While laptops can be used to work anywhere, they are not ideal for those with small screens. Hooking up another, the third, or the fourth screen will give you breathing room and make it easier to manage your workload. As you can see, more monitors drain your battery faster and make your laptop hotter.
Multiple screens mean you don’t need to toggle between apps on one screen. One example is that you can have your email client displayed on your laptop’s main screen while running Photoshop on a larger external monitor. You might have one monitor for Slack and another dedicated to browsing. There are so many possibilities.
This article will help you add an external monitor for your laptop. This article includes details about resolution limitations and how to find the appropriate adapter if you have different video inputs. Let’s get started.
Thunderbolt: A Perfect Solution for Laptops Newer Than 3.5″
Thunderbolt 3, which uses the USB Type C connector standard, is the latest method for tablets and laptops that can output video. It has many advantages: one cable can carry video, audio, standard data transmission (for external hard disks or wired Internet connectivity), and power. The result is that your laptops will be less cluttered if you have the proper hardware.
This solution is best for those with Thunderbolt 3-capable monitors and a laptop with Thunderbolt 3. Connecting each monitor with only one Thunderbolt/USB C cable is accessible.
However, it’s often not that easy. This will not work if you have a powerful laptop and new monitors.
It would help if you had an adapter to connect your older monitors to your Thunderbolt/USB/C ports laptop. This adapter can be used to connect the USB-C adapter to HDMI or the USB-C adapter to DVI monitors. Keep in mind that one adapter is needed for each monitor.
If your laptop only has one Thunderbolt/USB C Port, you will likely need a docking station to connect the two monitors to that port. The Dell Thunderbolt Dock is a good choice, though you can also find other options. Not all laptops can run multiple displays simultaneously from one port with these docks. Check your specs and make sure you have a good return policy if it doesn’t work.
Thunderbolt can handle a lot of video bandwidth. It can even support multiple standard monitors. (The new Macbook Pros can output two 5K displays simultaneously, as long as they have the correct adapters). Specialized adapters, basically mini-laptop Docks, can be used for regular docking to multi-monitor setups with mice, keyboards, and other connections.
How to connect 2 Monitors to your Laptop Computer
If you are working on a laptop, then you have now connected two monitors.
The built-in screen of the laptop is one screen.
The two new monitors you installed count as the 3rd and 4th screens.
Step 1 – Check if your laptop allows ‘multiple displays’
Windows laptops are now capable of supporting dual monitors. It is essential to check that your computer is qualified for two external monitors.
It depends on how powerful your graphics cards are and what your Windows operating system can do.
Examine your Operating System. Windows XP/7/8/10, for instance, and all Windows XP/7/8/10 are capable of supporting multiple monitors.
You should check the graphics card on your computer
The manufacturer’s website has information about graphics cards. Locate your card and review the specifications.
DriverEasy.com states that if you have an NVIDIA GeForce video card, you can go to the official website and click your graphics card. Next, check the specification. If it supports multiple monitors (as shown below), you will be able to see the following image:
Step 2 – Cables & connections
The ports on the computer, as well as the monitors, should be checked. Once you have identified the correct cables, order them from the store. One line will connect the first monitor with the port number. The other one will connect to the second monitor. The first one will be connected to your computer. The second one will connect to the second monitor. 2 on your personal computer.
Connect the two ends to the monitors and then connect them. Continue the procedure with the second end of the cable.
Step 3 – Display
One more thing to do: set the screen layout.
You can set up a different layout for each screen. First, select the display. Then choose what will be displayed in the multiple displays menu.
Dual monitors can be a significant advantage for a laptop.
HDMI
HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) is a popular connection type used by modern TVs. It’s a well-known name that many TV owners are familiar with. The HDMI connection transmits both audio and video signals. It is very compact. A modern HDMI connection can share 4K resolutions at 60Hz. One HDMI cable will suffice for connecting a monitor to a laptop or pc with either one or two HDMI ports. An HDMI splitter can be used to connect two monitors that only have one HDMI port. You should ensure that the HDMI cable has the same refresh rate but the HDMI splitter is at the same speed.
USB-C
USB-C can be found on many new slim laptop models. USB-C offers the benefit of charging and supporting audio and DisplayPort signals through Alternate Modes. DisplayPort is an acronym for monitor interfaces, which can be used to transmit sound and image signals at high speeds. DisplayPort Alternate Mode, as well as the USB-C downstream, can be used for linking multiple monitors. You can use a USB dongle to connect USB-C ports that are limited. A USB-C docker should have at most two HDMI interfaces. An alternative is to pair the dongle with an HDMI splitter.
DisplayPort
DisplayPort, similar to HDMI, transmits audio and image signals at high frame speeds. The connection is ideal for 4K. DisplayPort or mini-DisplayPort is a standard feature on laptops. This allows them to be connected to monitors equipped with DisplayPort ports. For monitors that don’t have DisplayPort, an adapter is necessary. Multi-stream transport makes it possible to connect multiple monitors via DisplayPort. These can then be connected to a laptop via an adapter or splitter.
DVI/VGA
VGA is an analog connection standard that sends only image signals. DVI and VGA were older analog connections. The DVI/VGA cable can connect any DVI/VGA port on the end device and monitor. Older monitors can connect to older PCs or laptops with the DVI/HDMI adapter. Modern connector standards are preferable to older ones because they offer better resolution, refresh rate, and color values.
Buy a Custom Docking Station
Standard protocols like Thunderbolt or USB will work well enough for most users. But don’t forget about the possibility of using proprietary solutions. Many laptops offer custom connectors that allow you to attach docking stations (sometimes called a “port replicator”) that function as a native solution. These docking ports use a connection that runs directly to the motherboard’s high-speed busses, providing a superior experience and compatibility.
These docking stations are often equipped with multiple outputs. One example is the Dell E-Port products which allow compatible laptops with DVI or DisplayPort connectivity to connect two external monitors. This will vary depending on the laptop model.