Double your workspace with a dual monitor setup

By Jeremy Ashburn

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I want to suggest an idea to you that will drastically improve your computer experience, save countless hours of time, and make you much more efficient than you've ever been. What I'm about to suggest isn't a computer upgrade but rather an experience upgrade! An experience so amazing that it will open up your digital world in ways you never believed possible. It's not going to cost arm and a leg, only about $170. Here's my suggestion: Hook up a second monitor to your computer.

Sounds simple right? I'm sure you've seen these so called dual monitor setups in movies, at parties, or maybe a friend's house. Until recently, the idea of having two LCD's on the same computer was reserved for the ultimate uber-geeks who are totally obsessed with technology. It's true that two monitors hooked up to the same computer do look beautiful. However, most of us believe that they're too expensive and impractical for us everyday people. Why would anyone ever want to buy a second monitor anyway?

Let me tell you why. When you hook up monitors to the same computer suddenly a lot of interesting things start to happen. You find yourself spending a lot less time flipping through open files, programs, and emails. Now you spend less time hunting through your digital libraries for music, movies, and documents. You can do use multiple programs at once without confusion. Hooking up a second monitor not only doubles your screen real estate, it doubles your workspace and your effectiveness! You spend less time switching between windows hunting for things and more time on doing what you want to. I promise that if you buy yourself a second monitor you'll look back and ask yourself, "How did I ever get by with just one monitor?"

My Own Experience

I've always wanted to have a dual monitor setup. I knew that having two monitors would literally double what I do at the same time. I could surf Google News on one monitor and be watch Hulu on the other. I could stream internet radio on one LCD and type articles for my blog on the other. If only I had a second monitor!

This past January my dream of having dual monitors became a reality. In a strange twist of events I was actually given this second monitor for free! My kids broke the original monitor (it had a 4 year warranty), I reported the situation, and they shipped me a new one. The warranty company told me a throw away the original monitor; instead I figured out how to fix it! When I set up both monitors side-by-side I was totally amazed. Previously all my activity was confined to one monitor, now was I free to move my mouse across two 22" screens. I immediately began to enjoying computing more than I ever had. It was wonderful! 

Five Reasons to Have Two Monitors

At this point you might be wondering if having a dual monitors are worth it. Let me tell you they are! Here are just a few things that you could be doing with dual monitors:

1. Browse two websites at the same time. Browse Google News on one LCD while watching SportCenter on the other. Catch YouTube on the right and CNN on the left. You can leave windows open and browse where you left off without having to maximize windows.
2. Watch TV and movies while checking your email. Now that all the major networks have their own websites you can conveniently catch your favorite show on one monitor while browsing your email on the other. Got Netflix? You can now stream movies to that second monitor while working on the first.
3. Simplify your online shopping. Shopping online is now unbelievably easier! Comparative shopping is much easier without the drag of switching between windows. Now you can quickly get the big picture on a item and so you can make an intelligent purchase. If you're new to online shopping be sure you read these tips.
4. Use multiple programs easily. Now it's easier to keep track of several different programs within your dual world. Use Picasa to edit photos on one LCD while downloading photos from Flickr on the other. Zoom into Google Earth on while checking MapQuest. There is no limit to what you can do!
5. See one desktop while surfing on the other. When you aren't actively using the second monitor sit back and enjoy your desktop wallpaper without having to minimize your work. Very nice!

Which Size Should I Buy?

Make sure you buy a monitor with the same size and resolution as the one your currently own. I've found that it's much better to use a pair of two monitors that are the same exact size than different sized ones because of screen resolution (the space available on your desktop). LCD's of difference sizes have different resolutions. That means that things up looking bigger on one LCD and smaller on the second. No one wants to look at large icons on the right and smaller ones on the left. That's a huge bother. My pair of 22” monitors work well together because things look the same on each monitor. I can drag folders, files, and pictures from one LCD to the next without any size distortion. Now that's a thing of beauty! 

Hardware Requirements

In order to use two monitors you'll need a video card that comes with two video ports. Video cards these days come with either DVI or HDMI video ports. The DVI port is a larger rectangular shaped port; the HDMI port is the small rectangular port that almost looks like a USB port. Most video cards come with both of these ports on the same card. Take a quick look on the back of your laptop or desktop and see if yours does. If you've got a video card with only one video port or it has the older VGA ports you need to buy yourself a newer video card. Most dual port video cards cost around $40-$80 and can be bough at any store that sells computer electronics. This ATI Radeon card (pictured) is a great choice because it has dual DVI ports, great reviews, and is going for $79.99 at Best Buy.

When you plug a second monitor into your PC, Windows 7 should automatically detect each new monitor and provide you with multiple display options (pictured below). Make sure you select to Extend your displays. This spreads your desktop over both monitors and lets you drag items between the two screens. This is how most people use two monitors. You can also get there by right clicking from the desktop and selecting Screen Resolution.

On a Mac setting up dual monitors is even easier! Just plug in the second monitor and off you go. Everything will be automatically recognized and setup. You gotta love the simplicity of a Mac.

Recommendations

Are you ready to pull the trigger and buy a second monitor? Again, be sure you buy one the has the same times and resolution and resolution as the one you currently own. If you wanting to buy two LCD's I suggest starting at the 22" size because mine look great together. This 23" Hanns·G is priced $169 on Newegg (free shipping). It's got 88 reviews with a 4 egg overall rating. This much more popular 24.6" Hanns·G (325 reviews/4 egg rating) is priced $199 with free shipping. Prices jump to $359 and beyond if you're looking 27" LCD.

No doubt about it, having a dual monitor setup will revolutionize your computing experience. I highly recommend taking the plunge and buying a second LCD for your system. You won't regret it!

For more information on purchasing a computer, visit www.BuyaPC.org