computer with three display screens quotation

To see more examples of what you can now do with a single 4K UHD monitor, see the Virtual Monitors: Example Layouts tab on this page, which shows 55 ways you can carve up a 4K monitor with UltraView Desktop Manager 3.0.

Optimal triple-monitor productivity: a primary application in landscape mode flanked by supporting content in portrait mode. Portrait mode enables documents and web pages to be displayed in full without scrolling. The configuration also uses less desk space.

Increase productivity and relieve the discomfort and ill-effects of sitting for long periods of time with the Dorian sit-to-stand workstation. Quickly adjust the height of the desktop computing station with the press of a button. Just over 17 inches of height adjustability provides sit-to-stand capabilities for users up to 6" 5" tall.

The ample work surface provides room for not only your keyboard and mouse, but other small essentials, keeping them within easy reach even when the Dorian is moved to a higher position. To change the height, the user simply needs to press a button on the edge of the worksurface and lift or lower the device. A motion assist mechanism inside the main column helps to create smooth and easy vertical movement. The workstation will lock in place once the button has been released. The Dorian"s design not only keeps the unit steadfastly in place once positioned, it is constructed to minimize movement created by heavy-handed keyboarding. A mini tray is located beneath the monitor to hold small items such as pens, smartphones and keys.

There are several benefits of multiple monitors that can boost business productivity. A study at the University of Utah found that productivity among people working on editing tasks was higher with two monitors than with one. Other research indicates that the addition of a third monitor can also offer further increases in productivity.

In the simplest of terms, when it comes to desktop real estate, more space means greater productivity until the point is reached where screen size and task requirements intersect. From that point on, the increasing screen size may have no effect or even a negative effect on productivity. For the best cost-benefit ratio, screen size and configuration should be matched with the task requirements of the typical work to be done.

Uses of multiple monitors or screensPanel overflow. Keep most of the programs in the middle and let the panels all flow off to the left and right. More undistracted space in front of the user, more room for all the mess off to the sides. This is probably the strongest advantage.

Coders who want to view their code on one display with the other display reserved for documentation. They can just glance over at the documentation and look back at their primary workspace.

Anyone who needs to view something while working. Viewing a web page while writing an email, viewing another document while writing something, or working with two large spreadsheets and having both visible at once.

Disadvantages of Having Multiple ScreensMore Potential for Distractions. Probably the biggest disadvantage of having more than one screen is the added risk of distractions. Having more windows in your eyeliner opens up the opportunity of having many more distractions.

Lack of Desk Space. Obviously enough the more screens you have the more space that is going to be taken up. Luckily more modern monitors only take up a fraction of the space compared to those of a few years previous.

When people find out I work with three monitors, they’re always curious. Here’s how that works for me and why I think it makes me a more productive writer and editor.

First, the basics. I have a brand new MacBook Pro 16-inch, replacing one that I had used since 2013. (None of what I’m writing here relates to having a Mac, or a newer Mac; it would be the same regardless of what computer you use.)

My two monitors are nothing special. One is an older squarish 1280 x 1024 VGA monitor; the other is an HDTV monitor (1920 x 1080) connected with an HDMI cable. Both were castoffs, I didn’t even need to pay for them. The new MacBook requires adapters (“dongles”) to connect them to its ports.

To be productive, I have the monitors arranged into a virtual desktop, which allows me to drag things back and forth between them. (This is easy to set up on the Mac by using the Displays item under System Preferences.)

I also have an external keyboard and mouse. That’s essential, because without that, you can’t sit far enough back from the computer to easily see all the monitors. I have a beautiful custom-made L-shaped desk surface (purchased here), but the top surface is so smooth that the keyboard tended to slip around. I solved that by purchasing a silicone mat, usually use for baking, and putting it under the keyboard.

Naturally, you can do all of this with a single laptop monitor, but it requires maintaining context in one document while referring to something else. I find it extremely helpful to have the document I’m working on up where I can see it at all times while I track down other bits and pieces to put into it. This, more than anything else, is the benefit of multiple monitors in an extended desktop for me.

Long ago, I would sometime work while referring to paper. That’s rare now, because everything I want to refer to is online. About the only time I do that is when entering content from a physical book. (I won’t even work with people who do red-pen corrections on paper.)

The HDTV monitor on the right is always the work monitor. I do my writing and editing there. It’s also where I check my work email and interact with social media. Interestingly (at least to me), this cuts down on distraction; I am either working or reviewing emails and social media, never both at the same time.

This method of using the same application in two windows extends to other parts of my workflow. I might have two Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat screens up on the two larger monitors at the same time for making comparisons or copying content.

In the past, I’ve used the central laptop screen itself as a sort of auxiliary screen for when I need to check three things at once. It’s also where I do “system” activities like changing settings or scanning documents. Now that I’ve switched from a 13-inch MacBook to a 16-inch, I’m beginning to see that the middle screen can be more useful. I’m sure it will begin to occupy some new virtual workspace in my brain.

Of course, I can still be productive on road trips. It’s not that I can’t work with a single laptop screen, just that it takes longer and is less conducive to creating flow because of all the application and windows switching.

I’ve recently needed to visit my parents’ house for periods of days or weeks. I set up a computer table there and I’ve borrowed a couple of my Dad’s monitors (one used to be a TV set) and got an external keyboard and mouse that live there. All I need to bring is my MacBook and, once plugged in, I’m just as productive as I am in my home office.

As good as two monitors is, three monitors is even better. With three monitors, there"s a "center" to focus on. And 50% more display area. While there"s certainly a point of diminishing returns for additional monitors, I think three is the sweet spot. Even Edward Tufte, in the class I recently attended, explicitly mentioned multiple monitors. I don"t care how large a single display can be; you can never have enough desktop space.

Fortunately, that is no longer true. I was excited to learn that the latest ATI video cards have gone from two to three video outputs. Which means you can now achieve triple monitors with a single video card upgrade! They call this "eyefinity", but it"s really just shorthand for "raising the standard from two display outputs to three".

But, there is a (small) catch. The PC ecosystem is in the middle of shifting display output standards. For evidence of this, you need look no further than the back panel of one of these newfangled triple display capable ATI video cards:

I suspect part of this odd connector layout is due to space restrictions (DVI is awfully chunky), but I"ve always understood DisplayPort to be the new, improved DVI connector for computer monitors, and HDMI to be the new, improved s-video/component connector for televisions. Of course these worlds are blurring, as modern high-definition TVs make surprisingly effective computer monitors, too.

Anyway, since all my monitors have only DVI inputs, I wasn"t sure what to do with the other output. So I asked on Super User. The helpful answers led me to discover that, as I suspected, the third output has to be DisplayPort. So to connect my third monitor, I needed to convert DisplayPort to DVI, and there are two ways:

Note that this adapter requires USB power, and given the spotty results others have had with it, some theorize that it needs quite a bit of juice to work reliably. I plugged it into my system"s nearby rear USB ports which do tend to deliver more power (they"re closer to the power supply, and have short cable paths). Now, I have gotten the occasional very momentary black screen with it, but nothing severe enough to be a problem or frequent enough to become a pattern. If you have DisplayPort compatible monitors, of course, this whole conversion conundrum is a complete non-issue. But DisplayPort is fairly new, and even my new-ish LCD monitors don"t support it yet.

I was also hoping that Nvidia would follow ATI"s lead here and make three display outputs the standard for all their new video cards, too, but sadly that"s not the case. It turns out their new GTX 480 fails in other ways, in that it"s basically the Pentium 4 of video cards -- generating ridiculous amounts of heat for very little performance gain. Based on those two facts, I am comfortable endorsing ATI wholeheartedly at this point. But, do be careful, because not all ATI cards support triple display outputs (aka "eyefinity"). These are the ones that I know do:

I"m excited that a triple monitor setup is now, thanks to ATI, so easily attainable for desktop users -- as long as you"re aware of the DisplayPort caveat I discussed above. I"d encourage anyone who is even remotely interested in the (many) productivity benefits of a triple monitor setup to seriously consider an ATI video card upgrade.

Industrial displays are made with the same industrial components as our industrial all-in-one PCs. So, they can withstand vibrations, shocks, and extreme temperatures, in which consumer grade computers cannot operate. These rugged touchscreen displays can be panel mounted into an enclosure, or the VESA mounting holes can be used to attach them to an arm, stand, or hung on a wall. They include an IP66 rated front bezel, so they are protected from liquids, when they are panel mounted into a cutout in an enclosure, Hoffman box, or electrical cabinet door. The fanless design protects them from dust and other airborne contamination that would otherwise damage electrical components, and the rugged die-cast aluminum enclosure offers reliable protection from mechanical shock and vibration. These models have a wide operating temperature, and extended operating temperature options are available for outdoor applications or other extreme environments. They include a wide range 9~36VDC terminal block power input that enables them to be easily connected directly to a DC voltage source, and an external AC-to-DC power supply is available for settings where only AC power is available.

There are several benefits of multiple monitors that can boost business productivity.  At least that what scientists from the University of Utah have shown with their studies on the subject.  A study at the U of U found that productivity among people working on editing tasks was higher with two monitors than with one.  Other research indicates that the addition of a third monitor can also offer further increases in productivity.

The major area where time is saved and productivity boosted is in toggling between screens.  Evonne Roman discussed this a recent article on the subject,

It’s been shown that going from one to two screens can give us a significant productivity increase.  Are there advantages of going from two to three?  Is there a point of diminishing returns where our ability to focus and potential distractions are diminished by the deluge of data?

Another recent study from Fujitsu showed that a 3-monitor setup can offer even more productivity.  The study was called the Office 21 research project.  The researchers began a test with 67 people, and did a control group where they completed the same task at a conventional workplace with a 19-inch display.

The researchers calculated a benchmark performance score to test against.  They then divided the participants into three groups.  Group 1 had a 19-inch display, group 2 was given a 22 in widescreen display, and group 3 was given three displays.

Group one increased productivity on the task by 1.9% (based on the learning effect), group two increased efficiency by 8.4%, and group three were 35.5% more efficient in completing the task.  All the research taken together show that going from one to two monitors increases efficiency about 20-25%, and from two to three monitors can take you up to a 35% increase.

It’s also important to remember that some jobs benefit much more from having additional screen real estate than others.  Jobs that involve tasks such as data entry, drafting email with source material, writing, spreadsheets, comparing documents side by side, or other business communications can see huge benefits.  Other professionals that do less administrative tasks of this type may not see the same productivity increases.

With minimal investment, business owners can help their staff get more done in less time.  They can help their bottom line by simply giving their employees more digital space to work in.

As you type text, Word automatically changes straight quotation marks ( " or " ) to curly quotation marks (also known as "smart quotes" or typographer"s quotes). And now with your feedback we have improved smart quotes feature. Any quote following an em dash(--) is now formatted as an open quote (rather than closed quote).

By now, a dual-monitor setup has become commonplace. Multitasking on a single screen is just way too confining. But why stop at two displays? I can speak from experience: Having multiple monitors (and I’m talking three, four, five, or even six) is just…awesome, and something you totally need in your life.

Right now, my main PC has a triple-monitor setup: my main 27-inch central monitor, with a 24-inch monitor on either side. I use my extra monitors for a number of things, such as comparing spreadsheets side-by-side, writing articles while also doing research, keeping tabs on my social media feeds, and, of course, watching Netflix.

Using one of your monitors in vertical orientation can make a big difference for scrolling long documents. If you’re a gamer, well, surely you can see how great three-plus monitors can be for games that support multi-monitor setups. You can even use your TV as an extra computer monitor!

But before you jump in, you want to give your multi-monitor plan some forethought. This guide will walk you through all the factors you need to take into account before setting up three or more monitors.

Before you run out and buy a bunch of extra monitors, check to see whether your computer is physically capable of handling all that graphics prowess. First, look at the back of your PC: How many graphics ports (DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, and VGA) do you see?

If you don’t have a discrete graphics card, you may only see two video ports—most motherboards come with integrated graphics that can only run dual-monitor setups. If you do have a discrete graphics card, you’ll probably see at least three ports, not including the ports on your motherboard.

Just because you see three or more ports on your discrete graphics card, however, doesn’t necessarily mean you can use all of them at the same time. For example, many older Nvidia cards are unable to run more than two monitors on a single card, even if they have more than two ports. The best way to find out whether your graphics card supports multiple monitors is to find the name of your card (Control Panel > Device Manager > Display Adapters) and Google it with the monitor setup you’re looking to run (e.g. “Nvidia GTX 1660 four monitors”).

If you buy a graphics card solely for the purpose of having multiple monitors, it’s best to get a cheaper modern option, as current GPUs can power several displays without issue. Check out the best budget graphics card section of our GPU guide for your best options.

Alternatively, monitors with DisplayPort multi-streaming support can be daisy-chained together from a single DisplayPort connection on your graphics card, using additional DisplayPort cables to connect the additional monitors to one another. The various displays don’t even need to be the same size or resolution. ViewSonic’s VP2468 is one such example. At around $330 on Amazon, this 24-inch monitor is on the pricier side, but in addition to DisplayPort-out, it also offers a premium IPS screen, and a super-thin bezel, which is ideal for multi-monitor setups.

Once you figure out your graphics card situation, it’s time for the fun part: obtaining extra monitors. In general, monitors can be had for fairly cheap these days. Assuming you can’t finagle a hand-me-down, a 24-inch monitor with an IPS screen will run you around $150, such as the Acer R240HY. You can get a 24-inch TN screen, which will likely trade strong off-axis viewing for a lower response time—something gamers might prefer—for roughly the same money, such as the Asus VS248H-P ($160 on Amazon). You can also find smaller IPS monitors at around 21.5 inches, such with this HP Pavilion IPS display, for.

In my case, I already had two 24-inch monitors, and I wanted a larger monitor as the centerpiece of my setup, so I picked up a 27-inch monitor and placed it between my two 24-inch displays. I’m not using my multi-monitor setup to play multi-monitor games, so the difference in sizes (and the difference in heights—my 27-inch monitor’s stand holds that monitor about one inch higher than my 24-inchers) isn’t an issue for me. However, if you’re planning on doing a lot of gaming or watching videos that span multiple monitors, this height difference will make for a not-so-seamless experience.

Before you buy your monitors, you’ll also want to make sure they have input ports that correspond with your PC’s output ports. While you could use conversion cables, such as DVI-to-HDMI or DisplayPort-to-DVI, they can be a hassle. If you have a VGA port on your PC or your monitor, I suggest staying away from it: VGA is an analog connector, which means your picture will be noticeably less sharp and colors will be less vivid.

The first thing you’ll want to do is configure Windows to play nicely with your multiple monitors. If you’re running Windows 7 or Windows 8, right-click on the desktop and click Screen resolution;in Windows 10, click Display settings. This will take you to a screen where you can configure the options you have for multiple monitors in Windows.

Here, you can confirm that all your monitors are detected. Click Identify, which will cause a large number to appear on each of your displays, so you can determine which screen is which. Select the monitor you’d like to serve as your main display (which will also determine where your taskbar and Start button appears). A drop-down menu lets you choose whether to duplicate your desktop or extend your desktop across all the screens. In most multi-monitor setups, you’ll want to extend your desktop across all three (or four, or whatever) of your displays.

Alternately, you can set up your multi-monitor configuration in your GPU’s control panel. Right-click your desktop and choose either the Nvidia or AMD control panel (depending on your graphics card), and find the Display section, which will offer similar options as Windows.

It’s one thing to use multiple monitors to do work and watch Netflix. It’s another thing entirely to use multiple monitors to play video games. If you want to use your snazzy new multi-monitor setup to do some three- or four-panel gaming, there are a few extra things you’ll have to take into consideration.

Gaming on several displays at once requires far more graphical firepower than gaming on a single screen alone, because the GPU has so many more pixels to push—so if you’re not running a sufficiently robust graphics card or cards, you’ll almost certainly see lag and artifacting in your multi-monitor games. Once again, check out PCWorld’s guide for choosing the best graphics card for gaming.

You’ll also need to go into your game—not all games are multi-monitor compatible—and configure the video or display settings to the correct resolution so that the game spans across all of your monitors instead of staying squished on just one. You’ll also want to play around with other settings as the game allows, including field of view (too low, and there will be too much going on around you; too high and everything on your left and right screens will be hugely distorted).

For gaming, it’s easier if you have multiple identical displays, because otherwise you’ll run into issues with resolution, distortion (if your displays aren’t at the same height), and color calibration, all of which can be difficult to work with if you’re trying to play in a “seamless” environment.

If working with multiple displays seems like more trouble than you want to bother with for gaming, maybe you’d be better off with a single ultrawide monitor. Check out our article on the pros and cons of dual displays versus a single ultrawide.