What if I could suggest an idea to you that would vastly improve your computing experience, save you hours of wasted time, and make you more efficient that you’ve ever been? What I’m about to suggest isn’t a computer upgrade, it’s an experience upgrade! It’s an experience so amazing that it will open up your world in ways you never believed possible. No, it’s going to cost you an 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 only reserved for the ultimate uber-geeks totally obsessed with technology. There’s no doubt that two monitors hooked up to the same computer look beautiful. However, most people still believe they’re just too expensive and impractical. Why would anyone ever want to buy a second monitor?

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. You spend less time hunting through your digital libraries for music, movies, and documents. Hooking up a second monitor not only doubles your screen real estate, it doubles your workspace and your effectiveness! Now your spending less time switching between windows looking for things and more time doing what you to. I submit to you 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 double what I could do at the same time. I could surf Google News on one monitor and be watching 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 setup both monitors side by 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. Suddenly I was enjoying the computing experience much more than I ever had. It was wonderful!

5 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 some of the things that you could be doing with two monitors:

• Browse Two Websites at the Same Time. Check out 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. Nice!
• Watch TV and Movies while Browsing 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.
• 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.
• 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!
• See the Desktop while Surfing on the Next. 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 with two video ports. Video cards these days come with either DVI or HDMI ports. DVI ports are larger and rectangular shaped; HDMI ports are smaller and almost look like a USB port.  Most video cards come with both of these ports on the same card. Look at the  back of your laptop or desktop and see what kind of video card you have (where the monitor plugs in). 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 bought at any electronic retailer. This ATI Radeon card 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 our desktop, Windows 7 should automatically detect each new monitor and provide you with multiple display options. 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 clicking 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. Gotta love the simplicity of a Mac.

Recommendations
Ready to pull the trigger with a second monitor? Be sure you buy one that has the same size and resolution as the one you currently own. If you’re wanting to buy two LCD’s I suggest starting at the 22” size because I how mine look together. This 23” Hanns·G is priced $169 on Newegg (free shipping). It’s got 88 reviews with a 4 egg rating. The 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!

- Jeremy Ashburn

Similar Posts:

• This HP Notebook Produces Vivid Blue Ray Movies
• Cutting Back on Cable & Satellite TV
• The eMachines EL1352-03 is A Great Basic Desktop
• Four Recertified Desktops Under $339
• Apple’s 27-inch iMac is All-In-One Perfection

Related posts: