ug It In
The first thing you'll need to do is figure out which connectors you can use. You
can do this by checking the output on your laptop and the input on your monitor
of choice. If you don't yet have a monitor, you can choose a model based on what
you have available on your laptop.
Whatever combination of monitor and connection you choose, the process is the
same: connect one end of the cable to your laptop and the other to a suitable
input on your monitor. Make sure that the input choice is set on the display. Your
laptop should then appear on the monitor.
From here, you can configure the display using your operating system's settings
since you may encounter resolution, orientation, or display mirroring issues.
Related:How to Use Multiple Monitors to Be More Productive
Understanding Different Cables and Connectors
Various cables and connectors exist out there. The cable or connector you
choose will depend on your setup.
HDMI & Mini HDMI
HDMI outputs are commonly found on many laptops and monitors. Even the older
HDMI 2.0b standard can support resolutions of up to 4K at 60Hz, including HDR
display modes for high dynamic range video and gaming. Some laptops use a
Mini HDMI connector (not to be confused with Micro HDMI) instead of the full-
sized port.
Alexander_Evgenyevich/Shutterstock.com
If you have a smaller Mini HDMI output, you can use a Mini HDMI to HDMI
adapter or an HDMI cable with a different connector on each end. HDMI is a digital
connection that carries both video and audio signals, with the newer HDMI 2.1
standard supporting much higher resolutions and faster refresh rates.
Mini HDMI Adapter to HDMI
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Use this adapter with a standard full-sized HDMI cable to connect your laptop or
another device to a standard monitor or television.
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DisplayPort
DisplayPort is another common connection type that you may encounter. It's
used almost solely for computer monitors, with some monitors only able to use a
DisplayPort connector (though it's more common to find both HDMI and
DisplayPort).
DisplayPort is an obvious choice if your laptop and monitor support it, especially
if you already have a free cable. DisplayPort 1.4 is the current standard and has
been for years (DisplayPort 2.0 is set to launch later in 2022) with enough
bandwidth for 4K resolutions at 120Hz or more plus HDR.
Amazon/Cable Matters
Like HDMI, DisplayPort is a digital standard that carries both video and audio
signals. You may have a full-sized DisplayPort or mini-DisplayPort output on your
laptop, both of which are compatible using an adapter.
You may find that you have a mixture of these two common ports, for example, an
HDMI output on your laptop and a monitor that only accepts DisplayPort. If this is
the case, you can use a uni-directional DisplayPort to HDMI cable or
a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter to bridge the gap.
Uni-Directional DisplayPort to HDMI cable
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Plug your laptop's DisplayPort output into an HDMI input (and vice versa) with
this simple, uni-directional cable that maximizes compatibility between devices.
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USB-C
Another connector choice becoming increasingly common is USB-C, which
utilizes the DisplayPort standard in a familiar USB-C housing. This is a popular
choice for its ability to both charge your laptop and act as a display cable at the
same time.
Both the monitor and laptop will need to support DisplayPort over USB-C. And for
charging, you'll need to ensure that the monitor can supply enough power.
Belkin
Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt is a similar data cable connection that works like USB-C, using an
active cable with much greater bandwidth. Thunderbolt is often used to chain
devices together. For example, you can plug your laptop into a monitor and then
plug a Thunderbolt RAID drive into your monitor. You can then use both on your
laptop with a single connection.
Set Up Display Preferences
With your monitor connected to your laptop, you can now configure it to get
things working the way you want. This works differently across operating
systems.
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On Windows 11 and 10, head to Start > Settings > System > Display. Your internal
display and external monitor should be listed.
If they aren't, click the "Detect" button. Once you detect your displays, you can
choose things like resolution, orientation, and whether to extend or mirror your
display.
On a Mac, connect your display, then head to System Preferences (System
Settings) > Displays. You should see your internal display and external monitor
listed in the sidebar on the left.
You can click each one to make separate changes to resolution and display
output type (including HDR output modes), as well as turn off mirroring and use
each as a separate display.
You can also do this with Linux, but the leve
