Facts about dual monitor setups

Have you ever thought of expanding your workspace? Well, then get a second monitor today. If you love to get more done in less time get two monitors for your computer. It will save time and energy and increase productivity. The best part is it’s affordable and very easy to set up too.

Word of advice, you may want to look into this before purchasing a new computer.

What are the benefits of using two monitors

Here are some benefits of using dual monitors:

·          There will be no dragging windows from one screen to the other!

·          You can multitask like never before!

·          More real estate to work with (which means more space on your desktop).

My experience with dual monitors

Here are some advantages that I find useful when I used my extra monitor:

1) Having multiple applications opened at the same time makes me feel like I’m operating a computer that has more RAM. It’s like having two computers in one without paying too much for it!

2) My extra monitor makes me feel like I’m working on a larger screen, thus creating the illusion of increased productivity.

3) Using dual monitors is really useful for infographic designers out there because you can look at an image and an article side-by-side while you’re writing about it!

4) If your work or entertainment involves getting several windows open then it will be easier to find what you need with just a flick of one single scrolling mouse which will save time and energy. You can watch this YouTube video to better understand what we’re talking about.

5) Working with multiple windows is much easier when you have a second monitor, just like in the above example where you can compare different articles at once or look up references while still keeping your eye on the main task.

6) When shopping online you’ll be able to keep one web browser open for your “shopping” window and another open to read reviews and do research without having to switch between browsers every time! But make sure that whatever operating system you use supports working with two monitors because if not then it probably won’t work very well at all. And finally…

7) Here’s a big secret: both Apple and Microsoft actually suggest that their employees use dual monitors. Doesn’t that make you want to set up a dual monitor system now? It sure does for me!

8) When studying or reading it is very important that you focus on your studies and not be distracted by other things such as the internet or social media. A second monitor acts as a “focus lock” of sorts and all of your attention will be on one screen which will enhance productivity .

9) If you’re working with photography, design, art, graphic design, etc. then having 2 monitors can increase your workflow and help you produce more in less time. You also won’t have to keep scrolling back and forth between documents so everything stays organized. Plus…

10) If programming is what you do for a living (or even if you just do it for fun), then having dual monitors can definitely boost your productivity and speed up the process. People who code in multiple languages like to dedicate one monitor to their IDE (integrated development environment) and the other to things like documentation, reference materials, or a web browser with search engine results open.

11) Having dual screens allows you work with 2 documents side-by-side which enables you to copy and paste between two windows at once without having to toggle through tabs or flipping back and forth between pages. This is especially great when writing reports such as reading it is very important that you focus on your studies and not be distracted by other things such as the internet or social media. A second monitor acts as a “focus lock” because it allows you to block other things out and increase productivity.

12) When working on a project, having multiple screens helps you keep all the information that is relevant to your work in one place and organized.

I personally use MobilePixels DUEX Plus Portable Monitor and have reviewed it here.

Common problems people have when setting up their dual screens

Some common problems people encounter when setting up their dual screens are that they tend to go for two monitors which are almost identical in size and resolution because it is easier. However, this results in stretching the image out on one of your screens or having black bars on either side. If you get a monitor which has a native resolution that isn’t supported by your other screen, you can experience problems with both screens not being calibrated properly.

In addition to this, below I have mentioned some tips and tricks to help users get past these common problems:

Do not buy two differently sized/shaped monitors

Most people do this because they know how big the bezels usually are around a monitor so by knowing its widest dimension, they can easily find a screen that matches it. This isn’t a good idea because you might not want a square monitor.

Use a non-proprietary video card

You probably have an nVidia or AMD graphics card in your computer, so why would you use the integrated Intel graphics card to power your screen? A lot of people do this and it is terrible for performance.

Calibrate Your Monitor Seperately

Most screens will set themselves to match up with another screen which uses the “default” colour space (sRGB) which means that they are going to be less bright and vivid than they can be if calibrated on their own first. If you calibrate both screens together then you’re going to find that one is always brighter and more vivid than the other and it will look weird.

Position Your Monitors in a Symmetrical Pattern

It may sound like this is just for aesthetics, but when you use multiple monitors then the way that they are positioned makes a huge difference to your working experience. Use one monitor as your primary screen and position this in the middle. Use the second monitor on either side of this primary monitor – if you find yourself reaching for shortcuts or buttons at the side of the screen then make sure that these are placed on either side of both screens so that it’s symmetrical and comfortable.

Ensure That Screens Are Centred and Level With Each Other

If you set up your screens like we suggested above (with one monitor in the middle and the second on either side of this) then centring is easy. If you set up your screens in landscape orientation (horizontal) then line up the top with your eyes level to where you want to place them – use a spirit level if need be.

Use Only One Keyboard and Mouse Between Both Screens

Using one keyboard and mouse between both screens will make using multiple monitors much easier. Connect these to your primary monitor, but extend or duplicate their input onto your secondary screen too (if you can). You’ll find that it’s much more efficient to control everything from one location with only one peripheral device.

Position Your Monitors Far Enough Apart So That You Aren’t Constantly Reaching Over One to Use the Other

Depending on your desk and keyboard, this can be anywhere from a couple of inches to a foot or more. Find where it feels most comfortable for you – the closer they are the less you’ll be able to spread out.

Make Full Use Of Your Desktop Space To Maximize Productivity

With two monitors at your disposal, take advantage by setting up programs in multiple locations and opening up applications side by side. This will allow you to make use of both screens when working; for example, your plan file (A) open in one monitor and design (B) in another. When you need to make reference, simply turn towards your secondary screen rather than minimising everything and loading it back again.

How do I set up my new monitor

When installing a second monitor there are several things to consider beforehand: Do cables run across the floor? they create trip hazards especially if placed near a commonly used walkway. Do cables create a trip hazard? they can be removed from sight by running them behind the monitor stand or through the wall if available. Will my desk support two monitors?

Getting started with your second monitor, you’ll want to plug in both monitors before installing any drivers. This will allow Windows to detect and configure the monitor so that it is accessible from within Windows before completing driver installation. If you created a dual-display desktop on one computer and then moved it to another computer with different hardware (such as using a docking station), Windows may not automatically detect the correct resolution and refresh rate for each screen; you should reboot into safe mode (by holding down F8 while rebooting) and then restarting the install process.

You should select the “custom” display setup during installation which will allow you to configure your monitors with specific settings rather than accepting Windows defaults. I go into more detail about dual monitor resolutions and refresh rates in another post, but most gaming-oriented or productivity-oriented monitors (as opposed to office/web browsing oriented) are capable of working at 2560×1440 resolution, 60Hz. If you’re unsure of what settings are supported by your monitor you can usually find it on the product page for that monitor, although very old models may only support a subset of these options.

Before getting too deep into customizing your settings, be sure that your primary display is set to one of the main resolutions that your video card is capable of. Make the selection in your display settings and then restart your computer to ensure that it applies.

After doing so, you can configure each monitor to either be enabled or disabled (meaning on or off) if you wish them to be able to turn on and off at will. That’s usually not always necessary, but some people prefer it for different reasons than others do.

Also, don’t forget about the ‘extend these displays’ setting: Each time you click one of the boxes with a checkmark inside of them under ‘displays’ in the display configuration menu, while that box is checked it will extend into that area of screen space. If you have multiple monitors this means they’ll all overlap their spaces a little bit. If you only have one, it’ll simply make your desktop look like a mirror of itself. So keep in mind this can be quite useful for those looking to set up a second monitor.

It might not always turn out perfectly the first time you try it if you’re still an amateur at using dual screens. So don’t worry too much about that if need be. There are many things that can go wrong – but rest assured – just remember – all these problems are avoidable and you’ll likely never have one again once you’ve figured them out. And especially if you read through the following tips and tricks properly before trying anything at all yourself!

Preparation is key

What you will definitely want to do before setting up two monitors is to make absolutely sure that the monitors you will be using are actually compatible with each other. You wouldn’t want to find out after all the trouble of setting up your new dual monitor set-up, only to realize that one of the screens is broken because it wasn’t compatible with the other.

To prevent this from happening, always read carefully through both sets instruction manuals before switching them on for the first time and proceeding with attachment or plugging in hardware components where necessary during installation. Then go ahead and test them out together while they’re switched off just to check everything works fine by itself.

If everything seems alright then proceed with powering things up and checking once again that all hardware components are ready use before proceeding over to next stage of installation.

If this is the case, feel free to go ahead and turn off your monitors before switching them back on again only when you’re completely done installing all hardware components.

If you wish to have a stress free dual monitor setup, you’ll be pleased to know that we do computer setups for homes in Melbourne. We can also procure IT hardware and software if that makes life easier for you.