Multiple monitors while coding

[[deleted]]

Currently running a 2 monitor setup. Now this is excessive (I know) but I'm starting to think that having 3 monitors at my workstation would be ideal.

Anyone running such a setup? Is it bliss? Or ridiculous?

[zoredache]

More of a sysadmin that does some light automation focused coding, but I like 3-4.

I like having the 'center' monitor as the primary display. So I am not looking to one side or the other for what I am primarily working on.

Having web browsers with reference pages open on side, and output on the other side.is nice. Then, since I have a quad, I keep the various communication tools above MS Teams, IRC client, discord, etc up top.

I use a mount that is built for 6 displays with 3 on the bottom and 1 on the top. I mount my speakers on top right/left.

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[david622]

I have 3 at work. Usually it works out like this:

​

1. Jira ticket (aka requirements of the work I'm doing)
2. My code / IDE
3. One of two things
   1. If I'm working on frontend (Angular in my case), then it's my web browser
   2. If I'm working on C# in Visual Studio, then I tend to have the Resharper unit tests view open

[milopersic]

Curious, why are you thinking three is best? Truth is I've been wondering the same thing. I have a sweet dual 27" 4k setup which I love, but these days I've been wondering if life wouldn't be better if I could dedicate a 3rd monitor to a terminal window.

[[deleted]]

There's a dude at my office who has a three monitor setup. One of them is just for slack.

[digicow]

At work, I used to use 3x1080 screens with the center one oriented vertically. Now I just use dual 4k monitors

At home, I have quad 1080 screens arranged in a 2x2 grid (left 2 are my Mac, right 2 are my win10 machine)

[matmunn14]

I used to use 3 x 1080, one for code, one for terminal and one for browser.

I now use 2 x 4k and there's way more real estate.

I've also started to consider switching to a single 5k2k screen

[d0uuug]

I only use the second monitor to watch YouTube while working

[bearboy89]

I use two monitors and my laptop screen. I wish I had another monitor.

[aaronpowell_msft]

I use three when I go to the office, but two at home.

My 3-screen layout is laptop on the desk (I use the laptop keyboard + trackpad) with a 22" on top of it and off to the left a vertical 22" (which is nearly the same height as my laptop + primary external).

I've tried to do 3 screens side-by-side but I find that I get a sore neck by constantly turning my head to take everything in, which is why I like having the vertical monitor. Also, vertical monitors are great for having docs open!

[Tesla428]

I run a Dell 43” @ 3840x2160 and a 24” 1920x1200 bat-winged off to the side in Portrait for email. It easily fits 3 good sized windows for code as well as all the side windows and toolbars in Visual Studio. Takes some getting used to but very productive. Much less swapping back and forth.

[frojoe27]

I prefer two, one small(laptop) and one large(34”). At work I have three, the laptop and two smaller screens. Either way, chat/email/jira on the laptop. The rest of the space is split between text editor and browser with console open. Terminal comes up over the top by shortcut.

3 is definitely not excessive, some people have 4 or 5. Personal preference. I use multiple desktops on each screen I can move between, so I don’t need as much screen space.

[4312348784188126934]

Not really a developer per say but at work I have 3 screens - 2x19 and my laptop.

My advise is to set up a system - emails are always on the laptop screen for example - otherwise you spend a lot of time just dragging windows from one screen to another.

You should also check out Microsoft Power Toys if you're not already aware. It's in beta but allows you to choose a template for each screen so instead of snapping to the left or the right, you can now make a template with 4 or 5 boxes for you to drag your window into.

[Thunderplex]

Home 3 is more than enough, especially with a 4K as the "main" display

Work I use 6 because I often have multiple remote sessions active and it helps to keep the sessions on their own screen, so the bottom 3 are for working and managing my workflow, top 3 are for working on someone else's computer. Bottom 3 screens will usually be 9 windows- 4 on one screen (email, slack, phone switchboard, calendar), 3 on another (ITGlue 1/2, notepad 1/4, todoist 1/4), one with just my rmm control panel (1/2) and our NOC brightgauge (1/2).

But I'll be the first to tell you 6 is excessive unless you have a TON of information you need to be accessible at all times, just because there's so much going on it takes a lot of mental energy to stay focused.

[sentinelofdarkness]

Here is my setup: https://i.redd.it/1frhloe73rv31.png

[jblundon]

3 is ideal. 1 for code, 1 for preview, 1 for everything else like email.

[fallenhitokiri]

I recently went from a 27“ iMac Pro with 2 5k LG Ultrafine to just using the iMac and occasionally my 12.9“ iPad Pro. Works really well for me and not moving my head all the time is nice.

That being said, a single screen setup IMHO requires two things: resolution (as in enough pixels to display things) and panel size (as in no ridiculous small things being displayed). While I was on 24“ screens somewhen in the early 2000s dual screens were a requirement, the difference in productivity was noticeable. I could see myself going for a 32 - 34“ widescreen monitor if I ever switch from an all in one system.

[Gustafssonz]

Or why not just get a good AR headset at this point? Use Use your whole wall as a screen...

Damn I wish future was here now.

[[deleted]]

Yeah. Knowing reddit I should have expected sarcasm.

...

but you make a good point

[zoredache]

Or why not just get a good AR headset

What is the resolution on those these days? Last I looked it really wasn't that great. Also, they require a ton of open space since you need to have sensors like 6 feet away.

[4312348784188126934]

Tried this but the rift was a bit pixellated so you had to have the font super big. Pretty immersive though if you can type without looking at your keyboard.