27" versus 30" monitors

dcguy

Honorable
Oct 21, 2012
3
0
10,510
I currently have 2 24" IPS monitors, but will upgrade my system soon. Any thoughts on having (2) 30" monitors versus (3 27" monitors. The price of the two options are similiar.
 
Why are you even bothering with a monitor larger than 24"? Are you going to be using it from a distance? I can't stand having a monitor over 22" or so, you can't see it all without moving your head around if you are sitting at a normal distance at a desk.

Use the money on a faster CPU or video card instead or on a fancy mouse or something.
 


Exactly how close do you consider normal distance? 27" monitors seem very comfortable to me at what I consider a normal distance (about 2' from me).
 

dcguy

Honorable
Oct 21, 2012
3
0
10,510


I don't play any games, but now am working on spreadsheets that go across onto my second monitor and makes it difficult to read. When I reduced it, some of the cells lose characters. My associate has an Apple Thunderbolt and it works fine at 2560 x 1440. Recently, I am doing research and when I get 3 or 4 websites open, then try to put the data in an Access database, I have a difficult time finding the right website.
 



About arm's length from the monitor, right now I'm using a 20" monitor at 1600x1200 with a second lower res 20". I've used some bigger monitors but don't like that much unless it's for watching movies. Like keyboards and mice though, picking a monitor is a very person to person thing.

What I don't think should be done though is buying a larger monitor just because. Going from 24 to a larger monitor is not always an "upgrade". Larger monitors does not usually equal an upgrade.

Since the OP clarified what he is using the setup for, the larger screens would have benefits for him. I've never had two or 3 monitors this size that I used myself for long periods of time, I'd pick 2 27" monitors myself though. I don't mind smaller text and 30" monitors are huge sitting there.