# Tell Me About Your Dual Monitor Setup **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 6, 2023, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-dual-monitor-setup/977796 "2023-01-06T19:49:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-dual-monitor-setup/977796/1 "2023-01-06T19:49:44Z")
I’m thinking of taking the plunge. My new job is too crazy to fit on one screen. But I’ve been trying to be more thoughtful about my purchases lately, and want to really think it through. I would use the second monitor primarily for work, but I also want to use the primary monitor for gaming, and I think an upgrade would be nice. My current monitor is a 24" BenQ LED HD gaming monitor. I like it a lot, but it’s no longer being sold. And I’m tempted by these QHD monitors. I’m only really a casual gamer, I split my loyalties with a PS4 and I’m kind of a busy person so I’m not sure how much I really need to drop on a gaming monitor. I’m lucky if I play twice a month. Is there a middle ground here? Also a lot of these monitors are 27" and I’m worried the two together will not fit on my desk. It’s a big desk so they would fit side by side but not with the primary monitor directly in front of me. Do I need a bigger primary monitor and a smaller one as the secondary? Seems a shame to get rid of a perfectly good monitor. I was hoping some of you would be willing to provide pictures and some info about your setup. And perhaps recommend a great gaming monitor that isn’t necessarily the most expensive. I’m willing to spend up to $350 but some of these things are $900. Also, will a dual monitor work for a remote desktop connection? If not, this may be a pointless endeavor. This is kind of a hybrid OP that could go in IMHO but I’m going to stick it in the gaming forum and see what happens. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-dual-monitor-setup/977796/2 "2023-01-06T19:56:53Z")
My company gives most office workers dual monitors. My preference is that both have the same resolution, which makes it easier to move apps back and forth. And Googling, a typical 27" Dell P-series monitor is 24" wide. So a pair of them would be four feet across. That doesn’t mean you need that much desk space, though, as they can extend over the edges. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-dual-monitor-setup/977796/3 "2023-01-06T20:01:57Z")
I can’t help with the gaming side, but I’ve had a variety of two- (and three-) monitor setups and can address a couple points. > [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Do I need a bigger primary monitor and a smaller one as the secondary? This can work but it creates some weird effects when your two monitors have different resolutions. Windows can scale incorrectly when you drag them from one screen to the other, and even within one window, I’ve found that some apps don’t detect the resolution correctly and do things like putting controls outside the viewable window. I’ve used this setup successfully, but it wasn’t fun. (And on preview, I see @Dewey_Finn has the same comment.) > [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Also, will a dual monitor work for a remote desktop connection? If not, this may be a pointless endeavor. Yes, this works fine. It depends on the RD app you use, but most of them allow you to use a single screen or both screens for remote sessions. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-dual-monitor-setup/977796/4 "2023-01-06T20:13:57Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > And Googling, a typical 27" Dell P-series monitor is 24" wide. So a pair of them would be four feet across. That doesn’t mean you need that much desk space, though, as they can extend over the edges. My desk is 4’7" wide so no problem there. The issue for me is how to center the primary one while fitting the secondary one. > [@TroutMan](#): > > This can work but it creates some weird effects when your two monitors have different resolutions. Okay, so it sounds like I’m buying two monitors. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-dual-monitor-setup/977796/5 "2023-01-06T20:18:48Z")
I just sit with one monitor directly in front of me, with the other to the side. Or if you want to go nuts, look at the [Dell U4919DW monitor](https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-ultrasharp-49-curved-monitor-u4919dw/apd/210-arnw/monitors-monitor-accessories). 49" wide with resolution of 5120 x 1440. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-dual-monitor-setup/977796/6 "2023-01-06T20:19:50Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > > [@TroutMan](#): > > > > This can work but it creates some weird effects when your two monitors have different resolutions. > > Okay, so it sounds like I’m buying two monitors. Just another data point here, I have two monitors, one at 1920x1200 and one at 2560x1440 and have no issues. Also, you can have two monitors of different size but at the same resolution. So I would hold on buy 2 monitors if you don’t need to. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-dual-monitor-setup/977796/7 "2023-01-06T20:26:38Z")
I use two identical 1920X1200 monitors. I find that 1920X1280 monitors side by side create a less than pleasing aspect ratio across both. And I value vertical real estate for writing and coding. Try to get monitors the same size and resolution. When you pan the mouse across, you’d like it to look like one big monitor. Be aware that dual-monitor gaming may require a beefier graphics card, depending on what you have now. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-dual-monitor-setup/977796/8 "2023-01-06T20:31:12Z")
Of course one option is to run either or both monitors vertically. Many documents and webpages are vertical anyhow, so it might be easier to read and edit. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-dual-monitor-setup/977796/9 "2023-01-06T20:42:13Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I just sit with one monitor directly in front of me, with the other to the side. That’s what I do for both my work & home setups: #1 screen is directly ahead with the less-used #2 off to the side (right side for the work-issued laptop; left side for my home computer). My home #2 is really a Roku TV with multiple HDMI inputs. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-dual-monitor-setup/977796/10 "2023-01-06T21:22:07Z")
It’s funny. I literally just set up dual monitors yesterday at my house. I just got it all working perfectly last night. Perfect timing on your part. I had a 24” monitor and wanted to upgrade. I grabbed a 27” QHD curved monitor on a good deal from Amazon. I wasn’t sure what to do with the old monitor because nothing else I have needs one. Then I thought I could add it as a second monitor but I don’t have desk space. I ended up buying a wall-mounted arm and attached the 24” monitor to that. Now it takes up no desk space and I can position it to the side. I work from home and have a KVM so I can switch back and forth between my work laptop and home desktop gaming computer. The laptop uses HDMI. I decided to keep the KVM hooked up between my smaller monitor and laptop, and connect to my desktop using HDMI. (I use laptop itself for an additional small screen when working.) My new monitor connects via Display Port so I can do 2K at 144Hz (and it is gorgeous). So now I have a setup where I can game on a huge new beautiful monitor (the curved screen helps it fit where my old one was), a 24” monitor on the side so I can browse the web simultaneously while gaming, and with a push of a button swap over to my work laptop which uses my 24” monitor as a primary and the laptop screen for things like my email. And the wall-mounted arm makes moving the smaller monitor around a piece of cake, even raising and lowering it. I even considered using it sideways in portrait mode but I didn’t like that. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-dual-monitor-setup/977796/11 "2023-01-06T21:33:33Z")
Great info. Could you share the link for that curved monitor? Lots to consider here. My current monitor is actually attached to a swinging arm in the center of the desk. But it can swing all the way back, forward, up, down, left or right. I do not plan to do dual monitor gaming. Just want a good primary monitor for gaming. ---
**Author:** ![wjChia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@wjChia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wjChia)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-dual-monitor-setup/977796/12 "2023-01-06T23:23:26Z")
If you’re the kind of person who wants their monitors to line up perfectly, you can get a dual monitor mount that allows you to mount two monitors side by side on one adjustable arm. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-dual-monitor-setup/977796/13 "2023-01-06T23:44:01Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Great info. Could you share the link for that curved monitor? This is the model I purchased: [https://amazon.com/dp/B09XXPRMYF](https://amazon.com/dp/B09XXPRMYF) > [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I do not plan to do dual monitor gaming. Just want a good primary monitor for gaming. I don’t either. I just have one really good monitor for gaming, and a second monitor for non-gaming. One common thing I would often do when I had one monitor was to play a full screen game and have to Alt+Tab to swap over to my browser to look up maps, quest walkthroughs, character builds, etc. Now I can just glance over at the second screen to view those guides on my browser. And scrolling, changing tabs, and so on in the browser just involves moving my mouse to the side. It is awesome. I can even run a walkthrough video guide at the same time I’m playing. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-dual-monitor-setup/977796/14 "2023-01-07T00:01:45Z")
This won’t relate directly to the OP’s sitch, but I’ve got a 5K iMac for my main (5120 x 2880), and on the right is a 24” 1200 x 1980 in portrait mode. I wish the vertical resolutions were the same (2880 is next to 1980), but it’s bearable. Sometimes I have to move items around as I drag them screen to screen. And moving a window from the high res screen to the low res vertical screen takes 10 secs of resizing the window. The advantages are that in some programs the 5K screen makes text and icons too small to easily see, so moving things to the low res screen gives me nice big menus. The 5K screen lets me do very detailed screen captures, and images rarely look grainy. The vertical monitor is useful for long web pages, vertical spread sheets, and working on portrait mode flyers, photos, illustrations. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-dual-monitor-setup/977796/15 "2023-01-07T06:14:29Z")
I have a 24" monitor as monitor 1 and a 24" smart TV with HDMI inputs as monitor 2. Both are 1080p. You definitely want them the same resolution. I have a VIVO dual monitor mount. I have mon 1 mostly in front of me and mon 2 off to the right side. I usually use mon 2 for videos and mon 1 for Brave browser and whatever windows I have open but I can drag a window over to mon 2. A warning. If you go the 2 monitor route with 2 monitors and not a monitor and smart tv like I have, 2 things to be aware of: 1) different brands have their VESA mounting holes in different places. They’re all centered in the horizontal but they may be different heights and you’ll have to work getting the monitors lined up. B: Not all 24" monitors are the same size. They can go from 23.6" to 24". The screen of my mon 1 is 1/8" taller and wider than mon 2. It can be annoying. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-dual-monitor-setup/977796/16 "2023-01-07T06:34:09Z")
> [@wjChia](#): > > If you’re the kind of person who wants their monitors to line up perfectly, you can get a dual monitor mount that allows you to mount two monitors side by side on one adjustable arm. With such a stand you can easily adjust the monitors to line up the way you want, turn one or both of them vertically, swivel them around, etc.