6. Matrox DualHead2Go

Lets You Add Up To Two Monitors To A Desktop Or Notebook PC

By: Ed Tittel

Whether your grad or dad does notebook graphics through an analog VGA output or using a digital DVI output, Matrox offers a small but snazzy tool its owners can use to expand their systems' screen real estate. Matrox is a long-time purveyor of graphics devices; one of your authors purchased a VGA card built by this company in 1994 that he finally retired in 2005 simply because it outlived the motherboard and CPU it had served faithfully for so many years.

The company offers a compelling combination of functions in this device, which allow a notebook or desktop PC to drive one or two independent displays. When two external displays are used, and the screen image is set up to span all the way from the leftmost edge of the left-hand display to the rightmost edge of the right-hand display. This is when the DualHead set-up that gives this device its name truly comes into its own.

The compact size of the DualHead2Go makes it easy to carry, and one input on the front and two on the back make it easy to use.

This device supports combined resolutions of up to 3840x1200 - for two 1920x1200 external monitors, like the Dell Ultrasharp 2407 WFP - as long as the graphics card in the notebook or desktop PC can handle that load. With smaller monitors, in fact, many notebook users find that they can add two 1280x1024 monitors - such as the Dell Ultrasharp 1907 FP - with enough oomph left over to run a notebook screen at 1280x1024; this is the native resolution for many notebooks in the 14" and 15" display range.

Matrox also includes its PowerDesk SE software as part of this bundle, which lets users manage where windows are positioned, how message pop-ups get handled, and helps them manage their displays - be they 16:9 widescreen or 4:3 standard aspect ratios. At an MSRP of $188, the DualHead2Go makes an attractive present for dads or grads, especially for those who carry laptops, or who use a laptop at home and in the office as their primary machines. We found discounts as low as $145 (Best Buy), which makes the DualHead2Go pretty darn attractive indeed. For more information, please visit the product page for either the digital (DVI) or analog (VGA) version.