Extend” option.

Find the “Action Center” icon in the lower right taskbar, and click on the “Project” icon (left image). In the “Project” menu, out of the four options, choose how you want to display your monitors (right image)

From here the two screens’ position relative to each other, display size such as text (expansion rate), display orientation, the previous four display method settings, and the main / sub-display monitor settings can be changed. Additionally, if you cannot see your connected display, click on “detect” to try to find the display (if this doesn’t work we recommend reconnecting the cable and/or restarting your PC).

In the enclosed grey squares [1] and [2], the position of the two monitors relative to each other is displayed. It’s best to drag these two squares to suit the actual position of your monitors.

These days notebook PCs equipped with very high definition displays of pixel densities greater than full HD are growing, but when these units are connected to external displays the character and icon sizes can vary significantly between the original notebook PC and external monitor, making it difficult to work with. If that’s the case, the “Change the size of text, apps, and other items” slider bar can be used to effectively adjust the display sizes close to the each other.

If you scroll down to the bottom of the “Display” menu there is an “advanced display settings” link. If you click on this, you can set the resolutions of the display monitors. Additionally, if you click on the “Advanced sizing of text and other items” link, you can change the settings for more detailed things like the size of items and text.

As shown above, Windows 10 has a new settings application installed which we recommend you use. But you can also use the “control panel” found in Windows 8 and earlier. To any familiar PC user, the conventional method of using the control panel to display various settings is still possible.

In Windows 10, the Snap Assist function that sticks the window to the edge of the screen is available, and even more convenient. If you drag the window to the left or right of the screen, the window will expand to fill half of the screen. This is also possible in the extended desktop function where two windows can be placed onto the left and right sides of each monitor, making a total of four open windows. This can also be accomplished with the shortcut keys Windows + left or right arrow.

In Windows 10, after a window has been snapped to either the left or right side using the snap function, the empty area in the opposite side will display all other available windows as thumbnails. Choose one of these windows and it will fill that side of the screen.

Furthermore in Windows 10, if a window is moved to one of the four corners of the screen, it will shrink to 1/4 the size of the screen, so that four windows can be displayed at once. Additionally, in a multi-display environment, if you are displaying too many windows and your desktop has become messy, click and drag the window you want to view and quickly shake it to minimize all other windows. You can also press Windows and Home.

If you connect an external display to a notebook PC, being able to create a large-screen, high resolution dual-display environment can significantly improve one’s work efficiency. These days products with high density pixel displays larger than full HD are becoming more common, but if a notebook PC with a screen size of 13 or 14 inches is displayed on one of these high resolution displays, the screen will end up shrinking so that it’s difficult to read, and so it has to be enlarged by 150% or 200%. Therefore it’s not that resolution = workspace, but rather that your workspace is limited to the size of your screen.

But an external display with a mainstream 23 – 24" full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) or WUXGA (1920 x 1200 pixels) model, connected to a notebook PC, will display in a similar size to the notebook PC making it familiar to the user, and providing a lot of work space.

For example you could do things like compare multiple pages at once in a web browser; create a graph on a spreadsheet and paste it into a presentation while reading a PDF document; do work on one screen and watch videos or view a social media timeline on the other; play a game on one screen while reading a walk-through on the other, or use an external color management monitor to check for correct colors. Using an external monitor in addition to your notebook PC allows all of these things to be done seamlessly without having to switch between windows.

Example: An EIZO 24.1 inch WUXGA display (FlexScan EV2455) connected to a high-spec 2in1 VAIO Z notebook PC (from here on the examples will display the same set-up). The VAIO Z notebook display has a high definition resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, but because the screen is only a “mobile” 13.3 inches, on Windows it is expanded to 200%. Adding this to the FlexScan EV2455’s 24.1 inch 1920 x 1200 pixel display, gives a vast area of work space. Of course, because the FlexScan EV2455 has a large screen and 1920 x 1200 pixels, the notebook’s display can be displayed at 100% without needing to increase the 1920 x 1200 pixels. This makes for comfortable browsing of multiple web pages as shown.

If you have an external monitor with excellent color display, you can use the graphics software in your notebook PC whilst replicating (mirroring) the display onto the external monitor; creating color-accurate images while you work. The above image is an example of the “Fresh Paint” application.

A word of advice when choosing a monitor to connect to your notebook PC, in a dual display environment — having the two taskbars at the bottom of the screen be uniform makes it easier to use, but a notebook PC’s height cannot be adjusted, so choosing a product that can be easily adjusted is desirable. Furthermore, because a notebook’s display is situated at a fairly low height, an external monitor that can be lowered to the table surface is better.

If an LCD display’s height adjustment range is wide, you can create a vertical multi-display environment like this, reducing the required width of your working space. The image gives the example of a VAIO Z and FlexScan EV2455, but if you tilt the screen of the VAIO Z, the FlexScan EV2455 can be made to not overlap as shown; naturally creating two screens.

If the external display is set in the vertical position, portrait photos and long lists of information can be displayed. The notebook PC cannot be used in the vertical position.

In our examples we used the EIZO 24.1-inch WUXGA display FlexScan EV2455 because it is a monitor with a height adjustment range of 131 mm and the ability to be vertically rotated, so it can be easily combined with a notebook PC. Additionally, because of the narrow “frameless” design, the black border and bezel (i.e. noise) is minimized as much as possible. It’s easy to appreciate how the visual transition from one screen to the other becomes naturally gentler on the eyes. This monitor will also suit any photo-retouching and content creation by correctly displaying the sRGB color gamut; i.e. displaying colors the same as those found in most notebook PCs.

It should be noted that in Windows 10, the “tablet mode” cannot be used in a multi-display environment. In Windows 8/8.1 a notebook PC could display the modern UI start screen while an external display could display the desktop UI, but in Windows 10 the multi-display environment is restricted to only using the desktop UI. This is one of the revived functions that were found to be most useful in Windows 7.

Although the notebook PC has become mainstream in recent years, the desktop PC is still popular for users who require high-performance or work efficient computers. So to these users who want to take advantage of their high-powered PCs and increase their productivity, we recommend the multi-display environment. Using large, high resolution displays in a multi-display environment gives you an unbeatable advantage.

Because there are no screen size or resolution restrictions like in a notebook PC, the desktop multi-display environment can use a flexible combination of screen sizes and resolutions according to your location, budget or application. If so inclined, using the previous EIZO monitor, a resolution of 5760 x 1080 pixels could be made from 3 monitors, 5760 x 2160 pixels from 6 monitors, and many more variations can be made.

Of course even a non-high-spec environment can find improvement in their work efficiency by using two mainstream 23 – 24 inch Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels)/WUXGA (1920 x 1200 pixels) monitors, compared to just the one monitor.

An example of how a multi-display environment can be used in the business scene. The left display can display tables and calculations of statistical data, while comparing the graphs, and the right screen can be used to summarize the findings in a document. If this were just one monitor, you would be constantly switching between windows, but with two monitors you can see all the necessary data without needing to switch between windows; improving work efficiency and reducing transcribing errors.

An example of how map-based services can be used. On just one screen, the display range of a map is quite narrow, but with two screens, a map, aerial photo, information about the location, and photos from the location can all be displayed at the same time. You can take advantage of the realism of the large screen by doing virtual tours of tourist destinations.

An example of how the multi-display environment can help with photo re-touching. Rotating one monitor to the vertical position can help with retouching portrait photos, or editing long documents and websites. If you want to take advantage of a vertical screen, you need to choose a monitor that can be rotated or buy a separate rotating mount to attach your monitor to.

Most commonly when people want to build a multi-display environment, they start with one monitor, and then later add another one. Ideally, it’s best to purchase multiple monitors of the same model in the beginning. This way the screen size and resolution can be aligned, but also the color and aesthetics will match. But perhaps more importantly, because the monitors are the same age, any defects in the screen such as color variations can be found early-on by comparing the two monitors next to each other.

Another note for those who might be thinking about trying to build a multi-display environment, is that the more monitors you align, the wider your viewing angle will need to be. In order to be able to see each monitor clearly without having to move, you need to buy a product that has wide viewing angles. Furthermore, the more screens you have the harder it is to avoid light reflecting on your screen and into your eyes. To prevent this, we recommend buying a monitor with a glare reducing surface, which will make the screens easier to see and will be easier on your eyes. Additionally, as mentioned above we recommend a monitor with a narrow bezel and black border as it is space-saving and increases visibility among other advantages.

The 24.1-inch WUXGA display FlexScan EV2455 that we used, uses an IPS LCD panel with wide viewing angles and a glare reducing screen. Furthermore it has a narrow-frame design of only 6.2 mm (1 mm bezel and 5.2 mm black border). Therefore two monitors side by side will only have a gap of 12.4 mm, so you can make an almost noiseless multi-display environment. Another feature is the automatic dimming function (Auto EcoView) which leads to less eye fatigue, and less power consumption.

The FlexScan EV2455 has a narrow frame design of only 6.2 mm (1 mm bezel and 5.2 mm black border). This requires only 12.4 mm when two monitors are aligned, so the bezel doesn’t feel like it’s in the way.

Earlier we introduced the set-up procedure for Windows 10 “multi-display,” and also showed some concrete examples. Whether you use a notebook PC or the more conventional desktop PC, if you want to increase the work efficiency of Windows 10, using multi-display is highly effective.

Even compared to a PC, a monitor is still a possible long-term investment. Therefore we recommend that you do not compromise on quality; in the medium to long term if you think of the comprehensive savings made through increased work productivity, reduced burdens on your body, and reduced power consumption, high-quality display products may offer higher value. Considering that, the FlexScan EV2455 that we used from EIZO’s “FlexScan EV” series meets all of these elements and includes a 5 year warranty, making it one of the best products suited to a multi-display environment.