In a further evolution of my home working environment, I now have three screens available to me when I’m working at home. Today marks the start of my second week on a phased return to work, where I’m working a couple of hours a day at home.
Last year, I got an updated work laptop, but it took me until last week to find that it could support more than one external screen, as well as its own. It’s a relatively standard issue Lenovo Thinkpad, if you’re wondering. Whilst the laptop has one HDMI port, it can also pass video data through its USB-C port, and so I could add another screen using this and my Orico docking station (sponsored link) that I reviewed last year.
The third screen
The screen is an old square-ish 15″ Dell IPS screen. I think I picked it cheaply up at a junk shop many years ago, and I had used it with my Mac Mini, back when that still worked. I don’t know exactly how old it is, but it only has an analogue VGA connector – i.e. no DVI, DisplayPort, HDMI, Thunderbolt or USB-C. Bearing in mind that I bought a similar-sized screen in 2005 which included DVI. Of course, since it only has a VGA port, I had to buy an HDMI to VGA adaptor (sponsored link) to be able to connect it to the Orico docking station.
It’s been tucked away in our spare room for years as my previous laptop could only support one external screen. Whilst it had a single USB-C port, this couldn’t carry video data. So it’s nice to be able to use it again.
Once I’ve got some more strength in my arms, I’ll get it raised to a better height, in line with the other screens. The stand looks like it can be removed and replaced with a VESA mount, but it’s quite sturdy and so I can probably just stand it on some chunky books.
As for how it is to work with three screens? Much easier. I can have Outlook open on my laptop screen, our main web-based work IT system open on the large 24″ screen in the middle, and use the smaller 15″ screen for a remote desktop session.
And having three screens isn’t quite as extreme as some. Famously, the late Sir Terry Pratchett worked from six screens, arranged in a double row. “Why do I have six monitors?” he said. “Because I don’t have room for eight.”
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