If your monitor’s not giving you a broad enough view, simply expand it. A second display can be a big boon, with higher resolution and better image quality. In some cases it’s even possible to add a third display to the computer. The extra monitor typically improves your working comfort.
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The second display enlarges the virtual workspace for the PC or laptop, says Robert Kraft from computer portal chip.de. Multitasking suddenly becomes much easier: your can play back your vacation film on the second monitor while editing it on the first — without the annoying minimizing and maximizing of windows. The same applies to office tasks: you can keep a program like your email client permanently open on the second screen.
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A study by Microsoft a few years ago showed that two monitors provides a more effective way to work. The boost comes through the so-called widescreen effect: the larger, multi-section image area simplifies working on the computer and increases productivity by ten per cent on average. The study found that once you use a second monitor, you’ll never go back.
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Another reason for picking up a second monitor is to achieve higher resolutions. That’s particularly the case for laptops, Robert Kraft observes. Monitors of 22 inches in size, with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels or greater, are suitable for playing back HD films.
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The cable for connecting display and computer usually comes delivered with the monitor. Additional hardware is only needed if the computer lacks a digital DVI, HDMI, or display port and the monitor does have one. The lowest common denominator is almost always the analog VGA port, which typically delivers worse image quality than a DVI port.
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If the cable doesn’t have the right plug, then you’ll need an adapter to convert a DVI or VGA signal, Kraft explains. The…