Thoughts on Monitor Setup -34" Curved Ultrawide QHD + 27" Flat QHD Dual Monitor or Single Samsung 1440p 49"

Ldeals2hunt on 19/05/2021 - 01:30

Looking at replacing the 32inch QHD Curved monitor setup due to texts lacking clarity and a little bit of extra screen real estate for a book or a fullscreen video while doing some work. I don't game at all on my laptop so this setup is purely for productivity(Studying + Software Dev). I prefer to see things side by side for better understanding or play some contents while trying that on the other screen.

Concerns (Current setup):

  • Text lacks clarity
  • Sometimes I need some more real estate
  • Prefer another screen while multitasking

Have three setups in mind;

Setup 1 : 34" IPS Curved Screen (< $800) as Primary + 24/27" Dell QHD (~ $300) Monitor has secondary. Expected total cost < $1100. Would a curved + flat dual monitor setup go well together?

Setup 2 : 49" Samsung WQHD 1440p for $1500 via TGG commercial(retails in other places for $1699). This will be a single monitor setup but costs $400 more than the above setup.

Setup 3 : 34" Philips IPS Flat Screen(~$530) as Primary + 24/27" Dell QHD (~ $300) Monitor has secondary. Expected total cost < $830

I have $300 cashback from my employer. So the 49" Samsung comes to $1200 out of pocket which sounds like a great price but > $1000 makes me think if it's really worth it or Should I ditch the curved monitors altogether and go with the cheapest which is Setup 3.

Previously used 27" 4K (usually in 2k scaled mode for readability) + 24" FHD Flat-screen dual monitor setup and hardly had any issues with that but thought of replacing everything with a single 32". Hasn't really worked. Alternatively, I thought of just using the cashback @ work to buy an additional monitor and live with the dual monitor setup so that I don't have to shell out much.

Based on your experience, what would you recommend?

Poll Options expired

  • 1
    <Setup 1> : 34" IPS Curved Screen (< $800) as Primary + 24/27" Dell QHD (~ $300)
  • 2
    <Setup 2> : 49" Samsung WQHD 1440p for $1500
  • 8
    <Setup 3> : 34" Philips IPS Flat Screen(~$530) as Primary + 24/27" Dell QHD (~ $300)
  • 1
    <DoNothing> : Just get one additional 24/27" Dell QHD (~ $300)
Computing

Comments

  • Presence on 19/05/2021 - 07:07

    Two screens looks ugly and requires lots of head turning. Get a Philips 43" 4k. About $700. Not great for gaming but perfect for text. I use mine for excel, GIS, word docs, etc and it's so good just having one screen. You can't open a big excel file across two screens very well.

    Also consider your laptop probs can't drive two screens?

  • FoxJump on 19/05/2021 - 08:37
    +1

    Text is clear with IPS. With VA it is crap

  • p1 ama on 19/05/2021 - 10:08
    +1

    I use a 34" 3440x1440 + 27" 2560x1440. This is a pretty good combo because the pixel density is the same and the heights are the same as well. Works much better than something big and something small.

    Used to like 4K but it's just too much mucking around with things like scaling to get 4K working properly.

    • deals2hunt on 19/05/2021 - 10:30

      Thanks, Is the 34" curved or flat?

      • stirlo on 19/05/2021 - 13:47

        I have the same setup using Xiaomi 34" Curved + Kogan 27" flat. Cost $700 total.

        I don't notice any issues with having 1 curved 1 flat and having the same height/pixel density on both is great. That said I rarely use the full 34" of the ultrawide. I find its where I put my smaller multiple windows rather than ever maximizing anything on it. PowerToys FancyZones allows you to split the ultrawide into virtual sections. It's absolutely essential for my workflow as I've divided the ultrawide in half which allows me to essentially have 3 work-spaces across the two screens.

        • deals2hunt on 19/05/2021 - 15:12

          That said I rarely use the full 34" of the ultrawide.

          This was another reason I was thinking of 49". In the 34" if we were to split-screen then each of the windows gets aligned to the left/right so there is nothing in the center. We would end up turning our neck often to either side of the screen. Have you tried splitting the screen into 3 equal windows… is the real estate good in that case?

          Never thought these monitors would make me think so much…Problem is physical stores either don't have them on the rack for us to look at. In the event, they have one or two… they are all hooked up to the same video feed making it useless to play around get the feel for multi-windows.

          • stirlo on 19/05/2021 - 17:20

            @deals2hunt:

            In the 34" if we were to split-screen then each of the windows gets aligned to the left/right so there is nothing in the center.

            This would happen more with a 49" than a 34". On a 34" you have effectively 2 17" 4*3 Screens side by side. Perfect for web browsing or word which is mostly vertical. I don't think I'd be able to fit 3 windows on a 34" without it feeling cramped. Maybe 1 window in the middle and widgets on each side but most apps are designed to be wider than taller these days.

            I do find I use the left hand side of the 34" more than the right as that's nearer to the centre of my setup (27" is on left, 34 on right).

            We would end up turning our neck often to either side of the screen.

            This happens with all multi-monitor setups. I find myself swivelling my chair more than turning my neck. I don't see how 49" would make any difference here?

            Have you tried splitting the screen into 3 equal windows… is the real estate good in that case?

            It's perfect for 2. 3 would be fairly cramped. Also I don't normally need more than 3 windows side by side (2 on 34" 1 on 27) so haven't seen the need.

            The scary thing about 49" is the curvature is normally more extreme than 34" so most of the negative things can be worse. I'd try to find on in Harvey Norman or somewhere to test before buying.

            • deals2hunt on 19/05/2021 - 19:20

              @stirlo: Thanks, mate…I was thinking of splitting three ways with the 49 so the one that needs more focus is on the center and has two other windows on either side when I multitask… Having said that… $1500 is steep. Hesitating to bite the bullet even after additional cashback from work…perhaps it's not meant for me…lol… 49" is definitely ruled out.

              It's now the 34 inches IPS Ultrawide Flat vs Curved that I am contemplating atm mainly due to the price point… the flat screen is at least 20% cheaper than the curved.

              • stirlo on 19/05/2021 - 19:47

                @deals2hunt: I have curved because my desk is smallish and in a corner so curve is in corner, flat is along the back (and a bit to the left of center).

                One thing to be mindful of is if you share your screen on teams/zoom sharing an ultra wide doesn’t work great.

        • [Deactivated] on 22/05/2021 - 21:05

          Do you have any pics of your setup - im thinking of replicating this….

          • stirlo on 22/05/2021 - 21:14
            +1

            @[Deactivated]: https://imgur.com/a/JytPeTE

            Not much to see but the curves screen hides the router and other crap in the corner behind it.

            • [Deactivated] on 22/05/2021 - 21:18

              @stirlo: Thanks! Do you think it'd be uncomfortable to have the 34 centred and the 27 off the side?

              • stirlo on 22/05/2021 - 21:18
                +1

                @[Deactivated]: Probably wouldn’t fit on my smallish desk like that. But you could have a shot

                • [Deactivated] on 22/05/2021 - 21:21

                  @stirlo: Thanks for the replies. I think I'll order these two on pay day and see how it goes :)

  • tight-ass on 19/05/2021 - 22:09

    I had a 32" 4k curved monitor with a 22" 1080p monitor. I didn't like the distortion the curved monitor had on text / documents. For watching a movie it was good (no doubt it's good for gaming too, but I never did))

    I replaced both monitors with a pair of 32" 4k flat monitors (Dell monitors of course - OzBagains favourite)

    I've always preferred having 2 screens. Yes you can split the screen with a single monitor, but I still prefer having 2 separate screens…….I still split the screens using Dell display manager!

    The other advantage of having a 2nd monitor is should one die you can continue uninterrupted with the 2nd one.

    Also when I work from home I simply connect my work laptop to the 2nd monitor, leaving my desktop connected to the 1st monitor…..makes life very easy!

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