Which is better: 1 large or 2 smaller monitors?

Question

Monitors

Now I am working on 2 23" monitors and for the umpteenth time I wonder if it would be more convenient to work on one 27" monitor, for example? On the one hand, 2 monitors conveniently logically divide the space (under the IDE and the dock/examples/test platform), and on the other hand (sometimes when playing games) it is much more pleasant to play on a large monitor, and even using any additional software (and from version 8 Windows and native) you can also comfortably divide the workspace into zones. With the growth of the diagonal of monitors, the space on the table (physical) is getting smaller and smaller, and now the printer had to be moved to a chair nearby. I have been thinking about this idea for the umpteenth time, but there is still not enough push to make a final decision. Who worked with large monitors 27+, can you share your experience?

Answer 1

If it is to work, then two is better. There are many programs and it is convenient to spread them on different monitors - for example, an IDE or other main program on one, and mail, messaging, a browser on another.
If you play and watch movies, then a large monitor is better.

Answer 2

I would not say that it is more pleasant to play on 27, you have to turn your head

Answer 3

If you change two for one, you will regret it =) In games, 4 inches will not do the weather, but in general, comfort will be reduced by a lot.

Answer 4

In my experience - it depends on the task - for example, I have been using 2 monitors for a long time: on one, the main work, on the second, documentation, results, etc. In general, 2 large ones are better. Very important (for work, for games I think there is no difference) vertical resolution. The more - the more pleasant it is to work, more information is placed on the screen.

Answer 5

For me, it's definitely more convenient with two monitors. But now I have 3 monitors: one central 23' and two 19'. The central main one is connected to the built-in video card, and the side ones are connected to the ATI ePCI card. It is convenient to keep the main program you are working with (browser, IDE, movie or game) on the central one, side ones for helping information. If web programming, then the browser goes to the left, and the project is in the center, and on the right is a guide to php css html javascript, etc. It is especially convenient when a virtual machine with Windows is open in the entire right screen and two other monitors with linux, many who come in think that these are two different computers and try to understand for a long time when the mouse calmly switches from Linux to Windows)

Answer 6

I'm thinking about the idea of ​​having one 2580*1080 monitor. Then you can try to organize two virtual monitors, which will not have a hole due to the frame between them. And when necessary, switch to one big monitor.
True, no matter how I tried, I still didn’t find out how this can be implemented in practice - the picture-in-picture function, special software, etc.?
True, Win7 for example has a very cool support for moving windows from the keyboard - Win-Left - move to the left half, Win-Right - right half, Win-up for a turn. I now have two monitors - one laptop, one external. I've learned a lot about these hotkeys - it's very convenient now. I think you can do the same when there is a large monitor.

Answer 7

There are two monitors nearby - one 27" 2560x1440, the second 19" 1440x900 in portrait orientation.

Answer 8

It seems to me that these two monitors need to have close dpi, otherwise it will be inconvenient to “switch” vision when changing eyes, despite the fact that you can programmatically set the desired resolution to the wallpaper.
Two will be better.

Answer 9

I am more comfortable with two than with one, only two monitors are not the same, but one is larger and the other is smaller. Perhaps when Windows 8 comes out, one large one will be enough, but now the division of space into zones using two devices is much more convenient than virtually.

Answer 10

If you are not working on large drawings, 3D Max, etc. programs that need a lot of space, then it is better to buy two smaller monitors, because. it’s not very comfortable to work on 27 - you will use only 70% of the monitor space, and cover the rest with all sorts of informer widgets.

Answer 11

It seems to me that 2 monitors are better. And even better - this is 1 large monitor, and the second is smaller.

Answer 12

For work it is more convenient (here nobody, I think, argues) two monitors. On one - the documentation, on the second - the development environment (for example). For a game, a large monitor is convenient and beautiful if the video card can handle it (I mean detail at good resolution). But I, for example, even during the game constantly keep an open ICQ and Skype on the second monitor (suddenly someone loses it).
In terms of working behind a 27" monitor, the neck gets tired. At smaller sizes, the entire screen space is in focus, and at large ones, you have to shake your head.

Answer 13

For me - so 2 monitors are more convenient in any case - both in games and at work. On the 2nd usually all sorts of Winamps, ICQ, Skype, documentation. And about the big one - I tried to connect a 32'' LCD TV instead of a monitor. Of course, it's cool, almost like in a spaceship, but your eyes get tired much faster. And you have to move back, which eliminates all the difference in size. So I would advise to leave 2 monitors all the same.

Answer 14

for me personally, one 2560x1440 is enough

Answer 15

Diagonal - 27 inches. Sometimes you have to code, the browser fits on half of the monitor, and the editor on the other.
I never divided it into two virtual ones, somehow there was no such need. I even had the opportunity to connect an additional 22 ", but I didn't even want to.

Answer 16

Nvidia graphics cards have a poor implementation of multi-monitor support. There is no setting for how the desktop will be displayed on monitors, you have to use the Windows settings. In windows settings there are only 2 options: duplicate, extend the desktop. It is not enough for the second monitor to be independent of the first one. If you use the "expand" mode, then when you run a full-screen application (let's say some game), you will not be able to use the second monitor.

Answer 17

Best of all - one large, the second medium.
If the question is exactly “one 27 or two 23”, then 2x23 is better for most tasks, although there are options depending on the resolution.
I now have 2 monitors, one of which is 27". I can say that often I don’t even use the full width of the screen. I moved the taskbar to the right side, placed several widgets on the left - and this is all just so that the side areas are not empty (most sites and programs configuration 16x9 is not optimal)
.

Answer 18

task = task :)