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> I am comfortable with at least two 27" monitors. I embraced a single-monitor workflow early in my career after experimenting and finding that having multiple

> I am comfortable with at least two 27" monitors. I embraced a single-monitor workflow early in my career after experimenting and finding that having multiple monitors often makes me less productive than just switching workspaces with ⌘+tab. Now it's extended to a single-laptop workflow that's given me incredible flexibility to travel and move around the office. When do people really need multiple monitors? My only guesses are if they're using Windows, or have a really short feedback loop workflow between two apps that are too big/awkward to share a screen? Which, I guess OP could be in both boats.

wazzaps 4y ago
It's nice to have 3+ source files + documentation open at once
colinmhayes 4y ago
I like being able to read both screens at the same time. I can type on one while reading off the other.
- clolege 4y ago
  I've only ever found this to be effective when I'm typing what I'm reading verbatim. Are you able to type something other than you're reading? How do you scroll?
  - jonasdegendt 4y ago
    Alt/Super-tab + page down if I had to guess. I work on a single high resolution monitor and have a similar workflow, that's how I do it.
- CharlesW 4y ago
  FWIW, one can also do this comfortably with a single HiDPI display.
D13Fd 4y ago
Totally agree. If you have a reasonable window snapping feature via an app or the OS, one large monitor works best IMO. I like having the two windows right next to each other without two bezels in between. I also like the flexibility of positioning things anywhere.
throwaway_forev 4y ago
In webdev using a framework with HMR having VS Code on one screen and the browser on another is a lot more productive than having to Alt/⌘+tab to see changes. There are many more similar use cases.
- ar_lan 4y ago
  I’ve found an ultrawide, 32” monitor addresses this just as well.
  - zmmmmm 4y ago
    some of it definitely relates to window management features and their limitations
johanvts 4y ago
Windows has "alt+tab"?
- clolege 4y ago
  Are multiple desktops well supported on Windows now? It's been a while since I've explored it.
  - johanvts 4y ago
    Yes it works fine, but I rarely use it though I also use just a single monitor.
  - penetrarthur 4y ago
    Yeah, they are great! I usually have like three virtual desktops with two monitors, so it's 6 screens. Switching between them is also much better than it used to be couple of years ago.
  - squeaky-clean 4y ago
    Win+ctrl+left/right arrow to switch between desktop. You may need to add a new desktop through the Task View app first though. Works in Win 10 and 11.
penetrarthur 4y ago
When I traveled I would sometimes bring just one monitor and it was unbearable. I need to see the result of my work, logs and code at once to debug the code comfortably. Even more so when I'm tired.
mcbishop 4y ago
Multiple workspaces on one monitor works great for me too (on Windows). Swiping the trackpad to move between them... works great.
arwineap 4y ago
It's nice that it works for you, some people work differently. For me a laptop screen is simply not usable for more than 2 windows, and sometimes I would like to reference 3-4 windows. Sometimes even 2 is too much on the laptop screens. Alt tab doesn't work because now one window is partially hidden behind the other. I've also experimented extensively with tiling, which doesn't really help my issue at all, I simply need two monitors to be as productive as I can be.
dpkirchner 4y ago
I recently switched from multiple displays to a single ultrawide screen (21:9). It's great for work -- wide enough to have a decent sized IDE in the center and two 120 column terminals on either side. I don't think I would go back to two monitors.
- dopidopHN 4y ago
  I’m getting there, but I stil need to share a actual screen in my workflow, and keep a screen private. I want to pass windows around without registering them and the laptop screen is too small. But really I get the sentiment. A well organized high resolution single screen can be sufficient
ilaksh 4y ago
They don't really need them, it's just that many people can't tell the difference between "prefer" or "need". It may be advantageous but not necessary.
zwayhowder 4y ago
The 4% of us with Aphantasia can't do that at all. I need all the relevant windows open and readable for me to work. I tried VR but found the resolution lacking.
- madmod 4y ago
  Thank you for this comment! I never made the connection between my Aphantasia and my seven monitor setup!
  - dr_kiszonka 4y ago
    Seven?! Do you work at a Mission Control Center? : - ) I'd love to see your setup.
    - zwayhowder 4y ago
      Haven't you watched Swordfish? https://hardforum.com/threads/thoughts-about-the-multi-display-set-from-the-movie-swordfish.1107929/ https://hardforum.com/threads/thoughts-about-the-multi-displ...
almog 4y ago
> When do people really need multiple monitors? My only guesses are if they're using Windows, or have a really short feedback loop workflow between two apps that are too big/awkward to share a screen? Which, I guess OP could be in both boats. IMO, assuming OP is using this setup for software development, it has to be a very specific short feedback loop to really justify 2 monitors, something that can't easily tested as part of a test suite such as layout testing which might require specific resolution and thus either constant switching or two monitors. I can't think of many other situation, even in web development, when one cannot make a good use window managers and testing components in isolation to avoid constant switching. Despite having used 2 monitors in the past on occasion, I found that I've only used it to compensate for not taking the time to perfect my workflow or test-suite in such way that would allow me to be productive. The only real use case where I can now personally justify the usage of two monitors is for in-person pair-programming: mirroring the display allows both participants to position themselves in front of the monitor rather than at an odd angle which over time strains both necks and eyes. Yet both can sit close enough to allow effective face-to-face communication.
filoleg 4y ago
I recently switched from a 4k monitor+one/two 1080p monitors to a single monitor, and I prefer it now as well, but with one big caveat - it is a single 5k ultrawide monitor with thunderbolt 4. I simply connect my macbook to it using one cable, and I am done. That one cable provides power/charge to the laptop, outputs stuff on my big screen, and allows my laptop to use any devices connected to the USB hub built into the monitor. Zero fiddling around or setup required (aside from the physical space), and no bajillion cables requiring me to worry about managing them (as long as I want to keep my workspace neat and clean, which I do). Even doing a single regular 4k monitor was stretching it for me, but my current setup satisfies me almost perfectly. The only upgrade I am planning to do in that aspect in the future is replacing it with an AR/VR headset that can emulate screens at a good enough resolution. While the current VR/AR tech isn't there yet, it is getting closer and closer, which gives me a lot of hope. I tried Quest 2 for that purpose, and I would pick it over a dual 1080p monitor setup even now. Sadly, it isn't quite as good as a single 5k ultrawide at the moment. There are other (very solvable) rought points with it currently too, like comfort (Quest 2 gets a bit tiring and sweaty to use after a couple of hours), but I heard Quest Pro has addressed that specific one, which is also awesome to see. Given the leaps I've observed over the past few years, I feel like people are realizing the immense value of it, and the companies realize it too. So I am expecting something like this to be a fully viable solution for me within the next 5 years. And that's not even going into the portability aspect. As someone working from a hotel for the past 2 weeks, it would be amazing to have an AR/VR headset that would allow me to have the same setup everywhere, because I am not going to lug my 5k ultrawide with me wherever I need to work. Which is also why I prefer to work from home rather than the office, because my current home setup is much more optimal for my productivity that my office one.
- squeaky-clean 4y ago
  I've been going down the 5k display research-rabbithole recently. Hope you don't mind me asking which monitor you're using and also do you know if Thunderbolt 3 can handle it?
  - filoleg 4y ago
    I absolutely don't mind, and please feel free to ask more questions if you have any. This[0] is the one I have. It is explicitly listed as thunderbolt 4, but, unfortunately, i dont't know if it supports thunderbolt 3. My hunch is that it does, but something wont work perfectly. Most likely, the usb hub won't, and the refresh rate will drop from 72hz to 60hz. Which is imo not a big deal whatsoever, as the main functionality that I personally value is still there. LG also seems to have a thunderbolt 3 ultrawide monitor[1] that is very similar, and I recommend checking that one out. Only heard good things about it, and it is pretty much the predecessor of the one I linked in the beginning. 0. https://www.lg.com/us/monitors/lg-40wp95c-w https://www.lg.com/us/monitors/lg-40wp95c-w 1. https://www.lg.com/us/monitors/lg-34WK95U-W-ultrawide-monitor https://www.lg.com/us/monitors/lg-34WK95U-W-ultrawide-monito...
shinycode 4y ago
I used a single monitor for a very long time with virtual spaces and windows switching. Over the years I found that having some windows displayed all the time in dedicated displays makes me more productive because I don’t have to switch all the time and transfer windows from a space to an other to share my screen. Everything is right under my eyes all the time and the more surface I have the easier it is to partition display with magnet app and the like. Two 32" 4K creates a real confortable workspace. Slack, Gather, VSCode, Datagrip, Figma, Terminals, Fork, Postman, multiple Chrome windows with search, hot reload, documentation, the sprint etc … All this in a constant switching on a single screen proved to be a real pain over the years. I switch less with more real estate and partitioning.
zmmmmm 4y ago
I agree for a lot of activities multiple monitors doesn't help that much, but there are some. The most obvious is web dev. Whenever I get into heavy front end work I end up wanting 3 displays: (a) IDE/primary editor (b) actual browser UI and (c) the browser dev console. These all need to be on screen at once because of how iterative and feedback driven the process is ("nudge the button 2 pixels to the left, no 3, no 2, now click to invoke the dropdown, why is the padding wrong" etc).
newaccount74 4y ago
I have been experimenting with multiple monitor setups for some time, using 2 - 6 monitors. Currently I have 5. I like having Email+IM on a vertical monitor on the side. If someone contacts me, I always have this communication screen, and I can respond to people without forgetting what I was working on. On my laptop, I press Cmd-Tab and everything is gone. I also like having a second monitor above my main monitor just for source control. It's always there, so I can review changes while leaving the source files I was working on visible on my main monitor. I also work a lot with VMs, and seing them all at the same time makes it easier to work with them. It's much easier if you can lay out your work on a big area, and when every task has its own designated place. I also work a lot on a single laptop when I'm not at the office, and I feel way less productive. I spend way more time trying to remember what I wanted to do, because stuff always disappears when I press Cmd-Tab.
- kilolima 4y ago
  For your laptop, have you tried virtual desktops tied to keyboard shortcuts (like Alt-1, Alt-2, etc)? Also a drop down quake style terminal with multiple tabs provides the same rapid access functionality for the command line.
  - newaccount74 4y ago
    I have tried multiple desktops (or "Spaces" as they are called on macOS). They work fine when I want to switch to a completely different task (eg. I'll create a space for doing my monthly accounting), but when I use spaces to switch back and forth between eg. IDE and source control, then I have the same problem that switching spaces makes the current task disappear and I forget what I wanted to do.

wazzaps 4y ago

It's nice to have 3+ source files + documentation open at once

colinmhayes 4y ago

I like being able to read both screens at the same time. I can type on one while reading off the other.

clolege 4y ago
I've only ever found this to be effective when I'm typing what I'm reading verbatim. Are you able to type something other than you're reading? How do you scroll?
- jonasdegendt 4y ago
  Alt/Super-tab + page down if I had to guess. I work on a single high resolution monitor and have a similar workflow, that's how I do it.
CharlesW 4y ago
FWIW, one can also do this comfortably with a single HiDPI display.

D13Fd 4y ago

Totally agree. If you have a reasonable window snapping feature via an app or the OS, one large monitor works best IMO. I like having the two windows right next to each other without two bezels in between. I also like the flexibility of positioning things anywhere.

throwaway_forev 4y ago

In webdev using a framework with HMR having VS Code on one screen and the browser on another is a lot more productive than having to Alt/⌘+tab to see changes. There are many more similar use cases.

ar_lan 4y ago
I’ve found an ultrawide, 32” monitor addresses this just as well.
- zmmmmm 4y ago
  some of it definitely relates to window management features and their limitations

johanvts 4y ago

Windows has "alt+tab"?

clolege 4y ago
Are multiple desktops well supported on Windows now? It's been a while since I've explored it.
- johanvts 4y ago
  Yes it works fine, but I rarely use it though I also use just a single monitor.
- penetrarthur 4y ago
  Yeah, they are great! I usually have like three virtual desktops with two monitors, so it's 6 screens. Switching between them is also much better than it used to be couple of years ago.
- squeaky-clean 4y ago
  Win+ctrl+left/right arrow to switch between desktop. You may need to add a new desktop through the Task View app first though. Works in Win 10 and 11.

penetrarthur 4y ago

When I traveled I would sometimes bring just one monitor and it was unbearable. I need to see the result of my work, logs and code at once to debug the code comfortably. Even more so when I'm tired.

mcbishop 4y ago

Multiple workspaces on one monitor works great for me too (on Windows). Swiping the trackpad to move between them... works great.

arwineap 4y ago

It's nice that it works for you, some people work differently. For me a laptop screen is simply not usable for more than 2 windows, and sometimes I would like to reference 3-4 windows. Sometimes even 2 is too much on the laptop screens. Alt tab doesn't work because now one window is partially hidden behind the other. I've also experimented extensively with tiling, which doesn't really help my issue at all, I simply need two monitors to be as productive as I can be.

dpkirchner 4y ago

I recently switched from multiple displays to a single ultrawide screen (21:9). It's great for work -- wide enough to have a decent sized IDE in the center and two 120 column terminals on either side. I don't think I would go back to two monitors.

dopidopHN 4y ago
I’m getting there, but I stil need to share a actual screen in my workflow, and keep a screen private. I want to pass windows around without registering them and the laptop screen is too small. But really I get the sentiment. A well organized high resolution single screen can be sufficient

ilaksh 4y ago

They don't really need them, it's just that many people can't tell the difference between "prefer" or "need". It may be advantageous but not necessary.

zwayhowder 4y ago

The 4% of us with Aphantasia can't do that at all. I need all the relevant windows open and readable for me to work. I tried VR but found the resolution lacking.

madmod 4y ago
Thank you for this comment! I never made the connection between my Aphantasia and my seven monitor setup!
- dr_kiszonka 4y ago
  Seven?! Do you work at a Mission Control Center? : - ) I'd love to see your setup.
  - zwayhowder 4y ago
    Haven't you watched Swordfish? https://hardforum.com/threads/thoughts-about-the-multi-display-set-from-the-movie-swordfish.1107929/ https://hardforum.com/threads/thoughts-about-the-multi-displ...

almog 4y ago

> When do people really need multiple monitors? My only guesses are if they're using Windows, or have a really short feedback loop workflow between two apps that are too big/awkward to share a screen? Which, I guess OP could be in both boats. IMO, assuming OP is using this setup for software development, it has to be a very specific short feedback loop to really justify 2 monitors, something that can't easily tested as part of a test suite such as layout testing which might require specific resolution and thus either constant switching or two monitors. I can't think of many other situation, even in web development, when one cannot make a good use window managers and testing components in isolation to avoid constant switching. Despite having used 2 monitors in the past on occasion, I found that I've only used it to compensate for not taking the time to perfect my workflow or test-suite in such way that would allow me to be productive. The only real use case where I can now personally justify the usage of two monitors is for in-person pair-programming: mirroring the display allows both participants to position themselves in front of the monitor rather than at an odd angle which over time strains both necks and eyes. Yet both can sit close enough to allow effective face-to-face communication.

filoleg 4y ago

I recently switched from a 4k monitor+one/two 1080p monitors to a single monitor, and I prefer it now as well, but with one big caveat - it is a single 5k ultrawide monitor with thunderbolt 4. I simply connect my macbook to it using one cable, and I am done. That one cable provides power/charge to the laptop, outputs stuff on my big screen, and allows my laptop to use any devices connected to the USB hub built into the monitor. Zero fiddling around or setup required (aside from the physical space), and no bajillion cables requiring me to worry about managing them (as long as I want to keep my workspace neat and clean, which I do). Even doing a single regular 4k monitor was stretching it for me, but my current setup satisfies me almost perfectly. The only upgrade I am planning to do in that aspect in the future is replacing it with an AR/VR headset that can emulate screens at a good enough resolution. While the current VR/AR tech isn't there yet, it is getting closer and closer, which gives me a lot of hope. I tried Quest 2 for that purpose, and I would pick it over a dual 1080p monitor setup even now. Sadly, it isn't quite as good as a single 5k ultrawide at the moment. There are other (very solvable) rought points with it currently too, like comfort (Quest 2 gets a bit tiring and sweaty to use after a couple of hours), but I heard Quest Pro has addressed that specific one, which is also awesome to see. Given the leaps I've observed over the past few years, I feel like people are realizing the immense value of it, and the companies realize it too. So I am expecting something like this to be a fully viable solution for me within the next 5 years. And that's not even going into the portability aspect. As someone working from a hotel for the past 2 weeks, it would be amazing to have an AR/VR headset that would allow me to have the same setup everywhere, because I am not going to lug my 5k ultrawide with me wherever I need to work. Which is also why I prefer to work from home rather than the office, because my current home setup is much more optimal for my productivity that my office one.

squeaky-clean 4y ago
I've been going down the 5k display research-rabbithole recently. Hope you don't mind me asking which monitor you're using and also do you know if Thunderbolt 3 can handle it?
- filoleg 4y ago
  I absolutely don't mind, and please feel free to ask more questions if you have any. This[0] is the one I have. It is explicitly listed as thunderbolt 4, but, unfortunately, i dont't know if it supports thunderbolt 3. My hunch is that it does, but something wont work perfectly. Most likely, the usb hub won't, and the refresh rate will drop from 72hz to 60hz. Which is imo not a big deal whatsoever, as the main functionality that I personally value is still there. LG also seems to have a thunderbolt 3 ultrawide monitor[1] that is very similar, and I recommend checking that one out. Only heard good things about it, and it is pretty much the predecessor of the one I linked in the beginning. 0. https://www.lg.com/us/monitors/lg-40wp95c-w https://www.lg.com/us/monitors/lg-40wp95c-w 1. https://www.lg.com/us/monitors/lg-34WK95U-W-ultrawide-monitor https://www.lg.com/us/monitors/lg-34WK95U-W-ultrawide-monito...

shinycode 4y ago

I used a single monitor for a very long time with virtual spaces and windows switching. Over the years I found that having some windows displayed all the time in dedicated displays makes me more productive because I don’t have to switch all the time and transfer windows from a space to an other to share my screen. Everything is right under my eyes all the time and the more surface I have the easier it is to partition display with magnet app and the like. Two 32" 4K creates a real confortable workspace. Slack, Gather, VSCode, Datagrip, Figma, Terminals, Fork, Postman, multiple Chrome windows with search, hot reload, documentation, the sprint etc … All this in a constant switching on a single screen proved to be a real pain over the years. I switch less with more real estate and partitioning.

zmmmmm 4y ago

I agree for a lot of activities multiple monitors doesn't help that much, but there are some. The most obvious is web dev. Whenever I get into heavy front end work I end up wanting 3 displays: (a) IDE/primary editor (b) actual browser UI and (c) the browser dev console. These all need to be on screen at once because of how iterative and feedback driven the process is ("nudge the button 2 pixels to the left, no 3, no 2, now click to invoke the dropdown, why is the padding wrong" etc).

newaccount74 4y ago

I have been experimenting with multiple monitor setups for some time, using 2 - 6 monitors. Currently I have 5. I like having Email+IM on a vertical monitor on the side. If someone contacts me, I always have this communication screen, and I can respond to people without forgetting what I was working on. On my laptop, I press Cmd-Tab and everything is gone. I also like having a second monitor above my main monitor just for source control. It's always there, so I can review changes while leaving the source files I was working on visible on my main monitor. I also work a lot with VMs, and seing them all at the same time makes it easier to work with them. It's much easier if you can lay out your work on a big area, and when every task has its own designated place. I also work a lot on a single laptop when I'm not at the office, and I feel way less productive. I spend way more time trying to remember what I wanted to do, because stuff always disappears when I press Cmd-Tab.

kilolima 4y ago
For your laptop, have you tried virtual desktops tied to keyboard shortcuts (like Alt-1, Alt-2, etc)? Also a drop down quake style terminal with multiple tabs provides the same rapid access functionality for the command line.
- newaccount74 4y ago
  I have tried multiple desktops (or "Spaces" as they are called on macOS). They work fine when I want to switch to a completely different task (eg. I'll create a space for doing my monthly accounting), but when I use spaces to switch back and forth between eg. IDE and source control, then I have the same problem that switching spaces makes the current task disappear and I forget what I wanted to do.