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Dual monitor set up powered by a laptop?

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Fifteen15
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PostPosted: 21:41 - 14 May 2016    Post subject: Dual monitor set up powered by a laptop? Reply with quote

I am just using a laptop and have done for the last year or so. As I work online, and my university workload is increasing, I'm planning on replacing my laptop with a proper mouse, a full-sized keyboard, and dual monitors.

Could I get away with just hooking up my laptop to the dual monitors? Or would I need to buy a desktop PC as well? I don't do any gaming, the most I have open is a YouTube video, 10 tabs and a Skype video call.

Just thought if I could get away with using my laptop instead of buying a desktop PC, I'd save £200 odd Very Happy
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dydey90
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PostPosted: 21:50 - 14 May 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, I'd have thought most modern laptops would be easily capable of this. At the very least you can use a single monitor and set it to use that and the onboard screen.

Top tip: ctrl + alt + arrow key to flick a program from one screen to the other.
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Fifteen15
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PostPosted: 22:28 - 14 May 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

dydey90 wrote:
Yes, I'd have thought most modern laptops would be easily capable of this. At the very least you can use a single monitor and set it to use that and the onboard screen.

Top tip: ctrl + alt + arrow key to flick a program from one screen to the other.


Should I expect any lag? My laptop is pretty basic, but like I say I won't be gaming - most of what I do stays inside the browser.

My laptop specs (if it even matters) are:

1080p screen
AMD A10 5750M - 2.5 GHz
8GB RAM
120 GB SSD
AMD Radeon HD 8650/8750M Dual GPU Graphics Memory 2 GB
Windows 10
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J.M.
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PostPosted: 23:32 - 14 May 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

Would be fine for general use.

This is exactly what I'm going to be doing when I move next. Two screens, then hide laptop neatly on the desk. No point buying a new computer when I have a perfectly good laptop - I'm just after the screen space.
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CaNsA
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PostPosted: 23:41 - 14 May 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

Make and model of laptop?
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DRZ4Hunned
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PostPosted: 00:00 - 15 May 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's my work set up. Although I've got a laptop dock which has two ports (VGA and DVI?) which I use, not sure if you can do it without.
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Polarbear
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PostPosted: 00:44 - 15 May 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I was in my office in London we had a docking station for our laptops each with two screens. No one had desktops.

The laptops were pretty archaic as well so unless the docking stations had specialist hardware I can't see a problem with what you want.
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Jayy
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PostPosted: 01:00 - 15 May 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

Unless you have the correct ports on the laptop to run two monitors, you can look at pluggables. You can run monitors via USB, as many as you want as you buy the adapter and they all hook in. Friend of mine did it who only had HDMI out and nothing else, worked a treat for what he used it for, which is the same as you've mentioned.
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Fifteen15
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PostPosted: 06:26 - 15 May 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

CaNsA wrote:
Make and model of laptop?


HP Envy 15-J151sa
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CaNsA
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PostPosted: 11:32 - 15 May 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

You can use an ext monitor via the HDMI port Thumbs Up

If you want all the monitors, then you will need to use something like this.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ClimaxDigital-supports-Videocard-converter-Mavericks/dp/B004E7B8D8/ref=pd_cp_147_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=NBA4K1P339ZVNTAB5W9R
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The Shaggy D.A.
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PostPosted: 14:09 - 15 May 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

I use my iPad as a second monitor when the need arises.

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/twomonusb-usb-monitor-dual/id796922580?mt=8
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PostPosted: 16:04 - 15 May 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pick up a Matrox Dual head / Triplehead2Go on Ebay for not a lot of coin Smile
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