We’ve all got that drawer. The tech graveyard where old tablets, old hardware, and random cables go to die. That 2015 iPad that “still works fine” but is too slow for anything meaningful. The iPad Mini you replaced three years ago that’s not worth selling for $50 on Facebook Marketplace.
Before you contribute to the e-waste pile, that old hardware might be the productivity upgrade your desk setup has been missing.
The Mini Display Productivity Boost You Didn’t Know You Needed
I recently stumbled down a rabbit hole reading and watching videos about stretched bar mini monitors, and all the productivity boosts they enable.
The concept is simple. Use a small secondary display near your keyboard to keep information at your fingertips without being distracting or cluttering your main monitor. Think of it as the digital equivalent of having sticky notes around your workspace, except these sticky notes can display live data, respond to touch, and actually help you get work done.
Why Bother With a Mini Monitor?
Computer work involves juggling a million things at once. Your main monitor is prime real estate. You need it for actual work. But there’s a whole category of information that’s important but not important enough to warrant constant window-switching:
- Morning ritual: Open a to-do list app, review, then slide it down to the mini display where it lives all day. You can see what’s next without switching windows.
- Calendar management: Set up a calendar showing today’s schedule. No more “wait, when’s that meeting?” panic.
- Music control: Spotify or Apple Music lives down there. Change songs, adjust volume, see what’s playing.
- Chat monitoring: Discord or Slack sits there when you’re working with remote teams. You can glance at it without giving it all your attention on the main display.
- Quick Notes: Have a blank note open ready for an idea to be jotted down.
- Terminal/Code Chat Window: While coding, have a persistent place for terminal monitoring or keep Claude Code ready to assist.
- System monitoring: When running intensive tasks, having live performance stats visible for CPU temps, network speeds, RAM usage is just satisfying.
- Widgets: MacOS has a ton of widgets that can live where they won’t be covered up by windows.
The productivity happens when this information lives in your peripheral vision. Quickly accessible, but never distracting or in the way.
An Old iPad Can be a Mini Display
I was about to hit the “buy it now” button on a stretched bar mini monitor when I remembered I already had an iPad Mini and a Luna Display dongle in the old electronic junk drawer. I thought I’d give them a try first!
Mini Monitor Connection Options for an iPad
Depending on what old hardware you’ve got lying around and what OS you are using, you’ve got some solid options.
Apple Sidecar
Sidecar is Apple’s built-in feature that turns your iPad into a second display for your Mac. No dongles, no third-party apps. It’s just … there, waiting to be used.
Now that old iPad can stop being a drawer decoration and get a new life. Got an old iPad Air 2 gathering dust? A first-gen iPad Pro that’s too slow for modern apps but still has a gorgeous Retina display? Sidecar gives these devices a new use.
You can also use a newer iPad with Sidecar. It’s quick and easy to switch between iPad and Sidecar mode. It doesn’t have to only live as a secondary display and can continue being a tablet with iOS while you are away from your desk.
You can connect wirelessly over Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, or wired with a USB-C/Lightning cable (wired is way better for latency and keeps the battery charged).
- Mac running macOS Catalina (2019) or newer
- iPad running iPadOS 13 or newer
- Both signed into the same Apple ID
- If your Mac is from 2015 or earlier, you’re probably out of luck
The good:
- Completely free if you already own compatible devices
- Zero setup, it just works
- Very low latency and responsive with a wired connection
- Apple Pencil support (Look into Astropad if you want to use the iPad as a drawing tablet)
- Retina display quality
The not so good:
- Only works in the Apple ecosystem (Mac + iPad, that’s it)
- Triggers copy protection and prevents streaming video playback (you have to disconnect the iPad to watch AppleTV content)
- No touch input for desktop
- Can’t use resolutions other than device native
- Wireless mode has some lag (go wired if you can)
Best for Mac users who already own an iPad, creative work requiring Apple Pencil, temporary/travel second screen setups, people who value “it just works” over customization.
Universal Control
There is another option like Sidecar called “Universal Control.” With it you can use a single keyboard and mouse between Macs and iPads. No need to extend as a second display. The iPad stays an iPad. The Mac will automatically find the iPad and connect and position it. The mouse pointer just moves between devices. No setup. It’s kinda magic.
With this mode, MacOS and iOS are separate. No dragging apps between the two devices. Only your keyboard and mouse (and some files) move between. I’m sure there are some productivity hacks to find here, but I’m only covering iPads as a second screen.
Luna Display
Luna Display is a small hardware dongle (USB-C or HDMI) plus software that turns your iPad (or old Mac) into a second display. Think of it as a more flexible, robust Sidecar.
This is the perfect option for old hardware. Got a 2012 MacBook Pro? An old Windows desktop? An iPad that’s too ancient for Sidecar? Luna Display doesn’t care. It’ll make them work together.
Your connection options are wireless over Wi-Fi (can be laggy) or wired with a network cable, Thunderbolt, or USB-C connection (lowest latency, most reliable).
- Luna hardware unit: Required for all connections (included with purchase)
- Primary device: Mac (2011+, macOS 10.13+) or Windows 10 64-bit
- Secondary device: iPad (iPadOS 13.1+) or Mac (2011+, macOS 10.13+)
The good:
- Works with Macs dating back to 2011
- Also works with Windows PCs
- Multiple connection methods for different situations
- Not as responsive a Sidecar
- Touch control (use your fingers to interact with screen)
- Apple Pencil support (Look into Astropad if you want to use the iPad as a drawing tablet)
- Proprietary hardware tech that uses the computer’s GPU
- Can use a range of resolutions
- One-time hardware purchase (~$60-$90)
The not so good:
- You have to buy the dongle
- Requires software installation and setup (not hard, just not automatic)
- Triggers copy protection and prevents streaming video playback (you have to disconnect the iPad to watch AppleTV content)
- Performance depends on your network or quality of cable connection (it was more choppy than Sidecar for me, even wired)
- Some features may require an Astropad subscription (though basic functionality doesn’t)
Best for older Macs that can’t run Sidecar, Windows users who want to repurpose an old iPad, anyone trying to extend the life of older hardware.
Stretched Bar Mini Monitor
These are those weird ultra-wide displays you might’ve seen, typically 7-8 inches across but only about 2 inches tall. They look like someone took a regular monitor and squished it horizontally. (Here’s the one in the picture above.)
This isn’t exactly repurposing old hardware but its an affordable option when you don’t have old tablets to repurpose.
These can connect via HDMI and a USB cable for power, or a single USB-C cable for both video and power. Plug and play. Works with Windows, Mac, Linux.
The good:
- Ultra-wide form factor is perfect for widget dashboards and monitoring tools
- Touchscreen on most models (Mac and Linux support may vary)
- Connects like any other second monitor
- No issues with copy protection on media playback
- Unique shape actually makes sense for certain workflows (try putting a to-do list on one, the terminal, or Winamp)
The not so good:
- Very DIY aesthetic (some models have exposed circuit boards on the back—cool if you’re into that)
- You’ll be manually tweaking resolution and scaling settings like a regular display
- Cable management across your desk can be annoying
- Touchscreen functionality can be quirky (might behave like a trackpad instead of a touchscreen by default)
Best for Windows users, anyone who doesn’t have an old iPad laying around, people comfortable with a bit of tinkering, desk setups where that ultra-wide form factor makes sense.
Which One Should You Choose?
Go with Sidecar if you’ve got a relatively recent Mac and iPad just sitting around. It’s free, it works, and you’d be silly not to try it.
Go with Luna Display if your hardware is older and Sidecar won’t work, or you want touch support on an iPad, or you’re on Windows and want to give that old iPad new purpose. The upfront cost is minimal, and is cheaper than buying a new second monitor.
Go with a stretched bar mini monitor if you don’t have an old iPad to repurpose, or you are on Windows and want touch support. The unique ultra-wide format is genuinely useful for things like monitoring, widgets, and task lists.
Sustainability
That old iPad in your drawer still works. The battery holds a charge, the Retina screen is beautiful, and the touch response is fine. As a second display it’s perfect.
Grab a cheap tablet stand and give it a try!
By repurposing old tablets and finding creative uses for outdated hardware, you’re:
- Keeping functional electronics out of landfills
- Saving money vs. buying new hardware
- Getting genuine productivity value from devices you already own
- Sticking it to Apple for making your iPad slower than molasses after an iOS update (even if just a little)
Give Old Hardware a Job
You don’t need a mini display and your desk setup is probably fine. But if you’ve got old hardware sitting around doing nothing, or you’re willing to spend a little on a weird stretched bar mini monitor, the quality of life improvements are real.
It’s not about having the most screens or the flashiest setup. It’s about information at your fingertips without the constant context switching that kills productivity. It’s about giving old hardware a second life instead of contributing to the e-waste pile.
So, before you toss that old iPad in a drawer for another three years, maybe give it a job instead.
Have you repurposed old tablets or tech for your desk setup? Found any creative uses for outdated hardware? Drop a comment. I’m always looking for new ideas.
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