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Some professionals have to multitask so having a dual monitor set-up is key. Make it easy to answer a client question on the fly without having to close up all your running applications.
In most office settings, desktop multitasking is no longer a workstyle choice – it's a way of life. Finance professionals typically run several desktop applications simultaneously, in addition to an email client and perhaps instant messaging software. On top of that, a desktop will have one or more browser windows open, providing market watch and research capabilities at your fingertips.
You can jump from one application to another using your mouse or the tab function, but such efforts can be clumsy and inefficient. Multitasking with a single monitor is akin to flipping through a stack of clutter to find what you need at that moment. But imagine if you could have such paperwork spread out across your desk and always visible.
The increased popularity of multi-display systems has as much to do with advances in technology as it does with economics. Though Windows 98 first allowed for dual display configurations, bulky CRTs sat on most desks back then and many workspaces simply could not have accommodated more than one such monitor. Flat-panel displays solved the space problem, but with prices often exceeding $1,000, they were long considered a luxury.
Today's monitors, by contrast, are just a fraction of that cost, making the addition of a second or third monitor a negligible expense. And with numerous studies estimating productivity increases of anywhere from 10 to 45 percent, the payback is almost immediate.
With multiple monitors, for example, one could refresh quotes or take feeds on one screen, pull up research on a second screen, and pull up client information or process transactions on a third, without any opening/closing or maximising/minimising of applications. In considering the increased efficiency, many professionals who have switched to a dual or multi-monitor display have regarded the switch as transformational.
A dual-monitor set-up requires minimal technical expertise. Your PC will require a dual monitor card (or a second graphics card along with your existing card). The dual cards often come with the latest PC models. Configuration within Windows is quick and easy: simply start by right clicking on your desktop, selecting Graphics Options, and then Graphics Properties. Then select the Extended Desktop option.
HP Offers a variety of different monitor options, including monitors that pivot upright for a vertical orientation. Such rotation can be particularly useful for viewing 8.5" x 11" documents in full, particularly when coupled with a wide second monitor positioned horizontally.
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