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[Sir Tigger KC]

I want to run 3 or 4 monitors off of my laptop.

What's the best way? Using something like this? or a string of theses?  

TIA! 

[aaronjb]

You want the same thing on all screens - i.e. 4 copies of the same screen?

[biggriffin]

It's so he can watch, 4 different edumacational films at once,

[Sir Tigger KC]

You want the same thing on all screens - i.e. 4 copies of the same screen?

No, different windows on each screen. 

[aaronjb]

You want the same thing on all screens - i.e. 4 copies of the same screen?

No, different windows on each screen. 

Then neither of those things is going to do what you want - you need a way to add four video cards to your laptop; you might be able to get away with three or four USB->DVI (or USB->VGA) adapters, but you're going to need a powerful laptop because they absolutely chew CPU.

Unless you have a particularly modern laptop with either multiple DVI/micro HDMI/etc ports or USB-C/Thunderbolt ports? For example, I have a USB-C to dual-HDMI dock, so I can drive two monitors and the laptop screen simultaneously; but I don't think I could add another USB-C to dual HDMI dock to run four..

[Viral_Jim]

EDIT: beaten to it by the actual IT person 

I think that both the items you linked to would merely duplicate the same image across multiple monitors.

Most new(we) laptops will have 1 or 2 video output ports on them. For example my work machine has a display port and HDMI output. This allows me to run a couple of large monitors alongside the piddly little laptop screen.

On my home laptop I only have one HDMI out, so I bought something similar to this to run a second external monitor.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00H91BQ7Y/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_NKGzEbXA37GYH

The only thing with these is you need to know if your laptop has usb 2 or 3 as it will affect which one to buy and what resolution/refresh rate you get. Mine is USB 2 and while it's fine for reviewing documents, it would not be good enough of watching videos or gaming.

[Sir Tigger KC]

My laptop is a HP Elitebook 840 with 256 gb SSD, 6gb RAM, Intel Core i5 vPro and uses Win10 Pro and has USB 3.  I run one monitor from the VGA port and that works well.   

I was hoping that I could simply 'daisy chain' extra monitors using the VGA splitter cables and the drag the windows I need across, then I spotted the splitter box and thought I'd consult the OOF experts!    If I can use the USB ports with VGA/USB adaptors then that would work also and I guess that it comes down to how many monitors my laptop can handle.   

It's not for gaming or video, but spreadsheets and financial charts, so needs to be able to handle live data and simple graphics. 

[aaronjb]

This laptop? https://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/hp-elitebook-840-g5-notebook-pc-customizable-2fa60av-mb

In which case you have a Thunderbolt port, so you could buy a Thunderbolt 'dock' that would expose at least two HDMI ports - those would be driven by the internal GPU and, therefore, fast. Such a dock is about £300 - https://www.belkin.com/us/p/P-F4U095/

However you say "VGA port" so I assume you are already plugging your laptop into a dock like this? https://store.hp.com/UKStore/Merch/Product.aspx?id=D9Y32ET&opt=ABU&sel=ACC

If so, that dock has VGA and DisplayPort and will almost certainly drive both at the same time.. so you are already up to two screens with what you have.

USB-3 to DVI adapters would give you at least another one, before performance suffered too much - I'd probably not try and drive two that way, though.

[Viral_Jim]

This laptop? https://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/hp-elitebook-840-g5-notebook-pc-customizable-2fa60av-mb

In which case you have a Thunderbolt port, so you could buy a Thunderbolt 'dock' that would expose at least two HDMI ports - those would be driven by the internal GPU and, therefore, fast. Such a dock is about £300 - https://www.belkin.com/us/p/P-F4U095/

However you say "VGA port" so I assume you are already plugging your laptop into a dock like this? https://store.hp.com/UKStore/Merch/Product.aspx?id=D9Y32ET&opt=ABU&sel=ACC

If so, that dock has VGA and DisplayPort and will almost certainly drive both at the same time.. so you are already up to two screens with what you have.

USB-3 to DVI adapters would give you at least another one, before performance suffered too much - I'd probably not try and drive two that way, though.

My guess is its the older version of the same machine...
https://laptopmedia.com/laptop-specs/hp-elitebook-840-g3-5/

In which case it has a full size displayport on the other side and should (according to a 20s google) run a monitor from both the DP and the VGA at the same time. You just need either a displayport monitor, or a cable to convert it to something like HDMI

[Sir Tigger KC]

Nope it's older than both of those!    It's a G1 version like this, although it's been upgraded with a 256gb SSD and I just plug my monitor directly into the VGA port on the left. 

I thought this was going to be easy... 

[Viral_Jim]

Looking at the link, my post above still stands. It has a display port on the right hand side (click on 3rd picture, its between the USB C port and the headphone port).

Sooo.... either your second monitor needs to accept display port (eg. HP Elite Display E240 which is on my desk atm) or you need a cable to convert display port to something else eg. Displayport to VGA or Displayport to HDMI. 

EDIT: This is very similar to my monitor at work and has the Displayport connection (pic 3, port furthest on the left)

[TheBoy]

What is the CPU number? And does it have a discrete video chip?

Most of those Intel CPUs with integrated graphics can only output a maximum or 2 or 3 different displays, irrespective of number of ports.  Generally the newver vPro can do 3, consumer stuff 2.

If its got discrete graphics, it will overheat, so don't bother with more than 1.

[Sir Tigger KC]

Jimmy:  I was wondering what that port was for!     The monitor that I want to use has a DP in port, so I can get a DP cable. 

TB: It's a Core i5 vPro, but I've no idea if it has a discrete video chip or not.    How do I find out? 

[TheBoy]

TB: It's a Core i5 vPro, but I've no idea if it has a discrete video chip or not.    How do I find out? 

Look in Device Manager, expand up Processors, and it will say something like Intel i5 7600U (probably 4 times). Post that.

Also in device manager, look at Display Adapters, what does it say about that?

[TheBoy]

You can whack the processor info in Intel Ark (google Intel i5 7600U (change to match yours) and pic the ark link).

For eg, for a 7600T, its supports 3 Displays (# of displays) - https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/97183/intel-core-i5-7600t-processor-6m-cache-up-to-3-70-ghz.html