Multiple Monitors Increase Productivity

eggoeater writes "An systematic study conducted by NEC-Mitsubishi, ATI Technologies and the University of Utah has concluded that the use of multiple monitors in the workplace increases productivity. The study is discussed on Tom's Hardware, EE Times, and there's a detailed press release on NEC-Mitsubishi. For those of us who use multi-monitors, this is not shocking. But maybe now that it's official, IT managers will view it as a good investment and not just for gamers."

Comments

multiple monitors with a laptop

[eggoeater]

I posted the original article but I wanted to detail my own experience. I had a dell tower at work and constantly begged for another video card and monitor but I was told I'd have to have approval from the CIO since we were in a budget crunch. (I work for a LARGE corporation and the CIO is about 20 levels above me.)
I finally got fed up and brought in my own VooDoo3 2000 PCI card (which is a great card for secondary monitors BTW,) and a Samsung 17" flat screen. I had this set up for a couple months when they announced we'd be getting laptops with docking stations and we'd be losing the towers. I love my dell laptop but I was SOL for using the second monitor. Then I found a different model docking station on EBay that has two PCI slots. I bought it (again using my own money for the good of my employer...) and got it working! I had two PCI video cards in it running a total of three monitors. Then a corporate order was handed down stating we couldn't have personal hardware at work. Sheesh. I just cant win.
Luckily for me, Dell released an updated driver that allows you to use the laptop screen and an external monitor as dual monitors. Its not the same but it's better than nothing.
I'm still fighting the good fight to get the better dock and another monitor.
-Steve