The Benefits of Adding a Second Screen

Quite simply, studies have shown that putting a larger monitor or a 2nd screen into the mix on your workstation helps people get more work done in less time.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, people using a 24-inch screen completed the tasks 52% faster than people who used an 18-inch monitor; people who used two 20-inch monitors were 44% faster than those with 18-inch screens. The study concluded that someone using a larger monitor could save 2.5 hours a day. 

Microsoft did multiple studies and found that two screens are better than one. The first study revealed that the users' productivity increased by 9 percent. Further studies showed even greater increases - at times up to 50 percent for tasks such as cutting and pasting.

Dell conducted a study to find out how using their widescreen monitors improved productivity. Their findings showed that dual monitors boosted productivity and increased user satisfaction. Moving to a widescreen 22-inch monitor, according to the Utah breakdown, yields 66 days of extra productivity per user and a savings of almost $2 million.

And according to our own Kensington Productivity Trends Report, larger screen sizes are becoming the norm, proving that people want to see more content on their screens:

Respondents’ screen size at their desktop:

50%: >20”

33%: 17”–20”

16%: >17”

Real-Life Usage Scenarios

To see what can be accomplished in different industries using multiple screen, check out some of the videos we have collected:

Primary Connectivity Options

When it comes to setting up a multi-monitor computing environment, you have a few different options and considerations for different devices. The good thing is that modern operating systems have multi-monitor support built-in, so for the most part you only have to consider what is available on the hardware:

For Windows PCs:

• Dual Video Output Graphics Card
• USB 3.0 Video Adapters (Designed for video only)
• USB 3.0 Docking Station (Designed for video and serves as connection hub for other USB accessories)