Monitors What is your multi monitor setup for productivity

Renegade

Renegade

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With the trauma of losing a monitor finally beginning to fade away, I was considering getting a monitor in a few months as I miss the productivity boost I had with the monitor I had. That thought made me curious how others on TE are using such setups.

People who are using multiple monitors simultaneously:
  • What is your setup (share a pic if you can), what are you using it for and how does it improve your productivity.
  • What is your biggest pain when you have to work back on a single monitor setup.
  • Do you prefer a HD, QHD, 4K monitor in your multi monitor setup.
  • Do you use the monitors with the stock stand or with a VESA arm.
  • Anything else you want to share
 
I cannot work with single monitor anymore. I would prefer 3 monitors but this damn macbook m1 doesn't support more than 1 external monitor.

Currently I have a 4k 32 inch monitor connected to my Macbook. big monitors gives you a lot of screen real estate for multiple apps at the same time. Plus I can play movies/shows in 4k while continue to work on the laptop screen.
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At work, we have option of either 1x 30/34" Ultrawide 1440p mounted on VESA arm or 2x 23" 1080p monitors with stock stand. I usually prefer 2x23" 1080p monitors as they are enough and provide more real-estate (I may be wrong). At home, I use 27" 1440p KVM monitor. Along with laptop screen, it's just adequate. But about 2 months back when I was in India and had to make use of a 24" monitor, I was not comfortable. The screen just felt limiting.
 
Main Display: LG C3 - 48" 4K, 120 Hz Oled
Vertical Display: MSI MAG 274QRF - 27" 1440P 180Hz Q

Both monitors are on gas spring vesa mounts.

Bonus: The 27" perfectly aligns vertically with the 48"
 
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A key component I find very important after using mismatch size monitors for very long, the monitors should be of same size preferably same model, right next to each other. If you want a focus oriented workspace, and it will be good idea to go beyond the 16:9, like 16:10 or 3:2. For context

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Doing WFH for almost 2 decades now. I have used dual monitor setup in horizontal as well as vertical setup for a decade each time.

My current setup looks similar to this,
1739950838105.png


After switching to a vertical setup, I realized how lame horizontal setups are. If anyone thinks otherwise, I'm ready to fight until death.

Vertical setups are ergonomic on your neck. You are always looking straight. The table gets less messy. And, if you have a reclining chair, then you get a cinematic experience while watching videos.

My upper monitor is the main in the system. So all icons, downloads stay on it. Whereas lower is my main working one. When I download something or take screenshots, I can access them from the upper monitor without having to minimize-maximize a few windows.

Moreover, I have positioned the task bar at the top on both monitors about 5 years ago. It has been a big productivity hack.

1739951410547.png


We waste a lot of time manipulating windows and tabs. Keeping them close together means you don't have to waste time dragging the mouse cursor across the screen every time.

Additionally, I use a tool called 7+ taskbar tweaker, it has a mapped scroll wheel to open/minimize tasks when the cursor is hovering over the task bar. That was a game changer.
 
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lockhrt999 said:
After switching to a vertical setup, I realized how lame horizontal setups are. If anyone thinks otherwise, I'm ready to fight until death.

Vertical setups are ergonomic on your neck. You are always looking straight. The table gets less messy. And, if you have a reclining chair, then you get a cinematic experience while watching videos.
Click to expand...
Now that you've said it, I could not agree more. I have worked with two laptops side by side and I almost always end up sliding one away coz you just cannot sit in a proper posture. In a horizontal setup, one screen has to be straight ahead, whether it is on a 2 monitor or 3 monitor setup. Vertical setup ofcourse is better due to that reason.

Thanks for sharing. Pictures are worth a 1000 words.
 
This is my current workspace setup: to the left, a 24" BenQ 1080p 60Hz monitor, mounted on an arm; front and center, the LG UltraGear 27" 1440p 144Hz display on the stock stand; and to the right, my MacBook, elevated on a laptop stand for improved ergonomics. The BenQ is dedicated to communication apps like Slack, while my MacBook keeps Outlook open at all times. The primary focus of my work takes place on the LG monitor. When I need to compare sheets - an often occurrence - having multiple screens at my disposal makes multitasking seamless. Similarly, sharing a screen while keeping notes open on another monitor is an absolute game changer.

In my previous life as an engineer, I mounted the BenQ vertically for easier reading of code and scripts, and it proved to be a fantastic setup.

Surprisingly, despite the difference in specs, the transition from the 144Hz refresh rate on the LG to the 60Hz on the BenQ doesn't disrupt my productivity at all - though I do notice the difference in resolution, although rarely. But at just 24", the lower resolution on the BenQ doesn’t hinder me in the slightest. There's no going back to a 27" 1080p display, though.

While I could manage with a single monitor, I prefer not to, especially during meetings. Though my workplace only offers a single 1440p 27" monitor, having the MacBook's additional screen is more than enough to support my multitasking needs.

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mahenkpatel said:
I cannot work with single monitor anymore. I would prefer 3 monitors but this damn macbook m1 doesn't support more than 1 external monitor.
Click to expand...
Thats the only reason to upgrade from an M1 Mac but it looks like the old Macbook Pro with 13" screen. So that means its been 4 years+ since you got that. Time for a refresh!

Thanks for sharing the pic.

kewlboy9 said:
This is my current workspace setup: to the left, a 24" BenQ 1080p 60Hz monitor, mounted on an arm; front and center, the LG UltraGear 27" 1440p 144Hz display on the stock stand; and to the right, my MacBook, elevated on a laptop stand for improved ergonomics.
Click to expand...
So you have all 3 resolutions side by side. Surely makes no sense to go with 1080 resolution even on the 24" after getting used to the Macbook screen. Doe the 27" of QHD hold up well next to the 14" of high res Mac screen?
 
Renegade said:
So you have all 3 resolutions side by side. Surely makes no sense to go with 1080 resolution even on the 24" after getting used to the Macbook screen. Doe the 27" of QHD hold up well next to the 14" of high res Mac screen?
Click to expand...
I'll upgrade the 24" when I absolutely see the need to. Right now, it just works and I'm too lazy to replace it.

The distance I typically use my MacBook at makes its PPI irrelevant, especially with a 14" screen. If I use it on my lap for a long time and then switch to a QHD 27" display, it bothers me a bit, but it's nothing major. I guess I'm just getting older, haha.
 
  • Currently use a dual 27" monitor setup. I used to own a desktop with 2 27" 2K monitors, one vertical and other horizontal. I'm not sure how productive it was but my thinking was that vertical monitor can display more lines of code on screen. After I decided to be on the move, I sold my desktop and got a Mac. Tried multiple monitors like 2K 27", 4k 32" but the text wasn't clear when compared to using with Windows. So made the decision to buy Studio Displays as they had native compatibility and also got with Apple Care+ as I'll be moving in and out of places. The main use of the dual display is that I use one for reference and other to code. So it's easier to turn your head instead of switching desktops.
  • When I'm travelling, I'll just be using the laptop display for 2 weeks to a month. Main problem comes when I'll have to refer / read something and work. I'll have to keep switching in and out of desktops. But I think Mac has good gestures to make it easier but still does not feel like using dual monitor setup.
  • 2K 27" / 4K 32" inch is good according to me. Have tried both, works really well. Texts are sharp enough.
  • Stock monitor stand because I have to carry the monitors to the places I go and I won't always have the best tables to fix a mount.
 

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I use a dual monitor setup:
  • Primary - 27" 1440p 170Hz
  • Secondary - 24" 1080p 165Hz in vertical orientation
Secondary monitor in vertical orientation helps having 2 windows open on it, usually slack at top & ongoing call at bottom. Most of the times vertical orientation helps but surely there are times when it is not, say when I want to compare 2 ppts or 2 excel sheets, but these are rare cases.
 
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