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With many hours spent behind a computer every day, more and more people are discovering the benefits of multi-monitor setups. They don’t strain the eyes, the workflow is better, you can choose whichever screen size you want and let’s face it – some of us actually feel like we’re on a Star Trek Enterprise deck and about to go into hyperloop.
But, how many monitors can a laptop support?
For the most part, laptops nowadays can easily support dual monitor setup and, with a few tweaks, even 3 to 4 external monitors.
Want to know the exact number and how to do it? Read on.
Table of Contents
How Do I Know if My Laptop Can Support Multiple Monitors?
The capacity to support external monitors depends on a few things.
Check the Ports
The most obvious sign your laptop can support two monitors or more is the ports it comes with. You want to look for some of these:
- HDMI port
- VGA
- DVI
- USB-C with display capabilities
Some laptops don’t support dual monitor setup – for example, MacBook M1 can connect only to one external monitor.
Operating System Settings
You can also check the laptop’s multiple display options by right-clicking the Start Menu and going to Settings.
Once there, find the System and go to Display.
You may have to scroll down a bit to find the Multiple Display options, but if they’re there – yep, your laptop can work with 2 or more external monitors.
For MacBooks, you want to go to About this Mac>System>Specifications, under which you’ll see how many monitors the laptop supports.
Processor Capabilities
Plugging in a second monitor will take its toll on the processing power. However, most CPUs are perfectly capable of handling two monitors.
The load is not that significant for 1080p or 1440p resolution, but if you plug in two 4K monitors – say, for 4K video editing – you will need a powerful processor to handle them.
Graphics Card Matters
Most graphics cards support dual monitors. This is definitely the case with integrated cards, whereas dedicated graphics cards will support three or more monitors.
The easiest way to check how many monitors your graphics card supports is by looking for the video ports (HDMI, USB-C, DVI, VGA) on the back.
Which Graphics Cards Are Recommended?
Ideally, you’d go for dedicated graphics cards. Depending on what you’re putting on external monitors and the number of monitors, these could range from NVIDIA RTX 20-series for general tasks and productivity, and all the way up to RTX 40 series for professional gaming.
If those are above your budget, the integrated Intel Iris Xe is still a good choice for multiple monitor setups and general productivity.
Types of Multi-Monitor Setups for Laptops
So, how many monitors on your laptop do you want? Let’s check the usual scenarios.
Dual-Monitor Setups
A dual-monitor setup in an extended desktop mode. Source: Pexels
In a dual-monitor setup, two external monitors are attached to the same laptop. For this, you’ll need two monitor ports – either two HDMI or an HDMI and a display port.
Typically, people use “extended desktop mode” with this setup, in which the screens are connected seamlessly and project one desktop.
You can connect the monitor either directly to two ports, use an HDMI splitter, or connect the monitor to each other (the so-called daisy-chaining).
Triple-Monitor Setups
Triple-monitor setup is often used in gaming. Source: Pexels
Triple-monitor setup means that 3 monitors are attached to the same laptop via ports connected to the GPU (HDMI, DVI, or display port).
Some people like to have three monitors arranged horizontally, while others connect the two vertically and add one more to the side.
Similarly to a dual monitor setup, connecting all three monitor means using ports, a docking station, an HDMI splitter, or daisy chain.
Beyond Three Monitors
A four-monitor setup is great for analytics and a clear overview. Source: Freepik
If you want to go beyond three monitors, you’ll need a powerful GPU and probably a docking station. The first step is to check if your graphics card supports such setup – if not, you’ll need to get a new one. Then make sure you have enough space and power supply for four monitors.
Connecting four or more monitors might require a little more creativity. The easiest way is to daisy-chain the monitors and use one port on the laptop, but you can also plug them in a docking station.
How Does a Video Card Help with Multiple Monitor Setup?
The video card, i.e. the graphics card, is essential for running multiple monitors. Depending on the number of ports and the card’s capabilities, you will know how many monitors you can connect to a laptop.
In case the number of monitors you want exceeds the card’s capabilities, the GPU won’t be able to render images on screen and you’ll need a new, more capable card.
How to Setup Two to Three Monitors on a Laptop
Once you’ve figured out whether your laptop can support multiple monitors, and plugged in the cables, you can set the monitors up.
Adjusting Display Settings
For Windows:
- Open Settings>System>Display.
- Click Extend this display.
- Rearrange the monitors to reflect the setup you have.
- Check Make this my main display.
Windows automatically scales the text and apps. However, if you’re not happy with the automatic settings, you can set your own in the Scale menu.
You can also change the resolution in the Display Resolution menu.
Click Keep changes.
For MacOS:
- Click Apple>System Preferences>Display.
- Open the Arrangement tab, where you will see two monitors and a white bar across the top. Drag the bar to the monitor you want to be primary.
- Click on a monitor and then click Display to adjust display settings.
- Close the dialog box to accept the changes.
Potential Issues and Troubleshooting
Most common issues with multiple monitor setups include:
- Wrong or different resolutions
- Second monitor not displaying
- Displaying on the wrong monitor
- Duplicate or extended images
- One monitor goes on and off
For most of these, the root cause is faulty video cables, incorrect settings either on a monitor or within the system, and outdated video drivers. To solve these, you can:
- Check the cables
- Change the settings
- Update video drivers.
Using Docking Stations
If you don’t have enough ports on the laptop, you can always opt for a docking station. It’s an easy and efficient way to connect multiple monitors and other peripherals.
Alternatively, you can daisy-chain several monitors to a laptop by connecting them to each other and then to the device.
What Is a Docking Station?
A docking station is a hub that connects laptops to multiple peripherals. Typically, it will have an HDMI port, USB, Display Port, Thunderbolt, and Ethernet.
Can Your Laptop Connect to a Monitor Without an External Device?
Most laptops these days come with at least one HDMI port, so it is possible to connect an external monitor without an external device.
If you want to connect two monitors but only have one HDMI port, however, you will need to use an HDMI splitter.
Will Multiple Monitors Affect My Laptop Performance?
For regular tasks and general productivity, the answer is – no, multiple monitors aren’t likely to affect the laptop’s performance.
However, with gaming laptops, there have been some issues to keep in check:
- FPS can drop
- Heat generation
- Differences in refresh rates and resolution
- Increased load on GPU.
Conclusion
A laptop’s ability to support multiple monitors depends on the GPU and the number of ports. Most laptops today can support at least one external monitor, or two.
A multi-monitor setup can help with work, productivity and gaming. Plus, it’s a fun way to enhance your productivity.
If you’d like to know more about laptops, check out our comprehensive laptop buying guide.
