Difficulty Deciding between Multiple Monitors or a Large Single

Mr Krinkle on 11/09/2021 - 19:38

I'm looking in increase my screen real estate for my at home setup.

I run a Lenovo Legion with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 and have a ThinkPad Hybrid USB-C with USB-A Dock

Usage is:

Mixing music in Traktor
Data analysis
Bit of coding
Emails & Web browsing
Uni work; lectures, reading, exams etc

I don't play any games due to the internet connection I have being remote and on satellite but even if I'm able to get starlink I don't think it will be something I'm interested in

I'm currently using the laptop screen and a 24 inch monitor

At work I use 2 X 24 inch monitors

Current desk setup is a large dining table so I'm able to have adequate distance between me and the screen or run multiples

I'm used to running multiple monitors but am interested in the large 43 inch monitors that are on offer.

Any recommendations?

I'm at a loss as to what is suitable and what's overkill for my needs.

Computing

Comments

  • Hybroid on 11/09/2021 - 19:40
    +2

    Personally 32" 1440p monitors are the sweet spot. But it'll vary for each person.

    I personally don't like the restricted height of super-ultrawide monitors.

    • Mr Krinkle on 11/09/2021 - 19:44

      I'm not after the ultrawide ones. The 43 inch ones I've seen are a similar ratio to a normal monitor/tv

      • [Deactivated] on 11/09/2021 - 20:11

        Similar ratio?? 43 inches? Nah man, 43 is about 32:10 ratio I believe.

        • Presence on 11/09/2021 - 20:14

          4k is 16:9 ratio. I have one in 43". He isn't talking about ultrawide.

          • [Deactivated] on 11/09/2021 - 20:48

            @Presence: Ohh ok. My bad

  • Unorthodox on 11/09/2021 - 20:14
    +1

    I prefer separate in case I need to share screen, usually share the secondary monitor as I do switch between apps sometimes.

    Not sure if you have the use case

    • Mr Krinkle on 11/09/2021 - 20:32

      Do you mean share the screen with someone at your desk or via an app for collaboration?

      • Unorthodox on 11/09/2021 - 21:33

        App for collaboration - ie: if you're asked to present in a tutorial or whatnot (zoom or MS Teams etc)

        • specks on 11/09/2021 - 23:02

          many of platforms offer a 'share this application' and a 'share your desktop' option

          • Unorthodox on 11/09/2021 - 23:48

            @specks: Yeah I tend to use share app only but sometimes you do have to switch between apps

  • Presence on 11/09/2021 - 20:16

    Make sure you check what your dock can support.

    I have 2 x 24" at work and 1 x 43" at home and I definitely prefer a single screen. It's double the resolution and takes up less desk space.

    • Mr Krinkle on 11/09/2021 - 20:28

      Which one do you have and what is your main use for it? Any drawbacks you have found?

      • Presence on 11/09/2021 - 22:15

        Philips BDM4350UC. Excel, GIS, Office, MS project and lots of multitasking. No real drawbacks. I'd buy another tomorrow if it broke.

        It's great being able to open a large Excel sheet and see all columns at once. It's just not the same with a bezel in the middle across two screens.

  • This Guy on 11/09/2021 - 20:20

    I use 2x 32" 4k, but they need to be under a metre away to be usable for me without scaling. For fine detail I find my self moving between the two. A single 43" would allow me to place the monitor at the back of the desk, but would have my screen space as I would only be able to fit one 43" on my desk.

  • apsilon on 11/09/2021 - 20:32

    It's largely personal preference. I've used dual and single monitors on and off. Currently I'm using a single 40" on my main PC and with large screen sizes now readily available I doubt I'll return to dual monitors.

  • Tavisophical on 11/09/2021 - 20:53

    Single monitor if your desk can accommodate has my vote

  • Donkey19 on 11/09/2021 - 22:04

    Personally I would never downgrade to 1 monitor even if it was superior quality. I have 2x 1440p IPS panels and they are very handy IMO.

  • GourmetFoodie on 11/09/2021 - 22:12
    +2

    Personally I always prefer 2 monitors if I’m doing work that requires two seperate programs runnings at the same time and I need to regularly reference each. Yes you can divide on your single screen but the proportions are never optimal.

  • LilyRose2798 on 11/09/2021 - 22:20
    +1

    I primarily use my PC for programming and much prefer multiple monitors to a single large one. I currently have two vertically stacked 34" ultrawide monitors as well as a cheap 16:9 monitor off to the side oriented in portrait for stuff I dont need to look at as often (music, long running terminal sessions, etc).
    I find that having separate monitors really helps mentally separate things in a way that a single monitor just cant. With only one monitor, no matter the size, I always end up feeling like everything is too cluttered and not as organized, whereas across multiple monitors everything has it's own spot (bottom monitor usually an IDE and terminal or view of app I'm working on, top monitor a couple of browser windows, side monitor for chat windows, music, other misc windows that aren't as important to have in my primary field of vision).
    Everyone works differently though, so you'll really just need to try both options and see what you prefer.
    Here's what my current monitor setup looks like btw. My eye level is just below the gap between the top and bottom monitors so I don't have to tilt my neck much to look at the top one.

  • thatonethere on 11/09/2021 - 23:17

    I used to be in the dual monitor camp for many years. Back to the CRT era.

    However now it makes sense to have a single monitor. Less power. Don’t need to worry about colour mis match etc

  • lew380 on 12/09/2021 - 08:32
    +1

    Ultra wides are great, can fit 3 pdfs side by side and read them all well and just flick through them. Very good for gaming, especially curved screens, creates a good field of vision. I had a triple, 27in setup and while it was OK, the single ultra wide is my preferred choice, can do most of what a triple screen can offer but no bezals amd just a smoother, cleaner and simple setup.

  • mrvaluepack on 12/09/2021 - 09:30

    Cheaper to get a multi monitor setup. You get more pixels per $. Single large are crazy expensive.

  • naplutetium on 12/09/2021 - 20:51

    I have two of the same 32" 2K monitors side by side. It spans the whole table. What I like about this setup:

    • the fact that is it easier to share one full screen in Teams etc and keep "private" windows on other screen.
    • cheaper than one large screen of the same size (each screen was $299).
    • easier to organize windows. I split both screens in half (Windows + left/right arrow keys). I have emails and chat on the right screen. And EDI (or Word, Excel, etc) and browser split over left screen. The left of the right screen, and right of the left screen are my working windows (if that makes sense, is a paint drawing required?). It gives me 4 windows side by side.
    • it's almost too large for me, so just right.

    The only disadvantage is the small gap in the middle. But that's easily ignored.

    • OzFrugie on 13/09/2021 - 00:05

      Where do you sit? Right in the middle?
      Do you angle the monitors or flat?
      I have 2x 27inch and found that its bit hard to see the text on the far end of the monitor

      • naplutetium on 13/09/2021 - 01:17

        Yes, I sit right in the middle.
        I should probably add: these are curved monitors. The distance to the middle and each far end is about an arm length. So it's equal distance curved.

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