Simple Question: Hooking monitor to laptop. Good idea?

Sorry for such a noob question, but I haven't had to really think about computers in a couple years. I want to buy a new desktop, and have been looking at a lot of choices, but I might just settle with the laptop we have. It's a really good one.

The laptop is a Dell Inspiron with an i7 quadcore, 3.2ghz along with 8gb of ram. It also has the standard half-TB of hard drive along with a 32gb solid state drive for speed.

It's my wife's (she bought it for school to learn code but quit a few months later from lack of interest), so she doesn't mind it being a family machine.

But the screen is unimpressive, and the 20-inch screen I have with an old desktop isn't much better (VGA connection).


QUESTION: If I purchase a nice, large HD monitor, will it connect easily and give me the same quality as it would if connected to a desktop?

Thanks

You can- what graphics card is in your laptop, and what connections does it have? Recent laptops should either have a DVI/mini DVI, display port, or HDMI output to connect your monitor- make sure the monitor you choose has a compatible connection, or get a suitable adapter.

Thank you for such a quick response.

The laptop is about six months old. I believe it has HDMI out. Will most new monitors come equipped to deal with that or do I need an adapter?

Thanks again.

Most monitors has a HDMI input but if not then it should have a DVI input. If it does not have an HDMI but has a DVI then you can just get an HDMI to DVI cable or converter.

Thanks again, folks. I really appreciate the time to help a computer noob.

Typically a single link HDMI out (or in for that matter on the monitor) doesnt support much more than 1920x1200 @60Hz. so if you want to get a monitor that had ≤ 1200P (1440P at 30Hz.) then it will work Via HDMI, Otherwise you will need a DVI/Display port to achieve higher resolutions.

I ordered a new desktop instead.