Hey all,
Currently using a 27” 2560x1440 monitor and was looking for more real estate. I’m currently humouring the idea of a 34” 3440x1440 monitor or maybe dual or triple monitors of a smaller resolution. Anyone have any suggestions or experience with any of these configurations suggested? I produce using Cubase so multiple monitor use wouldn’t be an issue.
Thanks!
-Tyler
Ultrawide vs. Multiple display monitors
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 20 posts since 3 Jan, 2017 from Canada
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- KVRAF
- 2008 posts since 11 Aug, 2012 from omfr morf form romf frmo
Depends on what else you do with your workstation, I think.
I do software development, gaming, web browsing, etc., that can benefit from a portrait orientation (especially pinball games!). So sometimes I'll have one oriented portrait and the other landscape. In the context of music production, sometimes it's nice to view the tracks in portrait if you have a lot of them, and keep the mixer on the other monitor in landscape.
With the single wide monitor, if you have something on screen that wide, there is no gap. That's the only upside to me. Something like widescreen movies with that aspect ratio. Or if you're vidya gaming and like a wide field of view. So in the context of music production, you could see the whole length of your project, or the width of your mixer with no gaps. It's just not flexible enough for my needs but it may be for you.
I do software development, gaming, web browsing, etc., that can benefit from a portrait orientation (especially pinball games!). So sometimes I'll have one oriented portrait and the other landscape. In the context of music production, sometimes it's nice to view the tracks in portrait if you have a lot of them, and keep the mixer on the other monitor in landscape.
With the single wide monitor, if you have something on screen that wide, there is no gap. That's the only upside to me. Something like widescreen movies with that aspect ratio. Or if you're vidya gaming and like a wide field of view. So in the context of music production, you could see the whole length of your project, or the width of your mixer with no gaps. It's just not flexible enough for my needs but it may be for you.
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- KVRian
- 1021 posts since 3 Oct, 2011 from Christchurch, New Zealand
I've used both - and prefer the pair of 27" 2560x1440 I'm on now - (more screen area, 3440 pixels wide isn't enough for me).tylercassidy wrote:Hey all,
Currently using a 27” 2560x1440 monitor and was looking for more real estate. I’m currently humouring the idea of a 34” 3440x1440 monitor or maybe dual or triple monitors of a smaller resolution. Anyone have any suggestions or experience with any of these configurations suggested? I produce using Cubase so multiple monitor use wouldn’t be an issue.
There is the LG 38" ultrawide now which could be worth a look (38uc99) - 3840x1600 pixels is more like it, but the price made no sense for me (could get a pair of HP e272q's and have a large pile of cash left over)
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- KVRist
- 366 posts since 7 Apr, 2011
I've used just about every conceivable monitor configuration over the years, and the one I like the most is my Dell 34" Ultrawide. I can get Ableton and Reason side-by side with plenty of room for both. I use mine more for software development than for music, and it works well there as well. The downside is that the 1440 height you get with this monitor is compressed into a smaller area than say a 27" 2560x1440, so either the fonts will be smaller, or if you use a larger font, fewer lines of code visible.
Take a look at curved monitors if you end up going the 34" route. I've got a first-gen Dell at work and a 2nd gen at home, which has more curve. The extras curve of the gen 2 makes it much better than the gen 1 for me. I wouldn't want to use a flat monitor that wide.
Also take into consideration that KVM for 4K class monitors, including the 34", are not very reliable. I used the KVM built into the Dell 34 switching between Linux and OSX, and tried several purchased from Amazon. None of them worked well with the Mac/Linuc setup. I finally broke down and bought a loaded Mac Pro and just run Linux in a VM. Problem solved.
Take a look at curved monitors if you end up going the 34" route. I've got a first-gen Dell at work and a 2nd gen at home, which has more curve. The extras curve of the gen 2 makes it much better than the gen 1 for me. I wouldn't want to use a flat monitor that wide.
Also take into consideration that KVM for 4K class monitors, including the 34", are not very reliable. I used the KVM built into the Dell 34 switching between Linux and OSX, and tried several purchased from Amazon. None of them worked well with the Mac/Linuc setup. I finally broke down and bought a loaded Mac Pro and just run Linux in a VM. Problem solved.
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 20 posts since 3 Jan, 2017 from Canada
I was looking at maybe a 34 ultra wide on bottom and two 24s above or my current setup has a 27 1440p so maybe go with two 27 1440s on the bottom and a single 24 up top.
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- KVRian
- 1021 posts since 3 Oct, 2011 from Christchurch, New Zealand
how workable that is would depend on how far you sit from them - if you’re relatively close you’re not going to like how far back you have to crank your neck to see the top (that’s why I don’t even like running 27” qhd’s rotated)tylercassidy wrote:I was looking at maybe a 34 ultra wide on bottom and two 24s above or my current setup has a 27 1440p so maybe go with two 27 1440s on the bottom and a single 24 up top.
why not just go for a large 4K (like the philips 43”) - they’re cheaper than any 34” UW, so by the time you’re looking ar one 34” UW and 2 27” qhd you could actually buy a pair of philips 43” and run them rotated side by side on a suitable mount (stock philips stand is hopeless)
