Of course, a laptop already has a built-in screen, if you still have an external screen, you could connect it. With a second screen, you can work or play a lot better at home. That's how you work.
Connection options
Almost every laptop that rolls off the production line nowadays has a connection to hang a beamer or a screen. For older Macbooks you need an adapter cable as standard, just like for older laptops that almost always have a VGA, DVI, DisplayPort or HDMI connection. Because many laptops have less space for connections, the laptops have a mini displayport or mini HDMI connection. These also work the same.
So there are a lot of connections to connect a second screen to your laptop (or PC of course). However, one is still missing: usb-c. It is ironic, yet another connection with the aim of simplifying the gate chaos. However, the universal connection is also suitable for charging your laptop, transferring data, connecting your smartphone and more. In addition, all modern laptops, including Macbooks, have USB-C.
Connecting the display
So what you need to connect an external screen to your laptop: a VGA cable or an HDMI cable, your laptop and of course the external display with an HDMI or VGA port.
Via HDMI, Displayport or USB-C: The great thing about connecting a modern laptop via HDMI is that the devices immediately 'talk' to each other, without you really having to do much for it. If you connect your laptop to your external monitor via HDMI, Windows will automatically duplicate your laptop screen on the external monitor. You can still adjust that setting, more about that later.
Via vga or dvi:If you connect the laptop via a VGA cable, it usually runs smoothly. It depends on how old your laptop is and what operating system it runs on. If you have Windows XP or Vista, you have to adjust something via the settings, if you have Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 10 running, your screen will duplicate almost immediately after connecting.
In this article we give 8 tips for working with two screens.
Settings and Applications
When you connect a display to your laptop, every new display is automatically recognized by Windows. There are several options that you can choose from, and it is definitely advisable to see what works best for you!
- Extend Displays
This spreads the desktop across both screens and allows you to drag items back and forth between both screens.
- Duplicate displays
Displays the same desktop on both monitors. For a laptop, this is the default setting. The option is useful if you give a presentation with your laptop connected to a projector or large screen.
- Show desktop on one display
This option is usually used on a laptop if you want to keep the laptop screen blank after connecting a large display.
Do you want more tips for working from home as optimally as possible? Read all about working from home here.
