I'm getting ready to purchase a laptop, but I cannot figure out what specs I need in the graphics card to ensure I can do a Dual Monitor set-up where I can use an extended desktop mode. I'm leaning towards an HP G62-340US, but am not finding much on the web site to see if I can do this.

Any suggestions?

If you want to use 2 external monitors in dual monitor mode (and not use your laptop screen), then you will need to look into a business model laptop, and most likely you will have to purchase a docking station to be able to support this.

If you want to use your laptop screen with a separate screen (at the same time) then you can do that with the one you chose, just hook another monitor to the VGA port and go into the "screen resolution" settings to setup the extra monitor and desktop preferences.

I'm getting ready to purchase a laptop, but I cannot figure out what specs I need in the graphics card to ensure I can do a Dual Monitor set-up where I can use an extended desktop mode. I'm leaning towards an HP G62-340US, but am not finding much on the web site to see if I can do this.

Any suggestions?


by dual monitors, are you referring to the laptop screen as one monitor and another monitor? If so, most laptops these days from HP offer a graphics card, like a 5670 or a 5770, take a 5670 which will have a VGA, HDMI, or DVI output on the laptop. Then you can do dual monitors.

I'm looking at using the laptop monitor plus a secondary montor to be the extended desktop. What I'm surprised to find is that some do not support this feature (they will only mirror the current system), but no one can say exactly what to look for to support this.

I don't think there's anything specifically to look for in terms of hardware, it is a Windows setting. Since that laptop has an external VGA output, you can run both screens at the same time, usually by hitting "Function + F5" or some similar combination. From there you can get into the windows settings to tell it what monitor is your main monitor and what one to extend the desktop to.

I'm doing a similar thing at home with my wifes laptop, but I'm not extending the desktop onto the external monitor. I'm using the external monitor as the main monitor when its hooked to the VGA output. When I go mobile, the laptop screen comes back on.

I know it has something to do with the video graphics card when it's a dual monitor/extended monitor set-up. Any graphics card can do a mirror/duplicate image, but not all can do 2.

The feature you're looking for is called DualView (what microsoft calls it) or Multi Monitor support as it is called elsewhere. Judging by the graphics card in the laptop you suggested (which is an ATI Radeon 4250), it supports multiple monitor outputs (VGA and HDMI) so I'm 100% positive you will have the support you desire.

Here's a post on another forum confirming it too, on your exact laptop: http://www.sheeptag.net/index.php?topic=1069.0

I'm looking at using the laptop monitor plus a secondary montor to be the extended desktop. What I'm surprised to find is that some do not support this feature (they will only mirror the current system), but no one can say exactly what to look for to support this.

pretty much any laptop with a video output (vga, dvi, etc) can handle dual display setup where one of the two monitors is the laptop's integrated display, including clone or extended desktop modes.

I know it has something to do with the video graphics card when it's a dual monitor/extended monitor set-up. Any graphics card can do a mirror/duplicate image, but not all can do 2.
I have yet to find a laptop that will not support extend desktop mode...hell even my little 10inch dell mini supports extended desktop.:bulb:

I have yet to find a laptop that will not support extend desktop mode...hell even my little 10inch dell mini supports extended desktop.:bulb:

I agree anything will do it these days. Now you wont have a taskbar on the second monitor. I find DisplayFusion does a great job of adding lots of additional features I could not live without for my dual monitor setups.