How to Setup Dual Monitors? [A Beginner-Friendly Guide]

Work can get overwhelming. 

You get notifications from five different apps. You have to write an email while reading a document while participating in an online meeting. 

You wish you had two heads, four brains, and at least nine eyes to be able to cope with the workload. 

Even though such improvements are impossible, you can always start by setting up dual monitors.

Yes, I know it sounds a bit underwhelming after the four brains idea!

But, anyway, let’s see how to setup dual monitors and make your life easier.

What do I Need to Start?

Before all else, make sure your video card supports a dual-screen setup. You can get this information from your card manufacturer’s website.

Best Monitors for a Dual Screen Setup

Now, what should your second monitor be? 

It's preferable to be the same model as your original screen, as there will be no difference in resolution, refresh rate, and color depth. There’s no technical issue with connecting different screen models, but it could cause some irritation.

Among the best monitors for dual monitor setup are “Dell S2722QC”,  “AMD X= XG24IPS”, and “Gigabyte M27Q,” all of which offer HD resolution, high image quality, and low input lag. 

Connectivity

You’ll also need appropriate cables. Don’t worry if your computer supports one interface and your screen another. You can buy adapters such as HDMI to VGA at a relatively low price.

You can set up dual monitors with an HDMI splitter, but it comes with setbacks. Adapters allow for the extension of one screen to another. The splitter will only duplicate the main screen to the second one.

How to Setup Dual Monitors?

Getting dual monitors on Windows is easy. Here are a couple of methods for achieving the task.

Dual Monitors on Windows 7/10/11

Method 1:

• On your keyboard, find and hold the “Windows” button.
• Tap the “P” key to scroll through the screen options.

Method 2:

• Right-click on your desktop.
• From the drop-down menu, choose “Screen Resolution”.
• If additional monitors are connected, there should be a “Multiple Displays” category among the drop-down menus.
• Left-Click on the menu and choose the desired option.

On MAC

To use dual monitors on MAC, first, make sure your device supports the feature. You can find a list of all Apple products and their technical specifications on Apple’s support page.

Now:

• Go to “System Preferences”.
• Choose “Displays”.
• Open the “Arrangement” tab.
• If you wish to extend the monitors, uncheck “Mirror Displays”.
• Click and drag the monitors to arrange them in the preferred order.

On Linux (Ubuntu distro)

To get a multi-monitor setup working on Ubuntu, follow these steps:

• Open the Activities overview.
• Type “Displays” and click to open the panel.
• In the display arrangement diagram, drag the screens in your preferred order.
• Click “Primary Display” to choose your primary screen.
• Adjust any additional technical options you need.
• Click “Apply”, then “Keep Changes,” and you are all set.

What are the Benefits of Using Dual Monitors?

A good dual monitor setup can be a great quality of life improvement.

But how great exactly, and where is it applicable?

Academia

A study performed by the University of Utah reveals that dual monitors outperform single-monitor setups. Participants using a two-monitor setup scored higher in all categories. These include “Task Completion,” “Ease of Learning,” “Task Tracking,” and “Problem Tracking,” among others.

Streaming

Being a successful streamer is no easy job. Having a multi-monitor setup helps you keep an eye on the chat, make quick references, and manage your streaming software without crowding your screen. It also lets you keep personal communication or input sensitive data without fear of compromising your privacy.

Office Work

Dual screens are of great help, regardless of whether you’re in tech support, accounting, HR management, or any other type of white-collar job. They help you concentrate on your work while still keeping an eye on other important things. Communication, documents, lists of employees or clients – all of these could have their own designated screen, making them available at a glance.

Gaming

Having two monitors for gaming can be quite useful. You can designate one screen to the game while browsing the internet or playing music on the other. Nobody likes losing an online game just because they minimized the screen for a few seconds.

Some games are also a feast for the eyes. In such cases, more monitors equal more stunning graphics to be admired.

Wrap Up

Even though it requires some investment and technical knowledge, getting a good dual monitor setup can be of great use. It improves your work output in addition to learning, streaming, and gaming experiences. 

Don’t hesitate to give it a try. It might just end up being your thing.