There's nothing better than a dual monitor setup. Well, maybe 3 monitors. But when it comes to the best laptops for multiple monitors in 2024, a certain few are above the rest.
Our overall winner in testing dozens of laptops was the MSI Pulse GL66 which is MSI's latest 15 inch gaming PC release, which is a reliable workhorse for not just gaming, but professional work as well.
Display and resolution obviously aren't as large of a factor if you're committed to dual monitors, but you'll want to ensure you don't skimp on features like battery life and processing power.
We kept the range of our suggestions between $500 to $2,000 which means that really these can work for almost any budget, and are all some strong options if you're looking for a holiday gift for a loved one. See our full comparisons below for finding the best laptop for a dual monitor setup.
Best Laptop for Gaming with Multiple Monitors
Our Winner: MSI Pulse GL66
This is finally (!) a good 3070 laptop, in a good range of price, with all you need for gaming. The construction of this PC seems to be more reliable than the other one I got, the GL65 with 2070. It's more metal than the plastic case of the GL65 and for me that's a win in terms of design.
The MSI Pulse GL66 can handle some of the most demanding games for CPU processing and still finds a way to run smooth, and I've never experienced it overheating, largely due to it having such a large fan setting.
Best Everyday Laptop for a Dual Monitor
Our Winner: MacBook Pro (2023)
The 2023 MacBook Pro has a brighter display that lets you see the screen more clearly without glare—even if you're directly in the sun.
Combine that with a high-res webcam that will make you pop in HD over your video calls, so you don't need to purchase an extra webcam for your monitor setup.
Apple also added a MagSafe port, which allows a magnetic charging cable to securely stick to the MacBook Air and harmlessly detach if, like in my house, your dog constantly runs into your charging cable. With your monitor cables, the last thing you want is everything just crashing down.
However, if you're using your dual monitor setup to edit photos, videos or big media files then you're going to want to go with the MSI instead. While the MSI doesn't have an issue with overheating, a major drawback of Mac's latest laptop is that it gets scorching hot when you try to export video or try to batch edit photos. We're not heat sensitive, but trust us that it is hot enough to levels that would make the laptop uncomfortable to use.
But if you have a normal desk setup for your laptop, and mostly will be using it there, then overheating is likely not a dealbreaker.
For your normal, daily tasks, watching Netflix, browsing the web, and casual games (stressing casual games here—the difference is stark between the Mac vs the MSI), the 2023 MacBook Pro offers a suite of great technical improvements over the old generation.
Honorable Mentions
Best Work Laptop for Multiple Monitors
Our winner: HP Envy 17t
Personally, I love that the Envy is so slim and yet still manages to pull off an HDMI port. As an added bonus, HP also throws in a Dockztorm Portable USB Hub that makes it even easier to connect a few monitors up. And the 17in display is perfectly sized as what could even be a third monitor in your setup. It's not a very comfortable laptop though, the underside of the laptop has an edge that makes it unpleasant as a strictly lap laptop, but is still perfect for a desk.
Best Budget Laptop for Multiple Monitors
Our winner: Lenovo IdeaPad 3
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 doesn't just come with 3 USB ports and an HDMI port, but it's also under $400. With 256GB of RAM and 8GB of memory, it's not as quick as the other laptops I have on this list, but it can easily handle professional tasks and most smaller games and is an absolutely fantastic budget buy at this price. You can read our full review on the Lenovo Ideapad vs Thinkpad.
Let me know if I missed any of your favorite laptops for dual monitors in the comments down below!