Extra monitor via DL

[Yadsa]

Hi Team,
not sure I fully understand DL concept, so probably better to ask.

I have 2 UHD screens (2560x1440) which I want to run with 2 laptop sets (separately either one or another), both have classic hardware docks having 1 DP supporting UHD and second port of VGA or DVI supporting FHD. I work with laptop screen closed , only dual external monitors are working. So at the moment I have left screen working in native UHD resolution while right one is in FHD (and even via analogue VGA port in the first case below). All good, but better to have right screen digital and ideally in UHD.

Configurations are:

1. Lenovo X201 i5 M520, 2.4GhZ, 8Gb RAM, Intel HD Graphics, 1 DP +1 VGA
2. Lenovo X230 i5-3320M, 8Gb, Intel HD Graphics 4000, 1 DP + 1 DVI

Can I just get some single port USB2.0 to DP Display link product connect it to dock and display only second monitor in UHD via DL, while first one will be physically connected to dock via DP and work in regular way?

If upscaling (or native resolution) from FHD (1980x1024) to UHD not possible, can I use some DL product (USB 2.0 to DVI or to DP) to switch analogue VGA in option 1 into digital FHD signal?

so basically 2 questions:
- can I continue using hardware first port while using DL second port
- can second port improve resolution supported or it just mirrors what host video card can do?

I of course can have USB 3.0 on both systems should be needed.
Any help if I get dual UHD dock like dp6000 or Pluggable USB 3.0 2xUHD?

Thanks
Denis

[AlbanRampon]

Hello Denis,

First, to avoid you buying un-necessary hardware, UHD is 4K and QHD is 2560x1440.
We don't have any USB2.0 only chip at that resolution, as the DL-165 goes to 1080p only.
You can use a USB3.0 adapter doing 2560x1440 on USB2.0, with impact on performance.

You can use it to add a display.
Your Intel graphics card drivers for both your machines are far too old to support duplicated screens across graphics adapters. This is a function introduced as compulsory in Windows 10, and Intel only retrofitted the feature back to Intel 5th generation. Cloning/duplicate anyway requires identical resolutions, which is not what you want.
But you can extend: two external displays with different content, one driver by the hard dock, and one driven by the USB adapter/dock.

Generally, neither machine was conceived to run properly on Windows 10 so your experience is unlikely to be optimal.

Kind regards,
Alban

[Yadsa]

Hi Alban, Thanks for your reply!

I forgot to mention - older config (X201) does run latest Windows 10. Does it help?

X230 is on windows7

Thanks
Denis

[AlbanRampon]

Hello Denis,

I doubt you can find a Windows 10 Intel graphics driver for your X201. I don't know how well their older driver works on Windows 10.

X230 on Windows 7 seems like an appropriate machine to run your 2 QHD for productivity applications.

Kind regards,
Alban