Dual Monitors

[bigmck]

I have been going through the thread "Show Us Your Rig". There are quite a few rigs with dual monitors. What is the purpose of that? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[ionbasa]

Extended desktop space.
and alot of people who play games will use three monitors with Nvidia surround or AMD eyefinity.

 

[Kari]

I quite often have a different OS running on secondary screen in a virtual machine, for multiple purposes, as told for instance here.

 

[WartHog]

Good question. When I first heard about dual monitors I had the exact reaction you did. I was like, "That's strange and seems really silly!" But ever since I got mine set up I love it. It is like having 2 different computers going. I can work on a website and a spreadsheet @ the same time. I can have multiple browsers open and still have room for other things. It also helps when you want to compare different things like on newegg or ebay, etc... If you ever get a chance to run duals you will love it.

 

[bigmck]

Good question. When I first heard about dual monitors I had the exact reaction you did. I was like, "That's strange and seems really silly!" But ever since I got mine set up I love it. It is like having 2 different computers going. I can work on a website and a spreadsheet @ the same time. I can have multiple browsers open and still have room for other things. It also helps when you want to compare different things like on newegg or ebay, etc... If you ever get a chance to run duals you will love it.

That makes a lot of sense. I do the compare also but just use two tabs of Internet Explorer. == When you have two monitors, does your one mouse go on both screens?

 

[ionbasa]

That makes a lot of sense. I do the compare also but just use two tabs of Internet Explorer. == When you have two monitors, does your one mouse go on both screens?

yes, in essence what happens is that your "desktop" gets extended, so you can move the mouse from 1 monitor to the second monitor, so only one mouse.
think of it like this, with one monitor you have 1920*1080 resolution, add a second in extended mode and the resolution would be 1920*2160 because it extends to the second monitor.

 

[DocBrown]

Good question. When I first heard about dual monitors I had the exact reaction you did. I was like, "That's strange and seems really silly!" But ever since I got mine set up I love it. It is like having 2 different computers going. I can work on a website and a spreadsheet @ the same time. I can have multiple browsers open and still have room for other things. It also helps when you want to compare different things like on newegg or ebay, etc... If you ever get a chance to run duals you will love it.

That makes a lot of sense. I do the compare also but just use two tabs of Internet Explorer. == When you have two monitors, does your one mouse go on both screens?

My mouse gets stuck inbetween switching screens

 

[WartHog]

Rofl!!!

 

[jfar]

Having Two is always better than having one. Especially if the second one is bigger than the first.

 

[pparks1]

I use dual monitors at work and have for years and would be lost without the second monitor. For home use, I'm fine with just a single monitor. In fact, most of the time, I am using my laptop which obviously only has 1 screen.

 

[rap33042]

If your run a web site, it's a snap to code on one screen and see your results on another- no switching windows
If you write software, you can edit your code on one screen and see the results on the other- no switching windows
If you like to have lots of applications running at once, perfect! no switching windows
I often run 3 browsers at a time for editing purposes- I can see them all! no switching windows.
A good reason to have multiple monitors? no switching windows!
It improves productivity because you don't have to do all that extra clicking to see what you want to see.

I've had a dual-monitor set-up for over a year and I'd never go back. If I sit in front of a single 19" screen now, I get claustrophobic.

I used to have some virtual desktops set up but that's kind of clunky- I still had to do a lot of clicking to see what I wanted.
2 or 3 monitors is the way to go...

Maybe this will give you some ideas?

We are content with our duality.

 

[bigmck]

Having Two is always better than having one. Especially if the second one is bigger than the first.

That is an outstanding clip. Lee Van Cleef was a great actor. It seemed he was in every western they made.

 

[computertech19]

I have dual displays and can't think to ever use just one again. I have my main screen as my laptop and my HDTV as my extended display. Like right now I'm on SevenForums and watching Hulu on my extended display.

 

[Zepher]

i've been using dual screens for 9+ years and then went to triple screens less than a year ago.
I like it since I don't have to minimize as much, just move windows where I want them.

 

[profdlp]

Just bought my third monitor today. Now I'm running two 25-inchers and a puny little 23-incher to go along with them.

Indispensable for school, especially research papers. Nothing like having your word processor program and a website open on one, with other documents and websites open on the others. The third monitor will get my calendar and TV app on it.

Think about how you work on a "real" desktop. You'd never have your notebook out, then put it away while you looked at your textbook, then close that to check out the books you brought home to study. Nope, you'd spread them all out so you could see them all at the same time. That's basically what you're doing with multiple monitors.

 

[thefabe]

I like to have 1 screen with the scanned hand written estimate on it and it's easier to transfer the information to the companies estimate form on the other.
Since my brother does all kind of changes in the boarders and scratches out a lot of things it's much easier to see everything at once.
He's also the master of up and down arrows this should have gone there this here ect.
It's just easier on the neck to be looking at then both at the same time. I'd actually like another to watch tv on or video's as well.
Fabe

 

[dobhar]

I, too, use dual monitors (23" and a 22") at home and at work for all the reasons above. I tend to have lots of windows open for various reasons. At home I also use Display Fusion Pro (Paid) which allows me to have another Taskbar on my 2nd Monitor. At work I could use a 3rd like what Zepher is using.

 

[Solarstarshines]

for me i use dual monitors but not in fashion to play games on both i ussually use one at a time depending on what im doing

If im streaming hd vids from a site im going to throw them on the bigger screen better resolution sometimes i do this with my games too

but most of the time i use a smaller monitor for my wife and daughter watches tv while i can game in peace with headphones

 

[A Guy]

For work, 2 monitors is a must for me, once you try it, you'll never want to do without. For my free time, it's just nice to have on occasion. Some like to watch a video full screen on one, and surf, etc. on another.

yes, in essence what happens is that your "desktop" gets extended, so you can move the mouse from 1 monitor to the second monitor, so only one mouse.
think of it like this, with one monitor you have 1920*1080 resolution, add a second in extended mode and the resolution would be 1920*2160 because it extends to the second monitor.

Actually, you'll have a 3840 x 1080 resolution Unless you are "stacking" screens

A Guy

 

[ionbasa]

For work, 2 monitors is a must for me, once you try it, you'll never want to do without. For my free time, it's just nice to have on occasion. Some like to watch a video full screen on one, and surf, etc. on another.

yes, in essence what happens is that your "desktop" gets extended, so you can move the mouse from 1 monitor to the second monitor, so only one mouse.
think of it like this, with one monitor you have 1920*1080 resolution, add a second in extended mode and the resolution would be 1920*2160 because it extends to the second monitor.

Actually, you'll have a 3840 x 1080 resolution Unless you are "stacking" screens

A Guy

ouch didn't see that, thanks for the correction.