I’ve labored from dwelling since late 2016; since I started, I’ve upgraded from utilizing a laptop computer to a desktop with two displays, then three. And once I acquired a standing desk in 2021, I additionally bought a monitor arm that holds 4 displays. This has been my major work setting since.
Whereas having 4 displays would possibly sound overkill, or like one thing you’d see at a stereotypical pc geek’s pc in a film, it’s essential for my work-from-home workflow. I really like the choices they supply, and dealing with something much less appears like an enormous downgrade in productiveness.
My multi-monitor setup
Ever since I’ve had my very own pc, a number of displays have been a part of it. In school, my modest TV doubled as a second monitor for my small 12-inch laptop computer display screen.
Once I turned a full-time freelance author and constructed a desktop for the aim, I began with two displays. As my desk on the time had room to increase, I figured extra was higher, and took the possibility on a 3rd when there was a sale.
Since having three monitor bases took up quite a lot of desk area, I opted for a monitor arm once I moved to a four-display configuration. My mannequin has three displays throughout and one above the middle, which minimizes the pressure in your neck and eyes from trying up.
At present, I am working with a 144Hz curved monitor within the middle, with the opposite three being 75Hz shows. Every is 24 inches, which is an effective stability between compactness and having a excessive viewing space. If I improve sooner or later, I’ll contemplate shifting to 27-inch 1440p displays.
Why I want a number of displays
Because of the nature of my work, I leap round many alternative apps all day. My common rotation contains Asana, Slack, my Markdown writing app, Mailbird for e-mail, Firefox for web site searches, and Chrome for accessing our CMS, spreadsheets, and plenty extra. Even with useful hotkeys like Alt + Tab, it rapidly turns into tedious to change between all these.
That’s particularly the case since I commonly must reference info from one window whereas working in one other. I would kind in a Slack chat whereas I take a look at an article, reference a spreadsheet whereas sending an e-mail, or every other mixture of instruments.
To facilitate this, I’ve assigned “home monitors” for each tool. I preserve e-mail on my proper monitor, Slack on my left monitor, Firefox on my high monitor, and Chrome or my writing app on the middle monitor, relying on what I’m utilizing. I can shift them round as wanted, however with this core setup, I don’t have too many layers to peel by by minimizing, and I do know the place I “left” one thing if I neglect.
Having extra info accessible to reference at a look, with out having to shuffle my open home windows, is probably the most helpful facet. And since Home windows helps you to scroll on inactive home windows so long as you mouse over them, I can browse one panel whereas getting into textual content on one other.
I couldn’t work with fewer
I dislike engaged on a laptop computer, primarily due to the only monitor. I lose productiveness when I’ve to spend extra time fascinated by switching app home windows.
If my work have been akin to sitting in entrance of a typewriter and specializing in one app at a time, fewer displays might work. However once I need to be all the time reachable on Slack, search the positioning, and take a look at the duty I’m engaged on in Asana—all at a look—even two displays received’t reduce it.
The drawbacks and options
Some individuals like having one large display screen they will slice up into components, however this has by no means been my most well-liked technique. With an enormous show, all of the on-screen components are smaller, and I don’t like having to fumble round with the window administration instruments within the OS.
I a lot desire having the logical separation of various shows; with that, I may even flip them off individually, regulate instruments like f.lux to work in another way on every monitor, and related.
It’s a good counter-argument to say that having this many displays provides extra potential distractions. Having so many app home windows open means larger temptation to change what you’re doing. To fight this, I’ll decrease or place a clean browser tab over something that tries to seize my consideration. That means, the monitor is prepared if I want it, however nothing is ready to distract me.
Having 4 displays additionally provides extra cables below my desk, however I don’t thoughts this. Cables are a part of having a pc setup, so what’s a couple of extra?
In any other case, the primary draw back of my format is that the displays aren’t completely lined up. My monitor arm feels erratically weighed down, which I haven’t taken the time to repair, so there isn’t a clean transition from one monitor to the following. However this doesn’t trouble me a lot, since I flip my head to have a look at each as wanted.
I’ve been utilizing 4 displays for years, and it’s a vital a part of my work setup. With fewer, I wouldn’t have the ability to reference a number of app home windows on the similar time. Extra could be overkill (more often than not), since I can’t consider a lot else I’d do with one other monitor.
If in case you have room and also you’ve confirmed your computer supports more monitors, I’d suggest including one other show or two. You’ll be shocked at how rather more effectively it helps you’re employed.
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