Working Remotely: Use a Second Monitor

by Tom Blanchard | Apr 24, 2020 | Telecommuters - Working from home remotely[avatar user="tom" size="thumbnail" align="left" link="attachment" /]We all love having a second, third, or dare I say a fourth monitor at work. Why not do the same thing at home? Hopefully, you’re already familiar with the increase in efficiency by using a second monitor at work. A lot of us are now facing the reality of possibly having to work from home for extended periods of time or perhaps permanently. Why not make that work from home experience as enjoyable and efficient as possible by adding a second monitor?I hear what you’re saying, I’ve got a laptop and enjoy working on my back porch or on my couch. Well, I’ve got a convenient solution for you. Check out what the folks at www.sidetrak.com are doing. They’ve created a sort of fold-out or slide-out second monitor that conveniently attaches to your laptop. It’s basically a small second monitor that slides out from behind your laptop when you’re ready to use it. When you’re done, just slide it back into place and use your main screen. I really like how portable and easy to use the design is. It makes it very simple to take with you anywhere. The design makes portable/remote dual screens possible. The price isn’t cheap at $299 (as of the date of this post). I would expect that to drop eventually.

Have a regular desktop computer at home or maybe a docking station for your laptop? You’re running out of excuses! Monitors have become very inexpensive. You can pick up a brand new 22” monitor for ~$90 on Amazon. The price gets cheaper (by a little) if you drop to 18” or below. I’d say stick with the 22” though. You’ll have a lot more options with a common size like 22”.When choosing a monitor, make sure it has the inputs that will match whatever device you’re connecting it to. Most devices have HDMI ports, so that’s probably your safest bet if you’re unsure. We really like the ViewSonic VX2276-SMHD. It comes in 22”, 23”, 24” & 27” versions ranging from $129 - $217 depending on size. We like it because it’s very “light”. It has a thin bezel & is very slim. The built-in speakers are a nice touch. Most monitors don’t have them these days. The monitor also has a ton of inputs, making it easier to connect to your device. You’ll find HDMI, VGA & DisplayPort connections.Don’t be afraid to add that second screen at home so you can enjoy all the efficiencies of dual screens while sitting in your PJs on your couch!