Work triple monitor set up

[willthatbeall]

I work from home for myself and need to make some changes

I have a laptop but want to buy two additional screens and they all need to show different things so not just mirror. How do I do this?

Or do I need to replace laptop with a desktop and buy 3 monitors?

Clueless.

What ports does your laptop have?

Depending on those depends how many screens you can get set up with just with wires, or if you need a dock.

If you share a photo of the sides of the laptop we might be able to identify them if you aren't sure.

I use my laptop as my third screen when needed so it is possible....It's all work provided stuff and wasn't too complicated to do, but I imagine it depends what operating system you are using.

Hope someone more technically minded can come and give you a step by step.

(also I'm currently assuming it's a Windows computer as I know nothing about Mac/Linux)

From a DSE perspective, you'd need a desktop the three screens. Laptops aren't for longer term working unless they're set up with separate keyboard or docking station.

I have a dock for this though, not just through my laptop...

Laptop is an i5 8th gen windows. 1
HDMI, 2 USB 1 usb-c

Essentially I need the video call on one screen, documents on another and chat on another.

I mainly work with Chrome and word and don't do editing or gaming

I am in a position to buy all new kit but can't even start. Went in to curry's but it was all about little laptops for home or gaming setups.
Now looking on laptops direct.

You just need to buy the screens (easy from somewhere like Argos) and a USB hub with the ports you need to connect them.

Not this as this is for a Mac but something with the connections you need, so a usb a type plug to connect to your computer and then the sockets you need on the other end.

It is really easy to set them up in display settings.

My own laptop is a Mac. My work system is windows. I unplug the screens from the ports if I need to and re-connect to a Mac usb hub at times.

You want a dock for the laptop, one that's capable of taking three screens. Then you just plug the three screens in to the dock and set them up as continuous so it's like you have one very long desktop across all three.

You will want separate keyboard and mouse as well, and a webcam rather than using the laptop one.

It will work smoothest if you can get three screens the same brand and resolution (same model is easiest). That way you're not messing around with different colour profiles and such.

not too sure of the operating system but I use windows (newish version), if you right click on a blank screen it comes up with screen set up. choose extended desktop and from there you will have a choice of how you extend the screens, ie 1, 2 and third screen or to mirror screen. trying to remember as can't be assed to get out work laptop. I use this system with one or two monitors and a laptop

As Bertie says. You might also want a laptop stand so its screen is at a better height.

Just plug them in and go into display settings to tell it you’ve got multiple monitors.

What is a laptop dock?

@willthatbeall

Laptop is an i5 8th gen windows. 1 HDMI, 2 USB 1 usb-c

Essentially I need the video call on one screen, documents on another and chat on another.

I mainly work with Chrome and word and don't do editing or gaming

I am in a position to buy all new kit but can't even start. Went in to curry's but it was all about little laptops for home or gaming setups.
Now looking on laptops direct.

We have a local computer repair and IT shop - I would use them as they can source the kit and set it up. It might be a bit more pricey but it will be done properly and they will have better after sales service of there are any problems.

A dock is something like this: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B078WYHGY9/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_PDMWDGQ42NRQY4GS0YGC?psc=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

You plug all your displays,plus keyboard/mouse into it and then you can connect your laptop to it to connect to everything.

We have a local computer repair and IT shop - I would use them as they can source the kit and set it up.

And of course you can claim tax relief etc on their costs.

I have this setup at work.
Screen 1 = Laptop. This has the webcam above so is the one to use for video conferencing
Screen 2 plugs into the laptop, almost all have an HDMI output
Screen 3 plugs into a USB-C docking station like this:
amazon.co.uk/Docking-Station-Adapter-Ethernet-Multiport-12-1/dp/B08SM1PDP8/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=29B2NI4B20GUR&keywords=laptop+docking+station&qid=1641231306&sprefix=laptop+docking+%2Caps%2C173&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExNE83SU9aMkEwS1dPJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTc4Nzc4MzIyR0gwNDdEUzhWRiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMDA2NTU4MTFHN05BODdROVFNTSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=]]
...which plugs into your USB--C port.

In principle you plug the laptop power supply into the docking station and it powers/charges the laptop via USB-C. But if you have an HP laptop, I've never seen this work yet (at least with my HP docking station), so I have a separate power supply for the docking station, about another £20. But this you can check after buying the docking station. The dock is also useful to plug in all this dongles for wireless keyboard and mouse etc., printer (if not wireless).

Windows will detect all of this when connected, you just need to tell it what order the screens are in.

Just as a heads up - don't do this if you're a Mac user - it won't do more than 1 extra screen natively and you need to work around it with display port software and the like.

I have three monitors with HDMI switchers that I can flip between my Nintendo Switch/Windows PC/Macbook depending on what I'm doing - what I would say is, when buying arms to do it - if you're having your third screen raised up higher and you can afford it, try to find a mount that means you can angle it down slightly if required. Mine doesn't and it's a minor annoyance.

I have a set up as follows (v similar laptop by the sounds of it):

1. Laptop in centre, raised to appropriate screen height in my case using text books but could use a riser.
2. Screen 1 on left using hdmi to hdmi cable
3. Screen 3 on right using hdmi to usb c cable
4. Laptop and mouse plugged into usbs (use a wireless mouse with a Bluetooth port that goes into the usb)

It's a bit wire-y and a port would be ideal but I'm not prepared to spend my own money on it (employee!).

Then you can just right click on the desktop and choose "display settings" and switch from mirror to extend.

@BertieBotts

You want a dock for the laptop, one that's capable of taking three screens. Then you just plug the three screens in to the dock and set them up as continuous so it's like you have one very long desktop across all three.

You will want separate keyboard and mouse as well, and a webcam rather than using the laptop one.

This. I have two screens plus my laptop and this is the set-up I have.

You need to be sure that your laptop is capable of driving three separate screens - not all are.

@TalbotAMan how can I work this out?

So I think I will go with buying 2 screens for no and see what works with the laptop and then swap laptop for desktop in future if I need to in order to have 3 screens

So I will need an adaptor that takes the hdmis from the monitors to a then plug into my laptop.

As per a PP above, we have a docking station from Amazon along with 2 external monitors. I have the laptop directly in front of me and the external monitors behind and I can see all 3 clearly. Once all plugged in, they pick up automatically so I don't need to select which screens to use.
We also have an external keyboard and mouse plugged through the dock although I mostly use laptop keyboard.

[quote willthatbeall]@TalbotAMan how can I work this out?

So I think I will go with buying 2 screens for no and see what works with the laptop and then swap laptop for desktop in future if I need to in order to have 3 screens

So I will need an adaptor that takes the hdmis from the monitors to a then plug into my laptop. [/quote]
Assuming the power socket is separate from the ones you listed, you'll need an HDMI to HDMI lead for the first screen, and then a USB C to HDMI lead for the second.

If that doesn't work you might need a docking station but if you're prepared to put up with the wires the above will be a much cheaper solution.

You can then add on the keyboard and laptop so you can sit your laptop at a good height.

If the power socket is the USB C socket then I think you would have to have a docking station.

I've just glanced round at DH's set up.

He has a laptop on a stand with a separate keyboard and mouse to the right of his desk (we've just done a similar setup for DD - all wired as we have way too much bluetooth going on).

He then has two screens in front of him (currently in landscape, but he can rotate at least one if reading long docs). They are on office monitor stands.

He then has another laptop that he sometimes has to access (job specific).

We bought the desks/chairs/stands from 2ndhnd.com (but this was back at the start of the various lockdowns so I am not sure how much office clearance they've been doing).

🤯
I also need a new webcam so will need to save a connection for this so probably do need a dock?

Need it to have 3 hdmi slots