Triple display on W520 [ Edited ]

[HiVolt]

My brother ordered a W520 with the 1920x1080p screen option. He has two Dell 20" (1600x1200) monitors from years ago, which have DVI & VGA connectors.

Can the W520 run in triple display mode, with built in display, one monitor hooked up with VGA cable, and the other monitor hooked up with Displayport to DVI cable?

Or does this require some kind of dock? Or at the very least, can it run on two monitors with the lid closed?

[ZipZap · Accepted solution]

Hi, Volt,

    This subject has been explored in depth on this board. To keep it short, yes, you can indeed drive two external monitors at the resolutions you mentioned without the dock, plus the internal makes three.

    For more, check out this thread (among others):

Monitor madness    

                                                Best!

[HiVolt]

Thank you that answered my question.

[HiVolt]

One more thing... Does a displayport breakout cable exist, that could have two DVI ports come out of the single displayport?

[chuckmsp]

You might want to take a look at the docking station for the W520, that has two DVI ports and a VGA port.

[HiVolt]

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chuckmsp wrote:

You might want to take a look at the docking station for the W520, that has two DVI ports and a VGA port.

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Is that the full dock or the mini dock?

Anyway i did find Matrox Dualhead2go Displayport edition, which supposedly splits displayport to dual DVI. I'll give my brother the options. Thanks again.

[chuckmsp]

I have the full dock, Model 4338

This is the one: ThinkPad Mini Dock Plus Series 3 (170W) Part number: 433830U

http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/Lenovo-ThinkPad-Mini-Dock-Plus-Series-3-mini-dock/2334506.aspx?Acqu...

[ZipZap]

I'm with Chuck. I have the same dock:

Dock 4338

The dock is very worthwhile. The Matrox is about the same money, for far less features.

[HiVolt]

Thanks once again guys... I told him about the dock, he said he'll probably get it once he pays off the laptop purchase on the credit card.

He's upgrading from a crap HP Core Duo, so this will be a shock to him for a while anyway, hehe...

[bigdfaust]

I have a question on this.  I know this has also been discussed elsewhere thoroughly, but did not address my question.

I know the W520 can do 3 displays (2 external and the laptop display).  Can it do 3 EXTERNAL displays?

I don't want to buy a ViCard or any external to make this work.  I currently have 2 Dell 24" monitors attached.  I want to add a 3rd external monitor, but there are only two DVI outputs on my Mini Dock Plus Series 3.  The Dells also have the standard 15-pin VGA inputs.  The docking station ALSO has one RGB output.

So here's my question:  Can I hook up two external monitors to the two DVI outputs and one external monitor to the VGA output?