Dual Monitors or Ultrawide Forum

[Anonymous User]

Looking to get some new monitors for the home office. What do you guys think about dual 27” monitors or one 49” ultra-wide?

[UnassumingUsername]

Why not both?

[the lsat failure]

49 sounds great in theory but I'd highly suggest two bezel-less 27s. It just makes for better multitasking and most apps/websites are not optimized for a 49 inch screen so you'll have to use third party apps to multitask efficiently and live with lots of empty space and black bars when you want to fullscreen.

[purplegoldtornado]

49 sounds great in theory but I'd highly suggest two bezel-less 27s. It just makes for better multitasking and most apps/websites are not optimized for a 49 inch screen so you'll have to use third party apps to multitask efficiently and live with lots of empty space and black bars when you want to fullscreen.

This 100%. You want two separate monitors for the exact reason above.

Also — get curved monitors.

[lawdude31]

49 sounds great in theory but I'd highly suggest two bezel-less 27s. It just makes for better multitasking and most apps/websites are not optimized for a 49 inch screen so you'll have to use third party apps to multitask efficiently and live with lots of empty space and black bars when you want to fullscreen.

This 100%. You want two separate monitors for the exact reason above.

Also — get curved monitors.

You should get dual curved monitors?

[mwells_56]

Save the money, go with the duals.

Ultrawides are super cool, look awesome, are fun to having for gaming, but for productivity it is better psychologically to have two separate monitors. At least that's what I think.

[CovidLurker]

Dual > Ultra wide. Being able to seamlessly throw up 4 docs side by side is handy for drafting. Also, having one monitor dedicated to email so you can keep track while they fly in and the other dedicated to actual work is much better than anything wide gives you. (yes - i know you can do all this on wide as well, but I find it easier on dual)

[Anonymous User]

Going to strongly disagree with everyone else and say go for the ultrawide. Used 2 monitor setups for years and thought it was ok, but switched to an ultrawide a couple years back and it's a big improvement. Even better if you can also have your laptop screen on, or an extra monitor to the side.

I see a few major benefits with an ultrawide. First, being able to have a document directly in front of you is excellent. With dual monitor setups there's a tendency to have the split directly in front of you, so you're always looking slightly to one side. Having your main focus straight ahead is better ergonomics and I find better for actually focusing. Second, the ultrawide will likely give more space and more flexible space to organize windows the way you want. If you get decent resolution on the ultrawide, you'll have more screen space than with the dual monitors. Even if it's not full 4k, you're likely to have extra vertical resolution compared to the dual monitor setup and the same horizontal resolution. If you do go 4k, it's comparable to having 4 1920x1080 monitors.

I rock a 38" curved ultra wide and my typical view is 3 docs side by side, with the main one I'm working in front and center. Also great when reviewing diligence charts, as you can have the chart taking 2/3s of the monitor and the related docs or schedules on the last 1/3.

If you can do 3 monitors, that *might* be comparable, but extra document vertical and looking straight ahead are major benefits in my book.

Accidental anon. This is byrdscales.

[dabigchina]

if you ever need to share screens on zoom, etc, I would stay away from ultrawides. I've gotten negative feedback from my friends who have ultrawides on this.

[byrdscales]

My experience doing zoom screen shares with an ultrawide has just involved asking the participants if I need to zoom in more to make text legible. Usually pretty trivial to resolve, thoug I also share windows, not my full screen.

[purplegoldtornado]

49 sounds great in theory but I'd highly suggest two bezel-less 27s. It just makes for better multitasking and most apps/websites are not optimized for a 49 inch screen so you'll have to use third party apps to multitask efficiently and live with lots of empty space and black bars when you want to fullscreen.

This 100%. You want two separate monitors for the exact reason above.

Also — get curved monitors.

You should get dual curved monitors?

Absolutely. I know it sounds silly, but they look a lot better than you’d think. I should upload a picture of my setup.

[TigerIsBack]

I have a 48" monitor that's close to top of the line I think, paid like $800 for it. I splurged as a blue-eyed/bushy tailed first year thinking I'd be working all day every weekend and looking to do something fun with the first paycheck.

A few years later, I do feel like I'm working all day every weekend, but the monitor is incredible. Especially if you take a break to watch youtube or whatever with WFH. I can easily open outlook and 4 different docs and see all at once.

[dabigchina]

My experience doing zoom screen shares with an ultrawide has just involved asking the participants if I need to zoom in more to make text legible. Usually pretty trivial to resolve, thoug I also share windows, not my full screen.

fair, i use dual monitors myself because it's cheaper so i don't really know. I just know that people who have it complain about it.

[purplegoldtornado]

Here is my setup: https://ibb.co/2n5x0qz.

[champloo]

if you ever need to share screens on zoom, etc, I would stay away from ultrawides. I've gotten negative feedback from my friends who have ultrawides on this.

Sharing only the document/app being reviewed gets rid of this problem for me. Also stongly recommend ultrawide over 2 screens. You can also get a 34 ultrawide and a 27 and get best of both worlds.

[notinbiglaw]

49 sounds great in theory but I'd highly suggest two bezel-less 27s. It just makes for better multitasking and most apps/websites are not optimized for a 49 inch screen so you'll have to use third party apps to multitask efficiently and live with lots of empty space and black bars when you want to fullscreen.

This. Get a third one to run in portrait too. Get the 27”s in 1440p and the portrait one in 1080p with 20.1” to get basically same pixel density and you can full screen a pdf on the 20.1” 1080p. Or just get another 27” 1440p for the portrait mode though I find changing eye level to see top of pdf a bit annoying.

[Ultramar vistas]

Have another vote for ultra wide. I legitimately find it hard to work on the office dual monitors after 7 months of non-stop ultra wide at home, it’s just so clearly superior.

Really like being able to center a document and I like going into thirds more naturally. I have 3 active docs way more often than I do 4.

I have a laptop riser and keep my laptop permanently open on outlook, and for me that’s the best setup I’ve found so far.

[mwells_56]

To those saying that they like having the document centered and therefor go ultrawide, I have a counterpoint solution for dual monitors. I have a 27" and an 24.5" inch, and I keep the larger monitor straight ahead with the smaller one flanking it to the right. A lot of people tend to go for the symmetry of having the bezel in the middle of the desk, but I find that pushing it off to the side is much better.

[notinbiglaw]

Yeah.. don’t understand why you can’t center a document. Just move second monitor to side and center the main monitor.

[HarrisonK]

Here is my setup: https://ibb.co/2n5x0qz.

Very nice setup. What keyboard? Also, love the microphone. Must make it so much easier to hear on Zoom. As a judicial law clerk I handled a lot of Zoom trials this past year and it was very hard to hear people with older computers. If everyone had a microphone Zoom would be so much better. What are your thoughts on adding some lights for Zoom calls? I'd think between lights and a microphone, you're in great shape virtually. Could be overkill, although I think the people on the other side might appreciate it.

For those of you that have dual monitors, do you find it awkward to work when neither monitor is directly centered in front of you? You're always looking slightly to the left or right because the two center bezels are directly in front of you.

I'm considering getting either (1) dual monitors, preferably 32," (2) three monitors, probably 27," or (3) one 49" ultrawide. Each option has its flaws. The problem option one (dual monitors) is that I worry it's going to get awkward/uncomfortable always looking slightly to one side because I have a bezel directly in the center. However, this is the most economical, and easiest setup (can easily use monitor arms instead of mounting three monitors to the wall). The problem with option two (three monitors) is that it's harder to mount three monitors. I'd likely mount all three monitors directly on the wall instead of having three monitor arms mounted to the desk. The benefit of three monitors is that I can have my primary productivity monitor directly in front of me, use one side as a dedicated email monitor and use the other side a last year's work/a form that I'm from. The problem with option three (one 49" ultrawide) is that it's insanely expensive. Most of the 49" monitors (from LG and Samsung) are in the neighborhood of $1,200 and I'd need a heavier duty/more expensive monitor arm/mount. However, the ultrawide might be very beneficial for me because I work on big excel documents daily (Big4 lawyer) and having the extra width would all me to see more at one time. That said, however, I think I'd rather individual monitors to have dedicated workspace and because I can do split screen on one or more of the three monitors if necessary.

Not an easy decision.

[purplegoldtornado]

Here is my setup: https://ibb.co/2n5x0qz.

Very nice setup. What keyboard? Also, love the microphone. Must make it so much easier to hear on Zoom. As a judicial law clerk I handled a lot of Zoom trials this past year and it was very hard to hear people with older computers. If everyone had a microphone Zoom would be so much better. What are your thoughts on adding some lights for Zoom calls? I'd think between lights and a microphone, you're in great shape virtually. Could be overkill, although I think the people on the other side might appreciate it.

For those of you that have dual monitors, do you find it awkward to work when neither monitor is directly centered in front of you? You're always looking slightly to the left or right because the two center bezels are directly in front of you.

I'm considering getting either (1) dual monitors, preferably 32," (2) three monitors, probably 27," or (3) one 49" ultrawide. Each option has its flaws. The problem option one (dual monitors) is that I worry it's going to get awkward/uncomfortable always looking slightly to one side because I have a bezel directly in the center. However, this is the most economical, and easiest setup (can easily use monitor arms instead of mounting three monitors to the wall). The problem with option two (three monitors) is that it's harder to mount three monitors. I'd likely mount all three monitors directly on the wall instead of having three monitor arms mounted to the desk. The benefit of three monitors is that I can have my primary productivity monitor directly in front of me, use one side as a dedicated email monitor and use the other side a last year's work/a form that I'm from. The problem with option three (one 49" ultrawide) is that it's insanely expensive. Most of the 49" monitors (from LG and Samsung) are in the neighborhood of $1,200 and I'd need a heavier duty/more expensive monitor arm/mount. However, the ultrawide might be very beneficial for me because I work on big excel documents daily (Big4 lawyer) and having the extra width would all me to see more at one time. That said, however, I think I'd rather individual monitors to have dedicated workspace and because I can do split screen on one or more of the three monitors if necessary.

Not an easy decision.

I use the Black Widow Elite keyboard: https://www.amazon.com/Razer-BlackWidow ... B07FFCN3DJ. If this became damaged, I would absolutely buy it again. It sounds silly to spend that much on a keyboard, but it is mechanical, which makes typing quicker so much easier. (And the lights are cool, too.)

For lighting, I actually do have decent lighting. Look above my monitors, and you'll see that I have an LED light there. That's actually one of those battery-operated light switches. They are like $6, and they make a WORLD of difference.

As far as the sound goes, not to sound rude haha, but I don't know how my mic affects things. I am sure the quality is better for recording, but I don't know how it works for calls, as the Internet connection could distort it, too.

I would advise against two 32" monitors. I think that is way too big. But, ironically, I would go for the three 27" monitors. (I will probably do that sometime.) And I think that would relieve your concern about not having a center monitor. The biggest downside to two monitors? Calls in which I use my webcam. Because if I want to look at something on the other screen, I am completely turning my head. I have to put the webcam over one of my side monitors. But I still would not do anything different.

Also, the claim I always have to make to people -- I understand that not everyone can afford to drop a lot of money on this equipment. I get that. But realize, you aren't buying a pair of shoes that will last a year and then be good. You spend this money now to get a setup that will last for a long while and you don't have to consistently buy replacement stuff.

Good luck. Happy to take more questions.

[mwells_56]

In general, anybody looking for setup ideas should just head on over to reddit.com/r/battlestations and browse to your heart's content.

[fujo]

Keep your firm's IT policy in mind if you're going to need 3P software or MS powertoys to manage the multiple windows on an ultrawide. You might not be allowed to install the software you need to use an ultrawide effectively.

[Mr. Kister]

I strongly regret having gone with an ultra wide instead of dual monitors. The difference in ease of use is stark.

[notinbiglaw]

If you snap windows at all in Windows, know Windows only knows to take up full/half/quarter of the screen and really don't have any option to, for example, take up middle 1/3 of the screen.

Put differently, Windows still hasn't implemented a lot of UI conveniences designed for ultrawides.

You might not care though if you run Macs.