In 2019, What's Your Preference? Dual Monitors vs Ultrawide vs 4K

[Deleted member 4034]

I tried ultrawide a few years back, but I didn't properly invest, I got a 29 inch LG that was 2560 x 1080 for like $250 or something. It was nice, but I was clearly not getting the full experience.

Bought two really nice 24 inch Acer monitors, but with my laptop that required me to also buy a docking station and while I do like the setup for productivity, it is a bit convoluted and no amount of wire management is gonna help with that.

Came across the LG 34UM88 P which has great specs and is actually affordable compared to most ultrawides. Thinking about going for it and I'll get at least some of my money back selling my current monitors and docking station.

I'm primarily gonna use it for multitasking. The dual setup was obviously ideal for that, but I just want a cleaner setup. I might play my switch on it from time to time, I don't mind the slight stretch.

 

[Avi Smith]

I have also wondered about this...it seems ultra wide should be the best of everything but it's nice to have two screens as it's easy to multitask..I'd imagine for gaming ultra is amazing.

 

[Deleted member 4346]

2560x1440 for me at home (will add a second 4K OLED for gaming and movies this year). I like ultrawides but the few games that don't support them aggravate me.

At work I use 2 1920x1080 monitors and 1 4K monitor mounted to an arm a few feet away. Multiple screens are best for productivity.

 

[whatsinaname]

Maybe you can just get a TV and use it as a monitor? Less expensive than equivalent monitors too. I use a 40" tv (3840 x 2160). Works as 4 separate seamless monitors (Windows Snap helps a lot) when I am multitasking. But has nice connectivity options and a remote if I plug in my Switch.

(Just make sure to find a model has 4:4:4 support at 60hz 4k.)

 

[Massicot]

I have a 4k monitor (gaming, hdr, gsync and all that) flanked by two 1080p monitors (youtube, discord, twitter, etc). Windows 10 actually does a surprisingly good job managing the mismatched resolutions, apps will resize automatically when dragging from monitor to monitor. Personally, I'm not sure I could go back to two monitors, let alone 1.

Ultrawide seems nice but I guess I would have to figure out how to implement it in a way that gels with my current setup. Triple ultrawide? Ultrawide plus two 1080s of matching height? Probably not going to change out for years though, who knows what'll be vogue in 2025.

 

[SirMossyBloke]

4K HDR for me on a 55" TV.

HDR is the best new tech to come out of TVs in a long time.

 

[Jag]

Two 27inch mounted monitors, side by side. Center for gaming, off-set left for webbing.

 

[Viewt]

I have an external 4K monitor at work that I use with my laptop, but most of what I do is easy enough on one screen. Those ultra wide monitors are cool, though.

 

[Deleted member 4034]

Maybe you can just get a larger TV? Less expensive than equivalent monitors too. I use a 40" tv (3840 x 2160). Works as 4 separate seamless monitors (Windows Snap helps a lot) when I am multitasking. But has nice connectivity options and a remote if I plug in my Switch.

(Just make sure to find a model has 4:4:4 support at 60hz 4k.)

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I found a nice 43 inch a few years back that did this, it seemed nice and one of my coworkers did go ahead and buy it, but I have a 43 inch Vizio now, seems a bit a redundant now especially in my studio apartment.

 

[Puggles]

I use a 4k 40" TV and a 27" 1440p monitor at home. I'll always take 2 monitors over an ultra wide. I like to have other programs visible while gaming.

 

[Nastrodamous]

in order of my preference of things i have tried

dual 5k 27inch monitors
dual 4k 32inch monitors
34inch ultra wide
dual 1440p monitors
dual 1080p monitors

 

[whatsinaname]

I found a nice 43 inch a few years back that did this, it seemed nice and one of my coworkers did go ahead and buy it, but I have a 43 inch Vizio now, seems a bit a redundant now especially in my studio apartment.

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Yeah, two 40"+ in a studio might end up looking a bit weird. But you are getting close to that territory with a 34" too.

 

[Aurongel]

At home I use a Dell P2715Q 4k monitor from 2015 which is by far the best monitor I've ever owned.

At work, I use three 1080p monitors for software development which are just okay.

Ideally, I want to eventually move up my home monitor to one of those LG Ultrawide 5K monitors which are basically 4k monitors but in 21:9:

 

[The Albatross]

For work, I prefer dual monitors, especially in Windows.

Windows window management is just so good I feel really productive with ~8+ snap spots across the two screens.

We had an option at work to get these massive 40" 4K displays, and I never felt comfortable trying them out in other people's offices so I stuck with dual monitors. I'd like to get like two 4K 27"+ monitors, but for now I've got two 1080p 24" monitors and I'm fine with that.

 

[Deleted member 2625]

I do a Dell 4k monitor (30") plus my Macbook screen open if I need a 2nd.

the ultrawide monitors are kinda weird to me. and hard nope to curved screens.

 

[Shalashaska]

I would love to get an ultrawide one for gaming. 1440p would still be an upgrade for me considering I'm currently using 1080p monitors. 4k just seems like a resource hog.

I think my ideal setup would be an ultrawide + another small normal monitor.

 

[Damerman]

I have a 34 inch ultra wide with vsync. I'm never going back. I'm just waiting for ultrawide HDR... something like 600 nitz. I feel like 1000 nitz monitor is too much.

at work, dual monitors is super nice though.

 

[NSA]

I use 3 screens, would be nice if they were all 4K.

I like the physical separation to keep things.. well separate.

This is for work/normal PC use, not gaming.

 

[acheron_xl]

I've had a 34 inch ultrawide @ 3440x1440 for 4 years, and I supplement it with a second 1080 monitor in portrait (for Twitter). It's great for games, but I also make music on it, and it's amazing for that.

 

[Jersa]

I've gone a variety of routes over the past five years, and I'm pretty happy with my current set up.

3440x1440 Ultrawide for main PC in the office that's also hooked up to the 4K tv in the living room.
240hz 1080 monitor for my laptop/ girlfriend's setup.

Used to have triple 1440 144hz, but that was overkill and just felt excessive to look at.

 

[NoblesseOblige]

I use a single 1440 144 hz ultrawide for gaming. For work productivity I use 3 cheap 1080p monitors in the office, and a single external 4k to plug my work laptop into at my home office.

 

[MikeOfAllTrades]

For me, 27inch 2K is the sweet spot. I have 1 at home (144 Hz G-Sync), and 2 at work. It's high enough res while still allowing for 100+ frames to per second without much difficulty.

 

[Wraith]

I'm currently running two monitors: 24" 1080p 144hz and 22" 1680x1050 IPS. But debating what my next upgrade will be. I need to keep high refresh rate for my main monitor. While most 1440p's are 27"+, my monitor stand and desk are kind of limited to 2x24", so I'd probably be moving from two monitors to one if I went bigger. I could get a 1440p 24" monitor, but would I be better off going with one big monitor or an ultrawide. Or change my setup so I can fit a 27" display + one of my current monitors as secondary (even if they won't both work on the monitor stand).

 

[hurlex]

I feel like ultra wide is the best for productivity (for me at least). Dual scree. 1440p feels too big for me because I was physically moving my head too much.

For gaming, I'm not sure ultra wide is the best. It is a pretty cool experience but you basically always have to have a top of the line rig to maintain resolution and high FPS.

 

[iareharSon]

Just purchased a 27" 1440p IPS monitor, and I honestly don't have much of a need (or the space) for more than that right now. I do most of my PC gaming via Steam In-Home Streaming to devices hooked up to one of my two televisions, and the single 27" is perfectly fine for working.

 

[lake]

I'm satisfed with my two 24" LCDs (one G-Sync) mounted on cheap but strong arms. Multiple discrete monitors seems more functional than a single ultrawide since fullscreen apps take over one entire monitor. With an ultrawide it'd be impossible to see anything but the fullscreen app.

It's funny, when I got the second monitor I was very skeptical of its utility. Now I would be majorly bothered to be constrained to one screen.

 

[Deleted member 9241]

No compromises.

 

[ProstatePuncher]

Dual monitors, all the way. Get a mount that allows you to spin them and you're set for everything. You also don't have to worry about any fucking about with ultrawide support for games.

Can also dedicate one monitor to using my Switch while watching a tournament or something on Twitch via my PC on the other. Couldn't do that with the ultrawide monitor without goofing about.

 

[Another Castle]

I have a 4k monitor (gaming, hdr, gsync and all that) flanked by two 1080p monitors (youtube, discord, twitter, etc). Windows 10 actually does a surprisingly good job managing the mismatched resolutions, apps will resize automatically when dragging from monitor to monitor. Personally, I'm not sure I could go back to two monitors, let alone 1.

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This is the best answer if you want to stream, game and manage your stream effectively while possibly multitasking in other ways.

Otherwise if you're just gaming I'd still recommend getting a 4K HDR monitor at the very least. You'll be future-proofed for a while.

 

[Deleted member 4034]

No compromises.

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Like MCU as much as the next person, but how does that not hurt your eyes?

 

[Deleted member 9241]

Like MCU as much as the next person, but how does that not hurt your eyes?

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My center screen always has something over it. I never actually see that wallpaper.

 

[Mik2121]

At home, two 1920x1080 monitors and a projector connected to my PC. Use the projector for movies and some games, the monitors for the rest of PC gaming and making my own 3D and 2D stuff at home.
At work, two 1920x1200 monitors and a 1920x1080 TV.

Either way, not a fan of only 2 screens, and working on just 1 would be quite difficult.