Would you like
to connect two monitors
to one PC ? Well now you have the solution! We
bring you here this easy and quick tutorial so that you can achieve it without
much hassle.
Why connect two
monitors to one PC?
If you have
previously seen photos of some large offices, you may have noticed that there
are not a few users who choose to use more than 1 monitor. In some cases,
up to 3, 4 or 8 monitors on their desks. The truth is that this is not
only to say “hey, look at me, I'm a geek, I'm tanning with monitors”, but, in
fact, using multiple
monitors increases productivity.
In that way? Well,
nowadays multi-tasking, or
the art of jumping between one application to another, is something common to
all of us. Or do you never have the browser open, along with a chat,
perhaps iTunes, and
of course the mail or other additional program? Instead of minimizing or
alt-tabbing between applications, or jumping between virtual desktops, adding a
second monitor to your office or home will help you complete many tasks faster
and more efficiently.
The truth is this:
if you can have simultaneous
windows open , in a much larger workplace, you can complete
multiple tasks much faster.
Should you buy one large monitor, or two regular-sized monitors?
I explain the
following. Sometimes the price difference between, say, a 20” monitor and
a 24” monitor is huge. In fact, it is possible to get 20” monitors (LCD)
with prices between $150-200. So why buy a 24” (unless you're into graphic
design), when you could get up to 3 monitors for the same price in 20”?
Keep in mind that
the average resolution of a 20”
monitor is 1680×1050 pixels , and a 24” monitor
has 1920×1200. The
difference is noticeable, but if you take into account that two 20” monitors
(placed horizontally) give you a work area of 3360×1050 pixels, things
change.
In other words, if
you really don't need a huge screen for a single application (for example, to
do photo retouching) and your work is going to consist mainly of having several
applications open, the best option, both in price and space, is that you go for
two “normal” size monitors.
Important: if you see that the price difference between a 19” and a 20”
is minimal (for example, $10-20) you should definitely choose the 20”. Not
only will you be gaining an extra inch (although this is irrelevant), but most
20” monitors have a higher resolution (1680×1050 vs. 1440×900 for 19”)
Requirements
for connecting two monitors to one PC
You can meet
either of these first two requirements below:
- Have a laptop with VGA /
DVI output: If you have a fairly recent laptop (from 5 years
ago) or any of the netbooks, you have one with VGA output.
- Have a video card with
two VGA / DVI outputs: This option is less
common. Especially if you buy a PC and don't buy a separate video
card. But it has a solution! You can start with the ATI Radeon 48xx HD or
the nVidia 9xxxx. Of
these there are models from $80 and up, and you will have exceptional
results. After having it, you just have to install it on the PC.
Here is an example
of a video card with two outputs, one VGA, one DVI. (Most cards today come
with two DVI outputs, for LCD monitors.)
An essential requirement:
- Of course, a
second monitor. However, the ideal is to get a second monitor of
the same brand and the exact model as the current one. This
way you will not only make your desktop look better, but the color
profiles will be identical.
On the other hand, adding a second smaller
monitor (perhaps a 15”) will also help a lot.
Once you have the desktop sorted ,
and the two monitors on it (or the monitor and your laptop), we can move on to
connecting the two.
How
to connect two monitors to one PC?
Well let me tell you, it's pretty
easy. You just have to connect the second monitor (assuming,
of course, that you already have the first one working) to the power
and to the VGA or DVI port of the video card or the laptop.
Once you've done this, Windows will immediately
recognize it. But, at first, it will do nothing. Normally we will
have to do it for him.
Depending on the version of Windows you have,
the options change:
Windows Xp
- First, you need
to right click on the desktop, and then go to Properties .
- In this part,
you will be able to see your second monitor in “gray” because it is
disabled. Next, you must click on the monitor that says “2”.
- Here, you will
see the option of “ Extend the desktop onto this screen ”,
you need to activate it. Choose the resolution (in the manual of the
monitor the resolution with which it works should be established, but
normally it is: 17-19”=1440×900, 20”-22”=1680×1050, 24” = 1920×1200)
- Once you have
done this, you must click on “ Apply ”, and that's
it! You already have your monitor activated.
Windows Vista.
- You also start
by right clicking on the Desktop , followed by this,
click on “ Personalize ”. Another option is to go
through: Start / Control Panel / Appearance and
Personalization.
- Once you're
here, you'll go to where it says Display Settings.
Once you are in there, you will see a window
almost identical to the one that appears in XP. (We'll never know why they
bothered so much to change the access mode for Vista...). Then, click on
the second monitor, check “ Extend desktop to
this monitor ” and that's it.
windows 7
Windows 7 already returns to the simplicity
that Windows XP had to change resolutions, add monitors, etc.
Just right click on the desktop ,
and then go to “ Screen resolution ”
Once you are there, you will see the
connected monitors. You can also see which ones are or are not
activated. Again, you need to extend the desktop to the
secondary monitor. Finally, you click Ok , and that's it!
Tip: One
advantage that Windows 7 offers is that it allows you to change the orientation
of the monitor. This is quite useful when we have one of those monitors
that are capable of rotating 90º.
Before you close the windows, test, and drag
the monitors. And yes, you read right. From here, we
can reorder them. You may want to send the secondary to
the left instead of the right. Or maybe you want to put one higher than
the other.
Linux
Depending on the Linux
distribution you use, the settings may also change. The
image below shows you what the screens window would look like on a Debian-based operating
system , such as Ubuntu. This is from Elementary OS Luna, to be more
specific. It is noted that it is similar to that of Windows. To get
it you must search for System Preferences and then go to where
it says Display .
In this window you can activate and
deactivate each monitor. Move back and forth the one you want to be on the
left and the one on the right. You will be able to fix the resolution and
decide where the application launcher will be. If you need to detect
screens, then there is a button at the bottom that does it. To finish, you
must apply the changes and check that everything is working
correctly.
As you can see, connecting two monitors to
one PC is not complicated at all. Once you have the second monitor
installed, you'll notice how much easier it is now to have multiple
applications open at the same time.
Do not forget to comment and share it with
your acquaintances!
