Connect 3 Displays to 1 PC with the Matrox TripleHead2Go Adapter

The Matrox TripleHead2Go DP Edition is a unique new multi-display adapter that enables a laptop or desktop computer to power up to three monitors. Also known as a GXM (Graphics eXpansion Module), the TripleHead2Go DP Edition connects to a computer’s DisplayPort video output port. Video signal from the computer is then split up by the TripleHead2Go and funneled to as many as three connected monitors.

The TripleHead2Go makes it possible for laptops to be used with multiple external displays, and its use of the connected computer’s GPU allows for exceptionally smooth performance. And because it’s an external adapter, TripleHead2Go eliminates the need to meddle with its insides to install an additional graphics card, for example.

My three LCD displays connected to the Matrox TripleHead2Go DP Edition using the (optional) DisplayPort to DVI adapters.

DisplayPort input from the laptop/desktop on the left, and USB port for power/configuration on the right.

Setting up the Matrox TripleHead2Go DP Edition

The TripleHead2Go DP Edition package includes the TripleHead2Go device, a 2-foot DisplayPort to DisplayPort cable, a USB cable for power and a DisplayPort-to-mini-DisplayPort adapter.

I used a Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook with a built-in mini DisplayPort output for my tests. It was easy to connect the various cables, and the gadget comes with an illustrated instructions guide. My Dell XPS 13 doesn’t have an optical drive, so I downloaded the latest driver from the Matrox website and launched the Matrox GXM Quick Setup utility after installation. The utility told me to connect all monitors and it automatically detected my three LCD displays. I rebooted my system as required, and all three monitors worked after that.

My Ultrabook was only able to power the three displays at a relatively meager 1360×768 resolution – a limitation of its GPU rather than the TripleHead2Go. When I unplugged one of them the remaining two LCD displays operated at their maximum 1920×1080 resolution. Performance will probably vary with other laptops, depending on the GPUs.

The mini DisplayPort adapter connects the TripleHead2Go DP Edition to my computer. On the left is the USB port used to configure and power the gadget.

The TripleHead2Go DP Edition appears as a gigantic 4080×768 external monitor.

TripleHead2Go Advanced Features

The TripleHead2Go DP Edition is the latest in a line of GXMs made by Matrox, and is supported by a strong software suite. It has bezel-management capabilities to compensate for gaps in the extended display created by the bezesl of monitors. I particularly like how the Matrox PowerDesk software allows for invisible demarcations to be made over the various displays; when maximized, application windows snap to fill up the virtual lines, which can span multiple monitors. The device works with PCs and Macs, and it is also compatible with MacBook Pro laptops with the new Thunderbolt port.

Conclusion: Matrox TripleHead2Go DP Edition

There’s a lot to like about the TripleHead2Go DP Edition, though its $329 price tag is a bit of a turnoff. It’s just as simple to setup and configure as the previous GXM units from Matrox, and it comes in a slightly smaller form factor.

Before buying, users should download the System Compatibility Tool to ensure that their computers’ GPUs are capable of supporting the TripleHead2Go.