One large monitor vs multiple small monitors

Benevolent Deity

Distinguished
Jun 11, 2010
27
0
18,540
Hello,

I currently have 2ea 16:9 22" monitors and 4ea 4:3 19" monitors (6 total monitors) and I'm using 3ea. 2-head video cards to drive them. Since this is quite a bit of hardware and occupies three PCIe slots I've been considering the feasibility of getting one 65" 4K TV (possibly curved) and using it instead. I am currently using a screen splitter (Actual Windows) that works well so I could split a large monitor into as many docking partitions as desired, so that's not an issue. My only concern is whether the resolution and response will be as good as on the multiple monitors. I only do desktop publishing - no gaming whatsoever. Does anyone have any experience/opinions on this?

Thanks,
Ray
 
Solution
I've a little experience with what you're talking about. I've done lots of monitors in the past and done some DTP (long ago and on a single monitor). The issue you're going to run in to with TV screens as monitors is that I don't find them to be very clear. Also layout work on a curved screen is a bit tricky (photoshop and some CAD work there mostly). I discovered that I preferred to have large flat screen. Layouts were easier. For gaming, curved is cool. I prize text clarity above just about everything as this also translates in to accuracy and reduced eye strain when I am modeling. I found TVs do not cut it. As in not even close, unfortunately. You're welcome to try. Worst case scenario you end up with a nice spare TV for...
I've a little experience with what you're talking about. I've done lots of monitors in the past and done some DTP (long ago and on a single monitor). The issue you're going to run in to with TV screens as monitors is that I don't find them to be very clear. Also layout work on a curved screen is a bit tricky (photoshop and some CAD work there mostly). I discovered that I preferred to have large flat screen. Layouts were easier. For gaming, curved is cool. I prize text clarity above just about everything as this also translates in to accuracy and reduced eye strain when I am modeling. I found TVs do not cut it. As in not even close, unfortunately. You're welcome to try. Worst case scenario you end up with a nice spare TV for some other room.

You will probably want a flat (not curved). My personal favorite mix of size and DPI is a 32" 2560x1440 or 30" 2560x1600 screen.
If you do a lot of color work you will want an IPS screen. VA panels have better contrast and are in many ways better screens. But depending on viewing angle, colors can be a bit off. Not enough to bother me, but it bothers some. I do this weird thing to get around that.... when I am doing color, I lean left and right so I can look straight at the various parts of the image. I didn't even realize I was doing this until my son asked me why I do it.
If color is not mission critical, I really like this screen:
https://www.amazon.com/Philips-BDM3270QP2-LED-Lit-monitor-2560x1440/dp/B01LXPX9I4/
It is 32" VA panel 1440p 16:9. Flat. Nearly perfectly calibrated for color (but remember that viewing angle thin). Amazing text clarity. On sale for 310.
It has the advantage of being able to be used vertically. For some projects (such as coding) this is super handy.
If you need good colors and an IPS screen, this one is decently priced
https://www.amazon.com/Philips-Momentum-326M6FJSB-Monitor-Adaptive/dp/B072MFLHDX/
Not nearly as high a contrast, can't rotate (unless you use a VESA mount), and like every IPS screen it suffers some from IPS bleed.
 
Solution

Supermuncher85

Distinguished
I agree curved for productivity is no go. The distortion is distracting.

I agree with everything else though.

-VA is great size/performance/value option
-TN is just awful at everything but it's cheap (suppose if you want 144hz it's ok but the viewing angles suck)
-IPS still the reigning champion but most expensive.