Favorite Display Setups for Programming

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spugm1r3

[H]ard|Gawd
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Sep 28, 2012
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Fielding opinions here. Both at work and at home, I'm using 3x 23" IPS panels on landscape for programming, spreadsheets, schematic browsing, etc... I like the real estate, but I'm not a fan of how far I have to turn my head to utilize it. Also, landscape is not super conducive to reading code. I don't have VESA, hence why I'm kind of locked in at the moment.

Anyway, I've kicked the tires on new monitor(s), but I wanted to get some other programmers opinions. Multi monitor, 4k, portrait... what are you guys using/wish you were using?
 
No programmers? Or just none with a setup they are pleased with? I would believe the latter, but you all have to be wishlisting too!
 
I currently just have a couple monitors side by side, but if I could have a choice I would go with one large primary monitor and then maybe a portrait one beside it.
 
I use a 30" HP ZR30W (2560x1600) paired with a 25.5" Asus (1920x1080). But I'm thinking about upgrading to a single 21:9 ultrawide and ditching the multi monitors.

If the Philips 40" 4k actually came to the states, I would consider that too. That thing must be a programmers dream.
 
@jaguax, that's what I was thinking. I read some blogs about devs using 40" 4k TVs for programming. Despite the fact they were earlier models, 30hz, with terrible color and the like, they seemed to love them.

I don't think I would consider a VA panel, since 40in at desk viewing distances would be sure to suffer from terrible gamma shift. Make it IPS and we can talk:)
 
I'm personally a big fan of 4k monitors for coding. I use mine with zero scaling and you can run two tall applications next to each other. I do sit rather close to my monitors though, so your mileage might vary.

What my screen looks like when working:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/g8jovralgzqvoeu/Screenshot 2014-12-21 17.03.55.png?dl=0

Also I use one side monitor that I throw random stuff I only need to sparsely reference, like patch notes.
 
I'm running the same setup I've run since early 2009. A 40" Samsung LCD 1080p 60Hz HDTV with two portraited Dell 2209WAs at 1680x1050, well I guess here they're 1050x1680! The sides don't match pixel density wise but it's been acceptable. I'm hoping in the next year to replace it with a 40" 4k tv but I'm waiting for them to get better. I'm hoping I can find two side monitors with a complementary resolution. My dream would be a 40" 4k display with two side displays ala Dell 30 with two twenties.

Having a large main display in terms of size, despite that note the resolution isn't producing great screen real estate, is great for when consulting with co-workers. I can have impromptu meetings in my office and they just look on and nobody has to squint or lean in. The 4k 40" displays are awesome for my purposes and I think definitely warrant a look further down the road!
 
for coding a portrait screen on the side is a must. I have a 27" 1440p on my right that is used almost entirely for code. Prices have really dropped lately and 2560 pixels of code allows you to see whole classes without using tiny type that strains your eyes

I've been using a 30" 1600p as my main screen for years but upgrading to 4k to hopefully better deal with the retina resolutions on all the mobile devices that I develop for. Not sure how that will work out yet, but if i didn't develop for mobile i would feel no need to upgrade at all.
 
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I use two 27" 2560x1440 screens on ++++++++ freedom arm mounts. One is a Yamakasi DS270 and the other is a Crossover 27QW - both are awesome for text. I was going to get a Dell 27" 4k but after looking at the 28" 4k screens decided the PPI would be an issue for me. The ++++++++ mounts are great for versatility.
 
I coded with 27" PDC center and 23" CPVA sides; I preferred to use less than half of my side screens, but I ended up with this :( http://i.imgur.com/baWY7au.png
I think I would have liked a 25" ultrawide, under my 27" primary.

My dream screen would probably be a 35" 4k PDC.
 
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4k is really starting to feel like the route to go. I like the symmetry of three screens, but that really only matters when I'm not using them. I got them when I gamed a lot more, the immersion factor was nice. However, one large screen and smaller in portrait would be more useful and kinder to my neck.

If you guys have pictures of your setups, post them. The screen shots are nice, but it really doesn't show how much effect the bezels, or width, have on productivity. I'll post mine when I can.
 
I think it depends on your type of development and your workflow. I have both the 34" 21:9 and 32" 4k at home right now.

If your workflow is VM(s), web browser for research, IDE, and then the app, splitting the 4k into quadrants would work very well.

I think the ultrawide splits well into three vertical sections, particularly so if you put your taskbar on the side. You get the full 1440 pixels of height, which is nice for an IDE, and you could still have the app and either the VMs or web browser open simultaneously.

As far as neck strain, 34" 21:9 results in slight left to right movement, but nothing like a multi-monitor setup. 32" 16:9 results in a slight up and down.

I would choose based on which style of workflow you like the most: four quadrants or triple vertical.
 
Ideally I would probably go with 8 4k displays, 5 at eye level and 3 underneath.

What I have now works well enough though. 2560x1440 for the main monitor with the task bar on the bottom monitor to save that little bit of resolution. Most of the others are 1920x1080.

oFnmYNE.jpg
 
I don't do a lot of programming these days, but I still test applications in virtual machines and web interfaces. It helps to have lots of monitors:

Balanced world at night by rtangwai, on Flickr

The upper row is 22" 1080p, the lower row is 30" 1600p. It's particularly useful when comparing live IE, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari pages all at once with the editor still open in front of me for quick edits.
 
rtangwai said:
I don't do a lot of programming these days, but I still test applications in virtual machines and web interfaces. It helps to have lots of monitors:

Balanced world at night by rtangwai, on Flickr

The upper row is 22" 1080p, the lower row is 30" 1600p. It's particularly useful when comparing live IE, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari pages all at once with the editor still open in front of me for quick edits.
Click to expand...


Intriguing... wouldn't like it, but it's beautiful.
 
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