Working with two screens

Have you ever thought about adding a second screen to your computer setup at home? If you’re never able to cram in everything you’d like to see on a single screen, investing in a second one might be the way to go. My guest John Espirian discusses the value of increasing our screen real estate.

Switching between multiple files

As anyone who works in the editorial field knows, it can be difficult to work onscreen when one has to juggle lots of digital files. We often have to switch between Word documents, PDFs, web browser windows and lots more besides.

​A single screen often isn’t enough to cope with all this at once, meaning we have to use the keyboard or mouse to jump between windows.

If this sounds familiar, you could make your working life easier by using a second screen, which is what I and many of my editorial colleagues have done.

Working with two screens can be a great timesaver

Before we go any further, here are a few general tips that could help you work better with your current setup.

Tip 1: Use the keyboard to switch between programs

When switching between programs, you can save time by ignoring the mouse and keeping your hands on the keyboard. If you aren’t already using these keyboard shortcuts, start practising them now:
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• Windows: press Alt-Tab
• Mac: press Cmd-Tab

Active Mac programs shown when pressing Cmd-Tab

Here’s how to use these key combinations:
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1. Keep your thumb down on either the Alt or Cmd key (whichever applies to your computer)
2. Repeatedly press the Tab key to cycle through each open program
3. Let go of both keys to switch to the selected program

Tip 2: Increase your screen resolution

Increasing your screen resolution really just means making everything appear a little smaller, which allows space for more items to fit into the viewable area.

Steps for Mac users

1. Go to the Apple menu and click System Preferences
2. Click Displays
3. Select a resolution from the available options

Mac screen resolution – options may look different on older machines

Steps for Windows users

1. Go to the Control Panel
2. Click Adjust screen resolution*
3. Select a resolution from the available options

​* If your Control Panel layout isn’t similar to that shown in the image below, click Display and then Adjust resolution instead.

Windows screen resolution

Your screen will work best at its ‘native’ (default/recommended) resolution, but the performance may be perfectly adequate at different resolutions.

Tip 3: Be wary of straining your eyes

f.lux – manage screen colours

Your eyes may feel less strained if you use a program such as f.lux to change the colours on the screen throughout the day. The program gradually shifts blue tones to red tones and could be useful if you work late into the evening. Thanks to proofreader Chris Panas-Galloway for the tip.

It’s also very important to get your eyes checked regularly, especially if you spend a lot of time working onscreen.

Visit your ophthalmologist or optometrist and make sure you’re using the right eyewear, if any.

The above tips should help us get the best from a single-screen setup. Let’s move on and see how we can boost productivity by adding a second screen.

Adding a second screen

The best advert I can give you for the benefits of having a second screen is summed up by the extended screenshot below, taken from my own desktop.

​This image shows four quite wide pages side by side with space to spare. This makes for an excellent user experience and has been the perfect way for me to get things done more quickly than ever before.

A view of my two screens – view full-resolution image (4.8MB)

Aligning and positioning screens
It’s important that your eyes are at the same level as the top of your screen(s). There’s a lot more information about how best to sit at your desk on Apple’s Eyes and Vision page.

When using two screens, try your best to keep both at very similar levels, so that your view adjusts easily between them. A pair of good quality stands with adjustable height settings will allow you to equalise the heights of the screens. This adds to the cost but is best for your long-term health – plus you should gain a little storage space underneath the stands.

Screen recommendations
Here are my general recommendations if you’re looking to buy a second screen:
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• Get the largest screen you can afford and that fits on your desk
• Choose the largest screen resolution available
• Make sure your computer can be connected to the screen

Making the connection
Your screen will work best at its ‘native’ (default/recommended) resolution, but the performance may be perfectly adequate at different resolutions. Here are the commonest options:
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• VGA: the oldest system still in use. Opt for this only if you’re using old equipment. Expect the picture quality to be poor.
• DVI: still a common connection type on some PCs and on older Macs (pre-2008). Look carefully at the differences between this cable and the VGA one. DVI cables will always have more than VGA’s standard 15 pins.
• HDMI: the commonest connection type, popularised by High Definition (HD) televisions. Most modern PCs should have an HDMI port. Expect the picture quality to be good. The connectors are thin and wide, with two slanted sides.
• DisplayPort: perhaps the best option, found on modern Macs and high-specification PCs. Expect the picture quality to be very good. The cable looks similar to HDMI, but there is just one slanted side instead of two.
• Mini Displayport (Thunderbolt): apart from a narrower port and cable, this is a near-equivalent to DisplayPort and is now standard on almost all new Macs. Apple’s brand name for the port is Thunderbolt; for our purposes we can treat Mini DisplayPort and Thunderbolt as being the same.

Each port has a slightly different shape and size. Here are some close-ups to help you work out what’s what:

For completeness, I ought to mention that Apple’s new MacBook laptops now use a USB-C port. This means yet another type of adapter and cable is required to connect these new machines to a second screen (and at around £60, Apple’s official adapter isn’t cheap). The latest MacBook Pro and MacBook Air laptops still support Mini DisplayPort/Thunderbolt.

My own choice

Having looked at several options, I decided to go for a DisplayPort-compatible screen with a 3840 × 2160 maximum resolution. In practice, running the screen at 2560 × 1440 has been more than adequate.

At a very reasonable £360, the Samsung LU28D590DS 28-inch Ultra HD LED screen suited my requirements and budget.

Samsung LU28D590DS

Conclusion

Having looked at several options, I decided to go for a DisplayPort-compatible screen with a 3840 × 2160 maximum resolution. In practice, running the screen at 2560 × 1440 has been more than adequate.
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What do you think? Have you added a second screen and wished you’d done it a long time ago? Post a comment below or catch up with me on Twitter.

John Espirian is the relentlessly helpful technical copywriter and author of Content DNA.

John writes B2B web content to help his clients explain how their products and services work. He also helps people to build a better presence on LinkedIn.
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Find John at espirian.co.uk or on LinkedIn.