20-30-20 vs 3x24

T

Tiporaro

[H]ard|Gawd
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Apr 12, 2011
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So, hoping to get some thoughts from others that may be running on a 20-30-20 setup. I have run dual monitors for the last 6 or 7 years and had gotten very used to being able to have a full screen app on one screen and secondary docs or web browsers open on the other screen.

Recently I picked up 3 U2412's to run in portrait eyefinity. For certain things (especially document work) its wonderful. The total resolution and screen size is amazing while keeping a relatively normal aspect ratio, and using a single 24" for multimedia/gaming now appears drastically small. Additionally, I'm not really a huge fan of the ridiculous aspect ratio in widescreen eyefinity. And it is true that for many things the bezels do just fade away when you're in the middle of something, while they are harder to ignore in portrait than widescreen.

However, certain things don't lend themselves to portrait setup - widescreen apps such as photoshop are just frustrating on p-p-p with the bezels, no matter how used to them I get. And you definitely can't run it on a single portrait panel. And I don't have a desire to move my monitors physically back and forth depending on what type of application I currently am in.

So the idea of 20-30-20 seems appealing from the prospect that any widescreen apps can easily fill a large 30 with a pretty solid resolution (granted, its no 3600x1920, but there's no bezels to contend with ever). And I'd still have portrait screens for single secondary doc/web work. But it obviously means I wouldn't be able to run eyefinity anymore - but I'm not sure if that'd necessarily be a horrible thing if the apps were running at 2560x1600.

In any case, I have a short window that Dell will still switch these setups out, so I'm hoping to find some ideas to guide me either to appreciate the eyefinity resolution i currently have or to swap to a U3011 with 2007's.

Thanks guys.
 
I am using PLP myself and I find that I prefer it over three identical monitors. Part of the problem is that if the monitors are big enough, unless you have great peripheral vision or you are sitting way back from the monitors it is nearly impossible to see the entire desktop without swiveling your head a lot. You also have to take in account that 2560x1600 is four megapixels, which is twice the pixels of a 1080p monitor. That means that even without Eyefinity you are driving a lot of desktop real estate, which makes Eyefinity less necessary.
 
I would really like a PLP setup too, but it seems quite impossible to make one nowadays. You really need to go buy 2 Dell 2007WFP's off ebay, any other combination doesn't really seem to fit/match. And it sucks to have 2 TN panels on the sides in case you want any other side monitors.
 
Xeanor said:
I would really like a PLP setup too, but it seems quite impossible to make one nowadays. You really need to go buy 2 Dell 2007WFP's off ebay, any other combination doesn't really seem to fit/match. And it sucks to have 2 TN panels on the sides in case you want any other side monitors.
Click to expand...

It's the 2007FP that matches (not WFP) and they have IPS and PVA panels.
 
Rtangwai, can I ask which screens you're using for your PLP? Is it 2007fp + u3011? Or some other combination?
 
I would say go with the PLP. I currently have a 30-20 setup and it is better for work and for gaming. Coding I can have two long terminals open and a doc/man page. I was running 3 ZR24s and I felt a lot of the monitor area was wasted because it was so far out of my normal vision.
 
I just bit the bullet and use two 1920x1080 monitors in portrait. They work very well for everything except web browsing, where you really nee the extra 120 pixels. The height can be a bit uncomfortable, but I've got the top of the three monitors aligned, so the less comfortable space is at the bottom, where I don't notice it as much.

I have two Samsung f2380s flanking a PA271W. My main problem with the configuration is the poorly designed OSD control system on the f2380s, which makes them asymmetrical in portrait. I'm eventually either going to upgrade the Samsungs or get aftermarket stands that will allow me to mount one upside down. The very nice stands that come with the f2380s have an asinine notch at the bottom preventing them from being mounted upside down, though I could probably just snip it off.

I had a couple of 20" 1600x1200 LG monitors, and they were marginally (but definitely) better in portrait mode, but the power supply on one went out.

The NEC P221 is available for $200 as a refurb on the necdisplay site. Were I on the market right now, I would probably pick two up for future portrait use. They're 1680x1050, but the operational difference between 1050 and 1080 is minimal. If a website is 960 pixels across, the modern standard, you won't need to horizontally scroll. If it's >1000 pixels across, you will need to scroll.
 
Tiporaro said:
Rtangwai, can I ask which screens you're using for your PLP? Is it 2007fp + u3011? Or some other combination?
Click to expand...

I'm using a Gateway XHD3000 30" and two Dell 2001FP 20", plus two Dell 2007WFP 20" widescreen and one LG L204WT 20" widescreen above the PLP.

It looks like this:
5941109279_4280ebcd75_z.jpg


And before you ask, no I am *NOT* a Nicole Kidman stalker!!! :rolleyes:
 
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What's the physical screen size difference between 3x 24" in PPP and a single 30"?
 
The 3x 24" is much more physical space. 30" 404.66 in^2; 3x24" 3* 258.45in^2 so delta of 370.68in^2 but the PPP has lower pixel density by ~1000 pixels per sq in.
 
rtang, I'm jealous of that much desktop real estate! As for the nicole kidman...appreciation...lets just say I have no comment =)

As to 3x24" vs a single 30", the 3x24" have an obvious screen size advantage, as well as resolution, coming in at nearly 7 MP vs the single 30's ~4 MP. However, once you add in the flanking 20's, the PLP setup gets the edge at ~8 MP.

That all being said, I came to the conclusion that for my uses I actually would prefer the PLP much more - better productivity while still retaining the continuous widescreen for apps that just don't look right with bezels. And for the occasional gaming, the 30" will be plenty while leaving me with the convenience of open browsers/docs/etc. on the side screens without having to alt-tab in the way that my 3x24 portrait eyefinity has made me go back to (or require yet another monitor).

So, I bit the bullet, ordered the U3011 this morning and am looking around for the 2 2007FP's to go with it. Hopefully will have it all together by next week.
 
Any update on your setup ? Would love up see pics of a fresh 20+30+20 setup. Also any gaming pics ?
 
I currently have two NEC 2090UXi 4:3 A-TW IPS displays, would be nice to get a PA301W to put in the middle. Only bad part is that the PA301W doesn't have the A-TW polarizer. I'm looking for a 2490WUXi 1st gen w/ A-TW to put in between the 2090's, granted it's not P-L-P, but it'd be nice to have a triple NEC A-TW polarized IPS setup. If only they made a 30incher with the A-TW polarizer..
 
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