This YouTuber Created A Dual-Screen Laptop That No Brand Has Ever Made

Having a second screen can improve your experience with your computer, but a dual-screen PC isn’t something you can carry along on the go. So is there another way you can enjoy the benefit of a second display while traveling for work? You may find the answer to this question in the DIY channel on YouTube with Matt creating a laptop that has an extra display to double your desktop's screen size.

Over the last few years, manufacturers have been working on dual-screen laptops. In 2008, Lenovo showcased the ThinkPad W700ds that had a second, smaller display sliding out of the main screen of the device. Then we have the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo and the HP Omen X 2S that come with a small secondary screen integrated into their keyboard areas. In another case, the Microsoft Neo has an extra display instead of a keyboard.

However, there are even laptops that deploy side by side displays automatically once opened, but there will be a problem if you’re using the laptop in a narrow space, a plane seat for example. It could also be a deal-breaker if you try to use the laptop on your lap.

The solution indicated here is a laptop with an additional screen stacked on top of the main one. And since manufacturers these days can make a thin, flat-screen display, a secondary flip-up panel mustn’t add much weight or thickness to the device. And while Matt’s self-made creation doesn’t look very appealing, it does work and works quite well.

For the secondary screen to interface with the existing one, you need a controller board and an LCD display that you can get online for under $100. Matt then used aluminum panels to make a rigid backing for the extra screen, and a 3D printer to make custom plastic bezels, a pair of hinges enabling the extra display to fold behind the primary one, and housing for the board.

As the laptop Matt used doesn’t have USB-C ports that could deliver a signal and power to the second display, he used a portable battery pack, making the entire system bulkier and thicker. The result is not eye-catching, but having a second screen at your eye level would surely be great. More importantly, you don’t have to sacrifice any other part of the original device like the keyboard.