On the one hand, businesses want their employees to be productive and efficient. On the other hand, employees want to balance work and life. Since the pandemic, remote work has become common and further blurred the boundaries between work and home.
Setting up an efficient workspace in your home is crucial to ensure you don’t spend more time than necessary at your workstation.
Adding a second screen to your setup, like the Duex Plus second monitor for laptops from Mobile Pixels, can help boost your performance. It will also ensure you can log off at five and chill on the couch with your favorite show and Chinese takeout.
Let’s explore the benefits of dual monitors and how to inculcate them into your everyday life.
The Benefits of a Second Monitor for Laptops
There are a number of reasons why you should consider buying a second screen.
Ease of Use
Dual monitors are very easy and simple to use. Most laptops and computers are built to support dual monitors and do not require extra hardware installation. You don’t have to run around town for a connector plug no one knows about.
It is also incredibly easy to use because humans are now wired to use screens. Anyone who can use a computer, laptop, or tablet can adapt to an extra screen. This is also because a dual screen mimics the split window function but in a bigger and better fashion.
You can also easily drag windows from one screen to another, as with tabs in a single monitor setup. In addition, applications will remember which monitor you use for each. So, once you’ve initiated a setup, the computer will automatically open the programs you need on each screen.
Organized Desktops
As a professional in any field, you likely have hundreds of files on your computer. And if you’re a little unorganized, navigating files can be a task in and of itself. But no more!
With dual monitors, you have double the desktop space. This extra space means you can move some of your files to the second screen and free up space on your primary desktop to give it some breathing room.
Organizing files, even if a little vaguely, is bound to help you become more productive as it reduces the time you spend looking for a file you swear you saw before in the sea of desktop files.
What Else Can I Do With a Second Monitor?
There’s a variety of possibilities open to you when you get a second monitor.
Video Communications
In today’s high-tech era, video-sharing applications like Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and Zoom allow screen sharing during a video call. This means that employees in a team can participate in online meetings while working together on their projects.
You can also use the second screen for referencing materials during your meetings. For example, you can pull up the notes you wrote or the data you collected.
Increased Collaboration
Building off the previous point, you can collaborate easily with your employees. You can meet with team members on the first screen while working on the other. The second monitor creates more real estate to collaborate with the rest of the organization.
Analyzing and Comparing Data
You can pull up critical information on one screen while you work on the second screen. This includes pie charts, tables, graphs, or other illustrations. You can compare files and projects, view instructional videos or tutorials and mimic the motions on the other screen. The world is your oasis.
Entertainment
If you enjoy downtime in the form of the virtual world, you’re in for a treat with a dual monitor setup. What’s better than one screen for viewing pleasure? Two!
Dual monitors will enhance your gaming experience – you can have multiple views of the arena or open up your collaborative space for chatting with friends. Additionally, if you’re into live streaming, you can chat with viewers while playing your game.
Cost Considerations
If you’re looking to use your laptop as your main computer, a second monitor could be of great value. Depending on what type of ports and display capabilities your laptop has, you may be able to get by by purchasing an inexpensive display or a monitor that’s already connected to your laptop through USB ports. However, if you want more flexibility and additional features such as adjustable brightness or higher resolution displays, then it might be worth spending more for something like a dedicated external monitor.
Cost isn’t the only factor to consider though; durability and portability are also important when deciding whether a second monitor is right for you. External monitors can vary greatly in terms of build quality and longevity so if portability is important to you, it’s worth investing in a smaller and more durable option so that you can easily move it between locations without worrying about damaging it.
Overall, there are several factors that need to be taken into account when deciding whether or not a second monitor is worth the money; including budget considerations as well as portability and durability concerns. Ultimately, these factors must be weighed against how regularly you will use the external display in order to determine if the cost is worth the benefit for your particular needs.
Compatibility Issues
Not every laptop can be used with a second display. Some may require additional equipment, such as video cards and adapters, while others might not have the necessary display ports at all. If your machine isn’t compatible with an extra monitor, you may be able to purchase all of the required components separately – but this can get expensive and still may not guarantee that the second monitor will work with your particular hardware configuration.
Before investing in a second monitor for your laptop, you should investigate what type of ports your computer has and research which ones are suitable for connecting an external screen. You should also compare different accessories (such as adapters and cables) in order to ensure that whatever monitor you choose is compatible with your laptop’s hardware.
Conclusion
A second monitor for laptops is a worthwhile investment because it increases productivity by enhancing your workflow. Communication is seamless; you can do your job better without compromising your health and strike a good balance between work and leisure.
