Expand your productivity and workspace by adding an external monitor to your laptop with one of the best monitors for home working.
Some companies provide laptop computers to employees because they are smaller and portable. As more people work from home though, many are using their work laptops at home or even their own personal laptop. Either way, they have started noticing the limitations of working all day on a small screen (most range in size from 13 to 15 inches). The ergonomics of bending over and looking at a laptop all day can lead to neck and back problems while laptop users also lose screen real estate compared to desktop users. There’s good news: most modern laptops are capable of connecting to an external monitor. An external monitor connected to your laptop will improve both your ergonomics and your productivity. Thanks to its larger screen size you will see better and thanks to its stand or monitor arm if you add one, desktop monitors are not only easier on the eyes but additionally help you maintain a healthy posture while working. You can choose your external monitor to be your laptop’s only display or make it a dual display configuration. When you plug an external monitor to your laptop, it functions in mirror mode, displaying the same image on both screens. With a larger screen and a higher resolution though, you can view more information at once. However, the way you can be most productive is by using two screens simultaneously by extending your desktop to two displays. This lets you run two full-screen apps at the same time. In this way, the second external screen will let you organize your program windows and work more smoothly. No matter whether you have a single application running expanded to fill the two screens or two full screen applications (one on each display), the productivity gains are significant: you won’t have to scroll to find information and you won’t have to switch between applications. The use of two monitors is also ideal if you want to edit a document in a word processor or spreadsheet while looking up information in another app, such as a web browser, email client or PDF reader. When using this dual-screen scenario you should keep the monitor and laptop at the same height. The Scribbler recommends the use of a laptop stand that tilts the laptop’s keyboard at 45 degrees. Once you get used to having an external monitor with your laptop, you’ll never want to go back to a single display. Once you have plugged an external monitor, here’s what you need to do to properly extend your desktop with an external monitor: How to configure your external monitor on Windows: Right click on the desktop, choose “Display Settings” then scroll down to « Multiple Displays » and select « Extend desktop » In that screen you can arrange your monitor location relative to your laptop’s by moving the boxes. Once you have finished this configuration, you can move your mouse cursor between monitors, and your workspace will effectively be doubled. Now you can enjoy running your web browser full screen and your productivity apps or video calls on the other. How to configure your external monitor on a Mac: Go to System Preferences and select Displays, then click on the Arrangement tab. You have to uncheck “Mirror Displays” there. You can then arrange the screen location relative to your Mac’s screen. Dell’s 25-inch monitor features a quality 2K QHD IPS panel and is a good choice for a home office desk that complements your laptop’s built-in display. The screen’s panel is bright enough for most types of work, handles reflections well, and has great colors right out of the box. It has great ergonomics, allowing you to adjust its tilt, height, swivel, and 90-degree pivot to work in portrait mode. If you want to attach it to a wall mount or desk arm, it has VESA mount holes as well. The panel supports 10-bit input and has an excellent SDR color gamut. But SDR is only available when connected via HDMI. sRGB color space rendering is excellent, but Adobe sRGB coverage isn’t optimal, so graphic designers, particularly those working with print media, should look at other options. The Dell U2518D acts as a USB 3.0 hub with one input and four downstream USB 3.0 ports, two of which are specifically marked because they provide up to 2AMPs of power for fast charging your tablet or smartphone. Dell’s trademark hole on the stand also allows for easy cable management. Moreover, the hub continues to work even when the monitor isn’t on, so you’ll be able to use USB flash drives or a webcam for surveillance plugged into its hub even without the monitor on. There is also a DisplayPort in and a DisplayPort out, which allows you to daisy chain two monitors while using only one DisplayPort cable for your laptop. The default monitor settings look great and you can fine tune them easily using the On Screen Display menu with the four buttons at the bottom. One of the provided presets, « ComfortView, » provides low blue light for ease of eyesight during long work hours. Although more advanced monitors are available, this Dell model is a better option for most home workers looking for balance between price and features. The fact that Dell offers a three-year warranty is just the cherry on top. You need as much flexibility as possible if your home is suddenly your new office. With this model, Dell offers a « docking » monitor, which means it has a variety of connectivity options, including USB-C to simplify connections and boost productivity.
