OT: Computer Monitor Question...

[oldguy00]

Hey all, I work in IT, and our organization is likely going to start letting us work from home if we desire.
My work computer is a laptop, and at my desk I just have it on a dock connected to two 21.5 inch monitors (cheap, washed out crap).

If I start working from home I plan to buy new monitor(s) for myself, either one larger one like 27", or 2 x 23-34".

I'm not up to speed on what is the best in terms of refresh rate, etc. I see 60, 120, etc. If I am not using it for gaming, is there any need to get a refresh rate higher than 60? Will a higher refresh rate be easier on the eyes for long periods of staring at the screen?

Thanks!!

[tigoat]

I do CAD (3D modeling) work at home with my Dell 30" 2560 x 1600 60 Hz monitor all the time just fine. My 30" is a little too big so I will definitely step it down some when I shop for a new monitor. If cost is not an issue then why not to get a higher refresh rate so it can be good for both worlds. Keep an eye on some of those high resolution monitors (4K, etc), as the text display might be small, so I believe that bigger is definitely better in this case. Also, might want to compare between IPS screen vs. alternatives. IPS monitors is much better for side viewing. I like some of those latest 27" 1440 p monitors as they are at a sweet spot for not being overly larger while the text display is decent.

[MattTuck]

I personally think that multiple monitors is better for productivity in most circumstances. CAD (as mentioned above), graphics, video editing, etc. may be exceptions.

If it was a purely home computer (with some working from home), I'd go for the bigger single monitor with the expectation you'll watch movies on it, and save space. If you'll be doing all or most of your work from that location, I think 2 monitors is the way to go.

[kppolich]

docking station + 2 dell IPS monitors should suffice. 3 screens makes it nice for productivity and keeping things organized.

27" here is nice if screen real estate is important.
https://www.amazon.com/Dell-UltraSharp-27-Inch-LED-Lit-Monitor/dp/B00P0EQD1Q

Also, a nice dual monitor mount is key for getting the screens in the right place so you are comfortable looking at them for a few hours on end.

[Ozz]

My $0.02....you might see if you can get a dual monitor setup and extend your desktop. It's pretty handy, even if you have to step down to 21" from 27"...as Matt suggest above.

[yakstone]

Dual 27’s works for me.
I work from home and appreciate the large screen.
Two screens is also great for productivity and allows you to have most spreadsheets totally visible without having to scroll side to side.

[biker72]

I've got a LG IPS 29" at home that I sometimes use a split screen. Great color and viewing angle. Don't have enough room for anything bigger.

At work I have 2x24" monitors. Problem here is color calibration. They are both Dells but one is much brighter than the other. Don't have that problem with one monitor.

[cderalow]

dual 27" acer LED backlit monitors at work tied to a lenovo thinkpad.

plenty of screen real estate, no issues with refresh for excel, word, browsing, adobe etc.

at home I've got a 27" imac with an old 20" cinema display as a secondary screen.

27" is pretty much the minimum I think is comfortable to work with these days assuming proper posture and being positioned about 2' from eyes to screen.

[eippo1]

Refresh rate isn't a huge deal if you're not gaming since ghosting will not be an issue. That said, get an IPS panel as they are much nicer and better on the eyes etc.

I have my desktop set up with a ultra widescreen and my laptop with a separate monitor and do architecture. I find that I pretty much work the same way with both. Use 2 halves of the screen on the ultra and do the same with the other setup. I do love the ultra for those few times I watch media on it, though.

[foo_fighter]

I prefer matte screens to glossy screens(too much glare).

[AngryScientist]

if you are paying for these yourself, and are just doing IT related tasks, i would just buy a couple of inexpensive monitors on sale and call it good. sounds like whatever you buy will be better than your work set-up already anyway.

you're working from home now, save that monitor money for a good coffee set-up!!

[zzy]

For remote work I strongly recommend dual monitors. Much easier to keep track of your local vs. remote PC at a glance. You don't need refresh rate - resolution is the much bigger factor for work IMO. Even if you want a 144hz monitor you'll need a powerful GPU with either freesync or Gsync and a supporting monitor - typically only gamers care about it for competitive gaming. I use a 4k monitor for remote work so I have have multiple windows open on one screen. Also I agree with the above - get a quality IPS panel vs. the cheaper TN panels. I also strongly recommend getting a adjustable VESA stand with gas springs which makes it easier to find the right position for the monitor. It's a good time to buy now that 4k panels are plummeting in price and can be had for <$200 with some clever shopping.

[ojingoh]

I gotta go with single monitor here -current ride is a 30" wqxga. I never loved multiple monitors, and I've run 2 30" monitors attached to the same computer before. Too much head swiveling, forgetting what browser you're working out of, that sort of stuff.

I found my second monitor would just display nothing most of the time. I would just park open apps over there, but the 30" gave me enough visual overlap that I could find stuff easily. Even today most desktop apps and websites are designed at than 1500 pixels across, so a single is fine if you are okay with alt-tab to stack your open apps.

Finally there's the bright brick wall effect where your physical workspace gets overrun with computer monitors. It's not very healthy to stare at these things for hours on end already, and if your eyes never leave a monitor it's even worse. Optic health is a serious concern and restricting your vision to a particular depth does have long term effect on our eyes.

[oldguy00]

Thanks all, will probably lean towards dual monitors, but may have to go with 24's in that case.
I do have to pay for them myself. I can take my monitors from work from free, but they wont pay for better ones for me. I do development and data mining/analysis stuff (medical EMR middleware stuff), so my main concern is just wanting less eye strain.

And yes, I agree, money to get back into the espresso game, especially being at home, is on my mind!! :)

[AngryScientist]

And yes, I agree, money to get back into the espresso game, especially being at home, is on my mind!! :)

smart man!

granted, i work in NYC, which has to be one of the most expensive cities to need to commute into, but it's amazing how much money i save when i work from home between the commuting $ itself, the lunches i dont buy, the breakfast sandwich i make myself and all the coffee i make rather than buy. it's like having a second income!

[rkhatibi]

I found dual 27" to be just too wide with a lot of head movement required to use effectively. Currently I use the 15" laptop on a stand of to the left for email, browser, etc. Then 4k IPS 27" monitor directly in front for the main code/development work.

I would recommend 4k+ and IPS as other people have suggested.