Having two monitors attached to your system will not only double your workspace, it will decrease the amount of time you spend switching between windows that you have open. This short article will explain the process and cost associated with enabling this extremely powerful feature.
Is my system capable of this feature?
Most laptop systems manufactured within the last five years are capable of supporting two monitors, as long as the laptop has an external monitor port. Most desktop systems do not support multiple monitors by default. If this is the case, adding a video adapter to your system that supports two monitors is a quick fix. You'll be able to tell if your desktop system supports two displays by looking to see if there are two monitor ports on the video adapter. If there are, then it probably supports this feature.
In any case, refer to your systems documentation to find out whether or not it supports this feature before spending any additional money.
Costs
If you have a laptop and are adding a second monitor, any modern monitor should work just fine. You can find very inexpensive CRT and LCD monitors at your local computer store starting at around $100.
If you have a desktop, and need to add a dual-display video adapter to your system, your looking at spending anywhere from $150 and up, depending on the brand and quality of the video adapter. You will also need to get a second monitor if you don’t already have one. The desktop setup may cost a little more, but the initial investment is well worth the benefits of having a dual-display system!
How to set it up
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Start with your system turned off. If you have a laptop, plug in the second monitor to it. If you have a desktop, plug both monitors into the dual-display video card.
- Turn on both monitors, and then turn on your system. Once the system boots up, you will likely see the same image on each monitor.
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Right-click your desktop and select Properties from the menu. Once the window comes up, click the Settings tab. You will see a window that looks like this:
- Select the second monitor from the drop down menu, and then check the box that reads Extend my Windows desktop to this monitor. Click Apply and watch your desktop magically extend to the second monitor. You may need to adjust the screen resolution to the recommended setting of each display. This is done by selecting the display, then moving the slide-bar to the appropriate value.
Try moving your mouse between each display. Then try moving a window from one display to the next. Get comfortable with the way windows move back and fourth, and then start using your new setup to maximize the way you work! You’ll quickly see why adding a second monitor was well worth the effort!