Can My Computer Support Three Monitors?
A computer needs the proper hardware and software to support three monitors at once. Even one with enough physical video outputs might not support three monitors if the driver for its graphics hardware lacks support for so many displays. HDMI and DisplayPort are the most common video connections. Verify the monitors are arranged as you want by opening a window and dragging it between monitors. The incredible diversity of PC hardware means there’s no fast, easy rule for determining whether your PC supports three monitors. You instead need to examine the physical connectors available and the published specifications for your PC’s graphics hardware. You can tally the physical video outputs available with a glance at your PC’s ports, but there is one common exception to note. Most desktops can only handle video connections from one graphics solution at a time. You can’t use video output from a motherboard alongside video output from a video card if you have one installed. You’ll also want to check the published specifications for your graphics hardware. Determine the hardware your PC uses with a Windows Search for Device Manager. Open Device Manager and then find Display adapters in the drop-down list. Expand this option to view the graphics hardware your PC uses. When you know the graphics hardware, hit your favorite search engine. Look for a support or specification page on the company’s official website that produced your PC’s graphics hardware.
How Do I Connect 3 Monitors With an HDMI Splitter?
You can use an HDMI splitter to connect three monitors, but the results likely won’t be what you hope. A “splitter” is a video adapter that takes a single output and splits it into multiple duplicate outputs. It can only display a single video output on numerous monitors. In other words, all three monitors will show the same image, which isn’t much use on a PC. There’s no easy way to expand a PC’s display output limitation with a splitter or adapter. The only option that genuinely extends a PC’s display output is an external graphics card, one that bypasses the default graphics hardware. It’s an expensive, niche option and only works with a small selection of PCs.
Connecting 3 Monitors With a Daisy Chain
Another option for connecting three monitors is a daisy chain. This option is supported by DisplayPort 1.2 and Thunderbolt 3 (or newer) and USB-C connections that include a DisplayPort mode. HDMI does not support daisy chains. In a daisy chain, the first monitor connects to your PC through one of the video outputs listed above. Then the first monitor connects to the second and the second to the third. A daisy chain is functional but has limitations. The first and second monitors must have video connections that can work as an output. This configuration is uncommon, so you’ll need to carefully check the specifications of the monitors you want to use. Your PC must support this feature. Most PCs sold in the last few years will, but older models often don’t. Check the PC manufacturer’s website or the company’s website, which made your graphics card, to see if daisy chains are supported.
