Smart Buyer
  • Shop On NeweggBusiness
  • Categories
    • Buying Guides
    • Components
    • DIY and How-to
    • Industry Trends
    • NetSec
    • Networking
    • Storage
    • Systems – PC & Laptop
    • Windows
  • About
  • Why NeweggBusiness?
  • Contact Us
Top Posts
PC Cooling: How to Set up Computer Case...
5 Ways to Stream from PC to TV...
How to Choose the Correct RAM Upgrade
How to Troubleshoot a PC Power Supply
Four Apps that Make Your Tablet a Second...
2019 Solid State Drive (SSD) Buying Guide
6 Reasons Your PC is Slow and How...
How-to Guide: Small Office Network Setup
Born in the USA: Computer Hardware Made in...
Computer Monitor Buying Guide 2019

Smart Buyer

  • Shop On NeweggBusiness
  • Categories
    • Buying Guides
    • Components
    • DIY and How-to
    • Industry Trends
    • NetSec
    • Networking
    • Storage
    • Systems – PC & Laptop
    • Windows
  • About
  • Why NeweggBusiness?
  • Contact Us
In a New York Times article about dual and single monitor setups, columnist Farhad Manjoo challenged the idea that having multiple monitors was better than having a single monitor. In his self-imposed challenge, he claims that by going to a single monitor configuration he was able to improve productivity because he, “…found something increasingly elusive in our multiscreen world: focus.” However, I have an issue with his testing method and also his conclusion.

As someone who has used both single monitor and dual monitor configurations, I was suspicious of his claim that having a single monitor increased productivity. But I tried to understand where he was coming from and I could see that having a second monitor could possibly cause more distractions. From checking e-mails to working on other tasks, the potential to slow down productivity is there. So I decided to run my own experiment.

For the majority of my day, I have two 22-inch monitors as my primary displays. They are configured to be in extended view and are not cloned. I turned off one of my two 22-inch monitors to see what kind of effects it might have. Instead of being hyper focused on what I had in front of me however, I ended up spending much more time than I’m comfortable with just switching from window to window to retrieve information.

Instead of just smoothly and easily finding my reference materials, I often had to fish for them among many open windows. While writing, I found myself having to constantly switch between my Internet browser and Microsoft Word to pull information from primary sources and my notes. It was adding seconds to the most ordinary of tasks. The time it took to write and edit documents increased, but yet I wasn’t finding any extra focus.

I am not alone in my doubt about the value of having one monitor over two. In a multi-screen productivity study conducted by Wichita State University and commissioned by Dell, participants were asked to gather different text and image elements in one working document from other documents and Web pages. Respondents stated that they found themselves perusing reference documents by roughly 4% less. And they overwhelmingly ranked dual monitors higher based on pleasantness to use. The most important piece from that study however, was that the participants were able to complete their task 2.42 seconds faster with a multiple monitor setup.

Another issue is that the picture included with the New York Times article shows Mr. Manjoo using quite a large primary monitor, with the secondary monitor turned off. From the looks of it, his display of choice seems to be a 27-inch monitor and with a resolution measuring 2560 × 1440. With so much screen real estate, I can easily see why a user wouldn’t need a secondary monitor.

At my personal workstation at home, I have been using dual Dell U2711 monitors, which are 27-inches diagonal and with a 2560 × 1440 resolution. With such a setup, I am able to open up to four Word documents side by side at 100% zoom. Even with just one 1440p monitor, I could effectively do what I would normally need two lower resolution monitors to do.

By using a display with such a large resolution, a user basically has two 1280 × 720 displays side by side. In fact, a 1440p monitor offers more real estate than two 720p monitors. So yes, one monitor can be just as effective as a dual monitor configuration—if that one monitor is a 27-inch 1440p display. For users with 1080p or smaller resolutions however, I contend that a dual monitor setup is a superior configuration.

But what do you think? Are you using one display or multiple displays? 

Photo by Steve Lacey, taken from Flickr Creative Commons
Wallace Chu

Wallace Chu

A self-professed tech hipster that loves computers and music. Uses an iPhone ironically.

More Posts - Google Plus

culturelcd / led monitorsmonitorsmonitors & projectors
8 comments
0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +PinterestEmail
Wallace Chu
Wallace Chu

A self-professed tech hipster that loves computers and music. Uses an iPhone ironically.

previous post
When Is Using Powerline Adapters in a Business Setting a Good Idea?
next post
SSD Prices Falling as New Technology Catches on

Related Posts

How to Choose the Best Monitors for Graphic...

January 24, 2019

How to Connect and Control Displays at a...

February 22, 2018

How to Create Digital Signage That Engages Customers

February 15, 2018

A Prescription for Computer Monitors and Tired Eyes

May 31, 2016

5 Ways to Stream from PC to TV...

May 23, 2016

Best Selling Monitors of 2015

January 5, 2016

Expect Affordable LED Transparent Displays Within 5 Years

December 9, 2015

10 Best Selling Monitors of 2015 (so far)

July 6, 2015

Digital Display Deployment for Dummies

December 29, 2014

8 comments

Avatar
Christie Standish October 9, 2014 - 11:51 am

I use two monitors, but in my case it is almost essential. When I draft schematic drawings for a customer I can put the “wanted” changes on one screen, and my autocad program on the other. This allows me the versatility to zoom in on both drawings, and to have a direct reference for the changes that I am making.

Reply
Avatar
Andrew Baerga October 9, 2014 - 2:19 pm

i typically use three and three at work. At work I use two monitors for stuff i am working on and the third monitor to communicate with people over work related issues. Example: Google adwords on one monitor, excel on another, microsofty lync on the third.

Reply
Avatar
Joe Fabrie October 16, 2014 - 10:25 am

I agree that it’s not necessarily about how many monitors you have to be productive but the overall amount of real estate that you have to work with. Since you need documents, web pages, and programs to be a certain size to be usable then it stands to reason if you have one monitor with as many pixels as two monitors then there shouldn’t be a difference except aesthetics and preference. I personally use three monitors in portrait mode to maximize my document viewing pleasure.

Reply
Don’t Buy Into the Dual-Monitor Productivity Myth | A way to work awsome August 28, 2015 - 5:26 pm

[…] is on, not breaking your neck with swiveling, etc. And IT writer Wallace Chu makes the shrewd observation that “a 1440p monitor offers more real estate than two 720p […]

Reply
8 Essential Windows Apps You Must Have - HardBoiled October 22, 2015 - 3:03 pm

[…] Do Dual Monitors Really Increase Productivity? […]

Reply
Avatar
Shirley Marquez January 2, 2016 - 6:25 pm

The original research on multiple monitor setups was on programmers. In that job at least, the extra screen real estate is a clear win, especially now that paper documentation has gone the way of the dinosaur. A game developer is likely to need at least THREE monitors: one for the programming environment, one for the game, and one for documentation.

Reply
Best Selling Monitors of 2015 - HardBoiled January 5, 2016 - 10:19 am

[…] of the best ways to improve productivity is to upgrade or add more monitors, as that means more screen real estate. So what monitors are business buyers choosing for their […]

Reply
Avatar
Elijah February 10, 2018 - 8:44 am

I use a 50 inch, 4K TV as my home computer monitor. I have so much screen real estate. I use this for music production, and when I open my DAW, It’s like having 4 monitors, but without any bevels in between. This makes for a more seamless experience, and I think this is probably a better configuration than anything mentioned thus far.

Reply

What's your take? Cancel reply

Subscribe

Savings Spotlight
  • 1

    PC Cooling: How to Set up Computer Case Fans

    September 25, 2015
  • 2

    5 Ways to Stream from PC to TV or Digital Display

    May 23, 2016
  • 3

    How to Choose the Correct RAM Upgrade

    April 28, 2015
  • 4

    How to Troubleshoot a PC Power Supply

    July 11, 2018
  • 5

    Four Apps that Make Your Tablet a Second Monitor

    January 9, 2018
  • 6

    2019 Solid State Drive (SSD) Buying Guide

    December 6, 2018
  • 7

    6 Reasons Your PC is Slow and How to Fix It

    February 28, 2019
  • 8

    How-to Guide: Small Office Network Setup

    December 20, 2018
  • 9

    Born in the USA: Computer Hardware Made in America

    September 27, 2018
  • 10

    Computer Monitor Buying Guide 2019

    January 4, 2019

Newegg + Business

How is this different from Newegg.com?

Why NeweggBusiness?
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
  • Email