Question Need opinions for new Multi Monitor setup

[Chapbass]

Hey all,

I know this is a very opinion based topic and doesn't have a "right" answer, but trying to figure out a new setup, and could use a sounding board (or many sounding boards). I'm exploring a new monitor setup, with my use cases being 60% work (sales calls, demos, spreadsheets, some light coding/dev work, a lot of research, email, and web browsing) and 40% being gaming (currently playing WoW again, but I vary between FPS, RTS, and RPG genres). I do NOT have any desire to game on multiple monitors, as the bezels drive me nuts.

Also for reference I have an AMD RX5700 right now, but I am not a gamer that absolutely requires everything on ultra mega maximum DLSS 3d ray tracing extreme settings. I won't be buying a 4090 regardless of what the setup ends up being (though I may need a new card to get HDMI 2.1). Also, my desk is a 72" Balt training desk (https://www.supplychimp.com/go/balt-split-level-computer-training-table-72-x.html) that measures 72" wide and 36" deep with two independent platforms. The only other thing on my desk would be my Monoprice MTM100's (that I just ordered, don't have them yet), my keyboard and mouse, my work laptop, and some kvm / docking station / etc stuff. I'll send a picture once I have some time to organize it a bit.

Anyway, way back in the day (2007-2009 or so) I had a triple monitor setup with a 24" 1200p flanked by a 19" 1440x900 on each side. Despite the size and resolution difference, I loved being able to have a central "focus" monitor and then supporting monitors for supporting tasks (WoW was a great example, game on the 24, voice chat, IM, etc on the left and a guide/website for the raid were in on the right). Throughout the years my monitors varied a bunch, and ultimately ended up with a 2x 34" ultra wide setup. Ultimately I didn't like that setup because I wanted a monitor directly in front of me. I'd end up scooting my whole setup to one side, and then the other monitor would be too much of a neck turn to be of use.

Nowadays I'm down to just a single 34" ultra wide, and while I've been "dealing with it", I think its time for a refresh. I'm not married to the 34" by any stretch (its 100hz, and I told myself i'd get a 144hz monitor when they came out, yet that came and went lol), and work is actually letting me give 2x 27" a test drive to see if I like that with the 34. I'm concerned that the 27's will be too wide, but that got me considering rotating them to be portrait and do a PLP setup. I did some looking around and found this reddit post (

https://www.reddit.com/r/OLED_Gaming/comments/1623vzs

) which I just fell in love with. The 24" portrait monitors being the same height as the 42" landscape just looks so clean to me.


So I'm looking for opinions. I have a feeling when I set up the 27"s in portrait they will look way too funny to me (obviously they wont be flush like the above post, but I'm trying to figure out how odd it will look). I'm considering going for the same setup as the redditor above (42" LG on sale, then pick up some 24"s). I'm trying to figure out how much horizontal is "too much", hoping someone has some opinions on that.


I've also considered just going with a large ultra wide like the 49 or the 55, but I feel like most of my use cases wont gain extra use for the wideness, without an easy way to organize windows (and that doesn't help me with fullscreen video games and having a 2nd monitor for supporting applications). Furthermore, I hadn't even considered a 2nd monitor *above* my current one until now, but I don't know if that's feasible and/or if I'd use it. Anyone do that and love it? Just digging around the battlestations subreddit trying to get some ideas.

Anyway, I know this thread is a bit all over the place, just trying to start some conversation and see if there's anything I'm not thinking of.

 

[igor_kavinski]

(

https://www.reddit.com/r/OLED_Gaming/comments/1623vzs

)

No words for how neat that is. I wonder what's needed for that. Some special software? Or does Windows allow this configuration painlessly?

 

[In2Photos]

No words for how neat that is. I wonder what's needed for that. Some special software? Or does Windows allow this configuration painlessly?

Windows does it, or you can also use the GPU software. But Windows lets you rotate the monitor.

 

[igor_kavinski]

Windows does it, or you can also use the GPU software. But Windows lets you rotate the monitor.

Hmm that's cool. I didn't know that any monitor could be rotated independently of the other connected monitors. Nice.

 

[In2Photos]

Did you try doing the 34" UW on top of each other? I've seen several setups like that.

I use 3 24" monitors and sit fairly close. No issues turning my head slightly to view them. I've thought about doing 3 27" but haven't gone through with it yet. I use 3 AOC 1080p 144hz identical monitors.

 

[igor_kavinski]

I use 3 24" monitors and sit fairly close.

Do you use that only for 2D or games too? Any issues that you may want to share for our knowledge?

 

[In2Photos]

Do you use that only for 2D or games too? Any issues that you may want to share for our knowledge?

I don't game across all 3, I only use the middle one for gaming. The other monitors are primarily for when I'm working but I sometimes use them for music or YouTube videos while gaming or discord.

 

[Chapbass]

Did you try doing the 34" UW on top of each other? I've seen several setups like that.

I use 3 24" monitors and sit fairly close. No issues turning my head slightly to view them. I've thought about doing 3 27" but haven't gone through with it yet. I use 3 AOC 1080p 144hz identical monitors.

I didn't, and unfortunately I dont' have the 2nd anymore to try.

 

[igor_kavinski]

I sometimes use them for music or YouTube videos while gaming or discord.

How does mouse movement work especially when you are in a game in the middle? Does the mouse seamlessly escape out of the game to the left or right or do you need to Alt-tab out of the game to use the side monitors?

 

[In2Photos]

How does mouse movement work especially when you are in a game in the middle? Does the mouse seamlessly escape out of the game to the left or right or do you need to Alt-tab out of the game to use the side monitors?

If you're in full screen mode you have to hit escape or alt tab. So the other monitors are basically in like a "background mode".

 

[Chapbass]

How does mouse movement work especially when you are in a game in the middle? Does the mouse seamlessly escape out of the game to the left or right or do you need to Alt-tab out of the game to use the side monitors?

Depends on the settings. If you use borderless window, then it is seamless. I use that for wow, but not for fps or rts.

 

[Chapbass]

Did you try doing the 34" UW on top of each other? I've seen several setups like that.

I use 3 24" monitors and sit fairly close. No issues turning my head slightly to view them. I've thought about doing 3 27" but haven't gone through with it yet. I use 3 AOC 1080p 144hz identical monitors.

You know, the portrait really does help with that. I just looked, 24" monitors have typically somewhere around a 20"-22" width to them. So call it 60-66. The LG has 37" of width, and the portrait 24" are ~14 each, so call it 64-65...right in there. If you're good with 3x 24"s (and I know a TON of people use 3x 27'"), that makes me feel a ton better about this....

 

[Hail The Brain Slug]

I don't really care about the side monitors being different heights than the center monitor. I use a 32" 4k 160hz center with two 27" 4k60hz sides in portrait. I have them setup where the tops are aligned but the bottoms of the side panels extend down to the desk.

Going any larger than 32" on the center would be a challenge for me, too much physical area making it difficult to focus on everything going on. I used to have 27" in the center and just moving up to 32" was quite an adjustment period.

 

[Chapbass]

I don't really care about the side monitors being different heights than the center monitor. I use a 32" 4k 160hz center with two 27" 4k60hz sides in portrait. I have them setup where the tops are aligned but the bottoms of the side panels extend down to the desk.

Going any larger than 32" on the center would be a challenge for me, too much physical area making it difficult to focus on everything going on. I used to have 27" in the center and just moving up to 32" was quite an adjustment period.

ohhh, any chance you could post a picture of your setup? Also, any chance you could measure the total width (left edge of left monitor to right edge of right)? Do you feel its too wide, not wide enough, or just right?

Also, could you measure (or guesstimate) the distance from your head to the center screen? how far away are you sitting?

 

[Hail The Brain Slug]

ohhh, any chance you could post a picture of your setup? Also, any chance you could measure the total width (left edge of left monitor to right edge of right)? Do you feel its too wide, not wide enough, or just right?

Also, could you measure (or guesstimate) the distance from your head to the center screen? how far away are you sitting?

I tend to sit between 18-28 inches away depending on how much I recline. For focused work I am around 18-20" away. I think it's a little closer than most people but I am nearsighted and can't stand wearing glasses or contacts to look at a monitor all day, so I try to sit just at the edge of my acuity.

As for the width, it's 48" from outer edge to edge, 44" from panel edge to edge. It's a comfortable working width, but due to the layout my speakers have to be closer together than I'd like for soundstage.

 

[Chapbass]

I tend to sit between 18-28 inches away depending on how much I recline. For focused work I am around 18-20" away. I think it's a little closer than most people but I am nearsighted and can't stand wearing glasses or contacts to look at a monitor all day, so I try to sit just at the edge of my acuity.

As for the width, it's 48" from outer edge to edge, 44" from panel edge to edge. It's a comfortable working width, but due to the layout my speakers have to be closer together than I'd like for soundstage.

View attachment 89419

Interesting! My setup would be more like 55-60 inches across, but it looks like I sit quite a bit further back than you (I'd possibly wall mount the LG, which would be 36-46" away), and the angle of the side monitors would be quite a bit less.

Thanks for the info! gives me something to think about. Also, that setup doesn't look bad at all...how interesting

 

[Chapbass]

Welp, I went for it. I got my 2x 27" monitors set up. Ordered the LG C3 42" to replace my 34" ultrawide. Yeah, it won't be as seamless as the 24" portrait monitors, but the 27" monitors were free from work and work great. Excited to get everything going!