External Monitor

• If you want to replace your laptop display with a larger display, then you can use an external monitor, provided your laptop supports it. Consult your laptop manual to find any external display ports. Common types of external display ports would be VGA, HDMI, DVI and S-Video. Your external monitor needs to be able to accept the type of external display port interface your laptop has to offer. So if your laptop can send out a VGA signal, but your external monitor only accepts DVI, you will need to get an adapter or a different monitor. Press the Windows Logo Key and the "P" key on your keyboard to cycle through the display options when you have the external monitor connected.
  
  

Extended Monitor

• The only difference between an extended monitor and an external monitor is the way that the screen space is used. External monitors duplicate the information displayed on the laptop screen, but extended monitors add more screen space. The extended monitor is virtually to the left or right of the laptop screen so you can drag applications from one screen to the next or play PowerPoint presentations on the extended monitor while viewing private, speaker notes on the laptop screen.
  
  

Switches And Splitters

• Tools that include a VGA splitter allow you to run multiple monitors from one video source. This doesn't allow you to use an extended display, but it does allow you to drive multiple external displays from one display port on your laptop. If you want to show the same presentation on dual, external monitors, you can connect the monitors using a splitter. A switch, such as a KVM switch, can drive different monitors discreetly, so you can use the switch to change which monitor is receiving a signal from your laptop.
  
  

Video Cards

• If your laptop can't drive two monitors the way that it was built, you may still be able to support dual monitors. Many laptops have a card slot where upgrades can be inserted. This PCMCIA or Express Card slot can receive a second video card that can drive a dual monitor. You can also use a docking station that has a video driver built into it. Docking stations can be specific to your laptop, or made universal through the use of USB plugs. You can also plug in a second monitor with a USB plug and Windows will use software to drive the video rather than a hardware video card.