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I'm not really big on either ultrawides or 4k TVs for productivity usage. Ultrawides don't play as nice with OS workspace management and can't provide physical

I'm not really big on either ultrawides or 4k TVs for productivity usage. Ultrawides don't play as nice with OS workspace management and can't provide physical partitioning/prioritization (e.g. primary windows on main screen virtual desktops, auxiliary windows on secondary screen virtual desktops). They also tend to not measure up to regular monitors in terms of specs. 4k TVs put heavy constraints on desk arrangement to get satisfactory perceived sharpness and UI scale and come with all sorts of extraneous TV junk (unless you go with an ultra-basic or signage model, which are anemic in terms of panel capabilities). My preferred setup would be 2x 16:10 30-32" monitor or a single 16:10 30-32" monitor accompanied by a 1:1 or 5:4 secondary monitor that's height-matched to the primary monitor, but that's not practical so I go with the pretty-standard setup of 2x 16:9 27" monitors. If I absolutely had to go with a TV-like setup though, I think it'd be with a BFGD (big format gaming display), because the panels on those are more monitor-like and they don't have all the cruft that TVs tend to come with.

denimnerd42 4y ago
Yeah I bought a ultra wide and make it work with Fancy Zones on Windows Power Toys but dual 16:10 is still the best because it plays nice with the OS by default. I think default window management still has along way to go to suit all the different options out there. The dual 16:10 you get two "prime" windows in the center and 2 aux windows out wide. where as with a 34" 1200p ultra wide you get 2 prime left and right or 1 prime and 2 aux with Fancy Zones, or 3 "aux". If you consistently find yourself needing 3 or 4 full size windows then the ultra wide is not ideal unfortunately. The large 4k is just miserable because there's no ideal natural prime window location like I top posted further down.
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- peddamat 4y ago
  I feel like this is a good place for me to plug my Fancy Zones fork, which supports maximizing windows within zones. The latest alpha also supports full-screening videos within zone boundaries. https://github.com/peddamat/PowerToys/releases/tag/v0.58.7-maxinzoneDll https://github.com/peddamat/PowerToys/releases/tag/v0.58.7-m... The Power Toys devs have an issue open regarding this feature, and we're figuring out next steps: https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/issues/279 https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/issues/279
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nightski 4y ago
I have been using an ultrawide for years and find the windows snap window management system quite effective.
closeparen 4y ago
It is surprising that no one will sell me a reasonable pixel density ultrawide. I have 2x 27" 4k monitors, which look great, but that setup is overwhelmingly large in my home. I got a 34" ultrawide and it's a nice compromise between screen real estate and desk real estate, but the resolution is mediocre.
jerlam 4y ago
Your preferred setup sounds like one of the layouts of my current ultrawide monitor: one primary window at 2/3 the width, and a secondary window at 1/3. But a single ultrawide gives you flexibility - easily switch to a 50/50 split or 100% width if you're working with something that requires it (or has a really big sidebar). I'm using Magnet on MacOS so I don't know how easy a 1/3 split would be in other operating systems. If you get an ultrawide or a large TV, setting up some kind of window management tool is probably required.
- kitsunesoba 4y ago
  That setup sounds workable, but dual screens is almost non-negotiable for me because it allows entire sets of primary/secondary windows to be mixed and matched on the fly just by changing spaces (I use macOS primarily as well). It's very powerful, because it cuts the overhead of window management down to almost nothing without adding any key shortcuts or gestures beyond what I'd be using anyway. For snap functionality on the rare occasion it's needed, I use Moom because it's probably the most unobtrusive of those types of utilities. No Aero Snap to unintentionally activate or draw spurious rectangles and no extra key shortcuts, just a little bubble that pops up when hovering over the green traffic light. macOS also has very similar snapping functionality built in so when working on a stock configuration system I'm still mostly at home.
gcatalfamo 4y ago
But isn't your 2x 16:9 27" setup basically equivalent to an ultrawide monitor?
- kitsunesoba 4y ago
  As mentioned in my other posts, the big difference is the second set of virtual desktops that's afforded by a second monitor, as well as physical prioritization of secondary, tertiary, etc windows. It also means you have a far wider selection of models at your disposal for both screens – in my case I like my primary monitor to be HiDPI while the secondary monitor can be a more run of the mill 1440p 27" monitor that you might find at a yard sale.
sgarland 4y ago
I ran dual 23" 1080p monitors for a long time, and then went BFGD. Acer Predator 43" 4K, which I split into four quadrants. I also have a 27" 4K (but I run it at 1440p for readability) vertical monitor to the right, which is used almost exclusively for an editor. Both are driven via a single (each) USB-C --> DP cable. The Predator doubles as a gaming monitor for my desktop. I couldn't be happier with my setup.
karmakaze 4y ago
I use an LG 42.5" monitor that didn't have all the TV junk. Instead it has a single USB-C I can connect and use as a hub for kb+mouse. It also has Display port and 2 HDMI inputs (and maybe a dilplayport out that I don't know how to use). One mode I find useful for casual gaming is the 2560x1440 @59.9 Hz which uses native pixels and results in a very usable gaming view with huge distraction-free black matte border.

denimnerd42 4y ago

Yeah I bought a ultra wide and make it work with Fancy Zones on Windows Power Toys but dual 16:10 is still the best because it plays nice with the OS by default. I think default window management still has along way to go to suit all the different options out there. The dual 16:10 you get two "prime" windows in the center and 2 aux windows out wide. where as with a 34" 1200p ultra wide you get 2 prime left and right or 1 prime and 2 aux with Fancy Zones, or 3 "aux". If you consistently find yourself needing 3 or 4 full size windows then the ultra wide is not ideal unfortunately. The large 4k is just miserable because there's no ideal natural prime window location like I top posted further down.

deleted 4y ago
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peddamat 4y ago
I feel like this is a good place for me to plug my Fancy Zones fork, which supports maximizing windows within zones. The latest alpha also supports full-screening videos within zone boundaries. https://github.com/peddamat/PowerToys/releases/tag/v0.58.7-maxinzoneDll https://github.com/peddamat/PowerToys/releases/tag/v0.58.7-m... The Power Toys devs have an issue open regarding this feature, and we're figuring out next steps: https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/issues/279 https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/issues/279
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]

nightski 4y ago

I have been using an ultrawide for years and find the windows snap window management system quite effective.

closeparen 4y ago

It is surprising that no one will sell me a reasonable pixel density ultrawide. I have 2x 27" 4k monitors, which look great, but that setup is overwhelmingly large in my home. I got a 34" ultrawide and it's a nice compromise between screen real estate and desk real estate, but the resolution is mediocre.

jerlam 4y ago

Your preferred setup sounds like one of the layouts of my current ultrawide monitor: one primary window at 2/3 the width, and a secondary window at 1/3. But a single ultrawide gives you flexibility - easily switch to a 50/50 split or 100% width if you're working with something that requires it (or has a really big sidebar). I'm using Magnet on MacOS so I don't know how easy a 1/3 split would be in other operating systems. If you get an ultrawide or a large TV, setting up some kind of window management tool is probably required.

kitsunesoba 4y ago
That setup sounds workable, but dual screens is almost non-negotiable for me because it allows entire sets of primary/secondary windows to be mixed and matched on the fly just by changing spaces (I use macOS primarily as well). It's very powerful, because it cuts the overhead of window management down to almost nothing without adding any key shortcuts or gestures beyond what I'd be using anyway. For snap functionality on the rare occasion it's needed, I use Moom because it's probably the most unobtrusive of those types of utilities. No Aero Snap to unintentionally activate or draw spurious rectangles and no extra key shortcuts, just a little bubble that pops up when hovering over the green traffic light. macOS also has very similar snapping functionality built in so when working on a stock configuration system I'm still mostly at home.

gcatalfamo 4y ago

But isn't your 2x 16:9 27" setup basically equivalent to an ultrawide monitor?

kitsunesoba 4y ago
As mentioned in my other posts, the big difference is the second set of virtual desktops that's afforded by a second monitor, as well as physical prioritization of secondary, tertiary, etc windows. It also means you have a far wider selection of models at your disposal for both screens – in my case I like my primary monitor to be HiDPI while the secondary monitor can be a more run of the mill 1440p 27" monitor that you might find at a yard sale.

sgarland 4y ago

I ran dual 23" 1080p monitors for a long time, and then went BFGD. Acer Predator 43" 4K, which I split into four quadrants. I also have a 27" 4K (but I run it at 1440p for readability) vertical monitor to the right, which is used almost exclusively for an editor. Both are driven via a single (each) USB-C --> DP cable. The Predator doubles as a gaming monitor for my desktop. I couldn't be happier with my setup.

karmakaze 4y ago

I use an LG 42.5" monitor that didn't have all the TV junk. Instead it has a single USB-C I can connect and use as a hub for kb+mouse. It also has Display port and 2 HDMI inputs (and maybe a dilplayport out that I don't know how to use). One mode I find useful for casual gaming is the 2560x1440 @59.9 Hz which uses native pixels and results in a very usable gaming view with huge distraction-free black matte border.