Running out of space on your desk to add another monitor? Don’t worry, Asrock has the perfect solution with their new ASRock kit. Designed specifically to make use of unused space on the side panel of your desktop computer tower, this kit includes all necessary parts and accessories to create an entirely new display without taking up any room on your primary work surface. Best of all, it works great with almost any operating system, including MacOS, Windows and Linux.
The Benefits of Adding a Second Monitor
Adding a secondary monitor to your setup is an easy office hack for boosting productivity.
And not every desk or office can fit another screen, no matter the size. The Asrock kit comes to the rescue, sticking to the side of your display, providing more room to work, while also not using any of your desktop.
The low-profile design means it won’t interfere with other monitors or peripherals either.
All you need to do is simply attach the bracket to the back of your current display using screws and bolts that come with the package, and then plug in the power cable. It’s as simple as that.
The 2nd screen can be rotated 360°, so you can easily share content from your main display with colleagues, who can work together on the same screen. It will also save a lot of time if you have to go back and forth between windows.
If this solution doesn’t suit your needs, we also have several other options such as portable USB displays (ideal for BYOD setups), HDMI extensions cables (if there isn’t enough clearance behind the desk) and multiple docking stations to connect several screens at once.
So don’t worry! There are plenty of ways to get more monitor real estate.
How to Connect Your Second Monitor
Connecting a second monitor is an easy way to boost productivity and work more efficiently. A small portable display can be mounted on the side of your computer tower if you are using a Windows PC and have limited desk space. Here is how to do it
1) Open up your computer tower and disconnect the power cable from the video card that connects to your primary monitor.
2) Find where the video cable goes into the back of the video card and use a Phillips screwdriver to open up that connector.
3) Plug in one end of an HDMI cord into this connector on the video card, then plug in other end into a free HDMI port on your ASRock small portable monitor (or any other type).
4) Turn on both displays (you may need to manually set brightness levels if there are color differences).
5) Turn off your primary display by disabling Mirror Displays under Settings > System > Display .
6) Repeat steps 1-4 for additional monitors if needed.
Features of ASRock kit
ASRock’s 13.3-inch Side Panel Kit, spotted by Tom’s Hardware on Tuesday, includes a 13.3-inch IPS that attaches to the left or right side of a desk. The display is an In-plane Switching (IPS) technology with a 1920×1080 resolution and 5ms response time.
It includes a VGA cable and USB cable, but no HDMI or DVI cables.
The flexible, heavy-duty aluminum stand has adjustable feet so it can be leveled on uneven surfaces, but it cannot pivot from landscape to portrait orientation like other monitors do.
The company says that due to the size and weight of the monitor, it cannot be shipped internationally at this time.
Pricing is not yet available for the product, which will be sold exclusively through Amazon.
In an age where mobility and small form factors are popularizing, why would anyone want to use a large screen when they could just as easily use their desk’s side panel?
Asrock believes that while portability is important, so is usability; their goal was to make a compact monitor that could still provide power and performance.
With 1 millisecond gray-tooth, Full HD 1080p resolution, and optional anti-glare film, this PC monitor provides all the perks of full-sized displays without taking up any additional space.
It also features built in speakers (1 W x 2), headphone jack with audio line out (1 W x 2), dual video inputs including DisplayPort
1.2a input, two downstream USB 3.0 ports on both sides plus one upstream port, and an SD card reader slot -all packaged into a 4 lb., 10 oz., attractive package which measures just 8 inches high by 9 inches wide.
A spokesperson told Tom’s Hardware that ASRock designed this monitor because many people who use portable laptops find themselves in cramped offices with limited space on either side of the desk.
While we understand and appreciate how space saving such a device might be, there are many limitations associated with using such a small, self-contained display.
Embedded DisplayPort limits compatibility, meaning you won’t be able to connect it to an Apple MacBook Pro via Thunderbolt 3 or Dell XPS via Thunderbolt 3 unless you have an adapter.
And since it lacks any connectivity besides analog VGA and digital USB, there are also limits to what types of devices you can connect to it.
So if those limitations don’t put you off then we suggest giving this clever little invention some consideration!
Tips for Optimizing Your Dual-Monitor Setup
Add a secondary monitor to your setup is an easy office hack for boosting productivity.
You can use your desktop’s side panel as a convenient workaround if you don’t have space for another display.
Simply plug in an ASRock small portable monitor and use it on either side of your main display! You can also detach and reattach it quickly when needed.
With this new solution, you’ll get the best of both worlds: more screen real estate when you need it with minimal hassle.
Plus, thanks to the wide-screen 16:9 aspect ratio, you can enjoy cinematic widescreen viewing at home or in the office.
It’s just like having two monitors but with only one connection.
And if you want a second monitor set up as well but don’t have any additional HDMI ports on your graphics card, you’re all set too!
Just hook up an HDMI cable from your graphics card to an external USB-C adapter (from ASRock) so that the PC thinks there are 2 HDMI ports available, then hook up 2 cables from that adapter to 2 displays!
That way you still have 1 HDMI port left for anything else – like TV out or gaming consoles – without sacrificing resolution.