Rate My Choice for WFH

OzFrugie on 22/08/2022 - 23:54

Hi all,

I'm purchasing new devices for wfh. Mainly spreadsheet and docs.

Below are what I plan to get.
Please comment whether they are good, compatible with each other, or if better alternatives out there with similar price

Surface laptop 4 i5 16GB $1600
Anker Power Extend Elite 13 in 1 $450
2x 24 inch Dell P2422HE $390 each
2x Ergotron LX Tall Pole

Will use 120cm sit/stand desk.

The Dell monitors support Daisy chaining. But is it better to connect both monitors to the dock rather than daisy chaining? Pros n cons?

Thanks

Computing

Comments

  • bobbified on 23/08/2022 - 00:01
    +10

    Surface laptop 4 i5 16GB $1600

    Your company doesn't supply a laptop?

  • Hybroid on 23/08/2022 - 00:05
    +13

    Feel like your priorities are a bit odd without further context. Skimping out on a cheaper low spec laptop but then $450 on a dock and $400 each on small monitors with $250 arms each on top seems very strange choices.

    Personal view is 24" is far too small for productivity spreadsheets and docs. 32" is sweet spot for 2 whole documents side by side or larger spreadsheet use. You don't need both to be same size if have table constraints.

    • OzFrugie on 23/08/2022 - 09:13

      Is surface laptop 4 low spec machine these days?
      Sure there is surface laptop studio or book, but feel i dont need that much power. Also, occasionally I would need to travel so portability is also good.

      Which arm is good? Aware of ozbargain fav North Bayou, which I also have but feel lacking in build quality.

      Agree on the monitor FHD is not ideal but yes space/table constraints. Mulling over having 1 big screen but from what people saying, dual monitors still win for productivity as can compare docs, having 2 apps open fully etc.
      Happy to hear counter arguments..

      Thanks

  • AustriaBargain on 23/08/2022 - 00:17
    +1

    You may as well get one big 4K monitor than two little 1080p ones. A 24 inch monitor has a 1,588cm^2 use area, a 32 inch monitor has 2,823
    cm^2. Plus the pixel density will be smaller so the image will look better per square cm. And get another one so you can watch streaming services while being productive.

  • jv on 23/08/2022 - 00:32

    for wfh

    Desktop

  • boomramada on 23/08/2022 - 00:51

    24" is perfect, and get a desktop. If you usually on the move, Ms surface is good. 32" too big.

    • dogboy on 23/08/2022 - 09:17
      +3

      Huh? 24" is perfect but 32" is too big? From someone who uses 2 x 32" monitors they are not too big, they are awesome. I cringe at the thought of having to go back to tiny 24" monitors. eww. I reckon a 34" widescreen would be better than 2 x 24".

      • boomramada on 24/08/2022 - 08:11

        Why stop there, could go for x2 49" perfect for flight sim kind of productivity 😀

        But seriously I prefer two smaller, less mouse scrolls and better for neck. Or you could go one horizontal and one vertical on wider screen, depend on the work you do.

  • Its not unusable on 23/08/2022 - 02:18
    +4

    I would say it mainly depends on your device and environment, Im currently using a 27inch and 21inch monitors on my table, but i feel it bit overisized, it always needs me turning my head in to one directions. Im considering to downgrade to 2 x 24inch or 2x 21inch.

    For working I more perfer multi monitors rather than a huge one, multi window tasks will works much easier on two monitors rather than one. 24inch x2 is also a great choice.

    I never uses surface device before, but if it has a thunderbolt 4or typec and monitor has a type c inport. I gues you dont have to buy the dock, just connect with type C ports to your device, dells monitor can become a dock since it has so many usbs.

    Im not sure what dock will you use, but usually the small dock without power supply or good cooling shell are realy not stable enough.

    If Im remember it right, the surface laptops 4 are using 4th gen AMD or 11th gen intel? which is previous gen cpu. AMD and Intel has imporved a lot performance in this generation cpu(5000 series and intel 12th gen series), I would say is beter to choice the laptop with latest generantion cpu or wait for surface to update thier devices.
    But if your work are some light excel or word work, the performance may not that important to you.

  • ForkSnorter on 23/08/2022 - 06:24

    i5 not good enough for wfh long-term in my opinion. You need at least i7. Even my i7 desktop gets pretty hot and noisy with a bunch of documents and apps open.

  • 87percent on 23/08/2022 - 07:29
    +1

    Don’t forget an MX KB and mouse

  • slow on 23/08/2022 - 08:23
    +1

    If it were me I would make at least one of the monitors 27 inch 1440p,

  • bahgsy on 23/08/2022 - 09:51

    From memory the surface lineup don't have TB. Would be better off with a surface dock.

    • OzFrugie on 23/08/2022 - 10:04

      Correct. No TB, only usb c

  • YouSirName on 23/08/2022 - 09:52

    I'd get a 32 inch monitor at least. There are 34 inch wide screen curved monitors from Dell (S3422DW I think) and AOC (AOC CU34G2X) for ~$550 which you may want to look at. These are not regular prices though, but I see them going out for this price very often.

  • OzFrugie on 23/08/2022 - 10:04

    Is AOC good brand for reliability?

  • ParmiAndChips on 23/08/2022 - 11:28
    +1

    Mainly spreadsheet and docs

    Total overkill. But if you're doing it for the beefy tax deduction then sure why not

  • smurftastic on 23/08/2022 - 13:44

    Did you take into account a decent chair? Get a good one, your back and butt will thank you for it later

    • OzFrugie on 23/08/2022 - 19:19

      Recommendations?

  • smurftastic on 25/08/2022 - 09:11
    +1

    Since you are sitting all day my recommendation is to try and get a good one.

    My wife had a bad back so we splurged on a Herman Miller for about $1k. Expensive but that was 10 years ago; still as good as new and extremely comfortable to sit on all day and that's from almost daily use in that time period.
    If you have the money I'd suggest one of these, expensive now but will last a long time and extremely comfortable for prolonged use.

    About a year ago I bought for myself the BlitzWolf BW-HOC5 Ergonomic Design Office Chair when it was on special. Not as comfortable as the Herman Miller but okay to sit on all day and for the price a really good chair.

    I also bought an "decent" racing gaming chair for my son (can't recall the model but RRP was about $500). A nice chair to sit on short term but as it's all leather and no mesh your back and butt get quite hot an sweaty after prolonged use.

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