Support NeoGAF

[gofreak]

Anyone have any experience with using two monitors vs one, or how it compares to perhaps a larger widescreen monitor?

I often find myself wish I could throw something onto another screen so I could simultaneously, for example, read something while coding without having to switch between them on the taskbar.

I was wondering though, would a larger widescreen monitor be pretty much as good? Can you split the screen vertically, so to speak, and have say a webpage open on one side, a IDE on the other?

So the choice perhaps comes down to, perhaps, 2 19" 4:3 LCDs (possibly a Samsung 19" Syncmaster 913N) or 1 20" "widescreen" LCD (possibly a Dell 2005FPW). Both options will cost me roughly the same.

Anyone have any advice to impart?

Also, anyone know of good monitors with component inputs? It'd be helpful to be able to plug in a current console from time to time. Thanks for any advice

 

[ChrisReid]

You're getting much much more screen real estate with two 19" screens as opposed to a 20" widescreen. You're looking at a comparison of 1024x768x2 versus 1280x800 or thereabouts (maybe 1280x960x2 versus 1600x1000). You're not going to have as nice a split on the widescreen monitor. With two screens, you can quite easily have windows snap to one screen or the other. With the widescreen, you're physically resizing the windows to take up the left or right halves. Buy a widescreen TV for your movies and video games, get two regular screens for your computer.

 

[Phoenix]

I'm a two screen man myself as it allows me to mentally split two different types of work on different screens. I say this because as a developer I spend a lot of time churning through work on one screen (builds and such) while browsing the web on another. In addition when I do debugging of OpenGL applications it helps immensely to have the debugger on one screen while the application is "fullscreen" on the other.

 

[xsarien]

I have two 17" LCDs here at work, I'm really going to miss the setup. (This is my last week.)

 

[gofreak]

Thanks for the posts guys, I think it is probably wise to try and seperate my entertainment from these. Even the widescreen monitors don't display the standard HDTV resolutions (well 1920x1080 properly), and my main concern really is work.

So now..I guess my choices are between these two I think:

Samsung 19" LCD Syncmaster 930BF (4ms, DVI)
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=311134&cks=SPK

Or for about €100 more, this guy:
http://accessories.euro.dell.com/sna/ProductDetail.aspx?c=ie&l=en&cs=iedhs1&sku=12189

It's 20% off at the moment. Lower contrast ratio (400:1) and higher latency (16ms) but it's 1600x1200 native, has an extra inch, plus composite and svideo in if I REALLY need to hook up something up. Anandtech also raves about this display, if that counts for anything.

There is a Dell 1905FP for a little less too, with lower latency and twice the contrast ratio. Fitting 2 on my desk might seem less obscene. Hmm.

Am a little torn.

Anyone have recommendations, or any other LCDs in this kind of range worth considering?

 

[darscot]

I'm a two screen man myself as it allows me to mentally split two different types of work on different screens. I say this because as a developer I spend a lot of time churning through work on one screen (builds and such) while browsing the web on another. In addition when I do debugging of OpenGL applications it helps immensely to have the debugger on one screen while the application is "fullscreen" on the other.

This man speaks the truth. It's basically impossible trying to debug any kind of draw code with only one screen.

 

[gofreak]

Thinking about dimensions a little more, 2 20" screens might be a bit much...

Not sure, anyone use such screens at all? I figure they'd take nearly the length of my desk. Could be hard on the eyes panning across two large screens like that.

Not sure if pairing a larger and a smaller screen would be ergonomically sound? The 20" is very tempting for the resolution boost it brings..

 

[cubicle47b]

I have a Dell 24" Widescreen LCD (1920x1200) being shipped to me right now but since I haven't actually used it I can't comment. I looked at a 23" Sony at Circuit City yesterday and was a little surprised how big it was, though. Enough that I decided I didn't really need to hook up my current monitor (19" NEC CRT - 1600x1200). Combined, they would have taken up my entire desk.

 

[Cauliflower of Love]

I have a 19" and a 17" set up, both crt. My desk is pretty huge. With that said, It's crowded, very crowded. I would love two 19 inchers though.

setup is 19" in front, and 17 on the right side at about 45 degrees of the other. I like it.

 

[Zinista]

I've got 2 x 19" both at work and at home and I can't live without them.... I thought I'd get distracted by having the second monitor but I find it a huge asset.

 

[Aruarian Reflection]

I personally like one big widescreen better than dual monitors. I just can't get used to looking from one monitor to another.

 

[Zinista]

I personally like one big widescreen better than dual monitors. I just can't get used to looking from one monitor to another.

Mine are right nect to each other so I don't really have to move physically... I guess the space factor can be a problem though for a few people...

 

[EekTheKat]

I have a Dell 24" Widescreen LCD (1920x1200) being shipped to me right now but since I haven't actually used it I can't comment. I looked at a 23" Sony at Circuit City yesterday and was a little surprised how big it was, though. Enough that I decided I didn't really need to hook up my current monitor (19" NEC CRT - 1600x1200). Combined, they would have taken up my entire desk.

I love my 24" Dell widescreen. My PS2 is hooked up via component to it too and occasionally I fire it up + play a little madden in a ...well...little PNP window overlay on top of my desktop.

There's no screen door effect on this Dell, and the response time is more than adequate for fps games (IMHO of course), colors are pretty good and I lucked out with zero dead pixels too.

 

[DopeyFish]

i used to use a 19" and 21" and i'm now using a 17" and 22" widescreen.

I never find much use out of the second screen and find it distracting (unless of course i'm playing games on it)

 

[capslock]

That's like saying if you want to have a 3some with two fairly attractive women or just one on one with a supermodel.....ummm....I guess not.

 

[cubicle47b]

I lucked out with zero dead pixels too.

It's a Samsung and they went to a no dead pixel policy a while ago. Stuck pixels are still a problem for some people, though.

I'm planning on hooking my Xbox 360 up with either component or VGA. I'm not going to bother with older systems (although I'm going to see how GT4's 1080i mode looks through component, just for kicks).

 

[ChrisReid]

Thinking about dimensions a little more, 2 20" screens might be a bit much...

Not sure, anyone use such screens at all? I figure they'd take nearly the length of my desk. Could be hard on the eyes panning across two large screens like that.

I have a 21" CRT in the middle and a 19" CRT on each side. I usually just use the middle monitor and the right 19", and I don't have any problem looking at them.

 

[gofreak]

Thanks for all the advice - I think I've decided on this:

Dell 2001FP - 20", 16ms response time, 1600x1200 native, and most importantly, 20% off
http://accessories.euro.dell.com/sn...cd&mnf=694&prst=&prEnd=&InStock=&refurbished=

It also has composite and svideo inputs and apparently good Picture-In-Picture capability which would be useful for the odd time I need to plug in a console.

I think I'll see how I go with this one, and then perhaps consider a smaller "satellite" monitor to accompany it later.

That is, unless the wise sages of GAF can suggest a better alternative??