Dual screen setup - laptop / monitor

[Nebraska_e28]

At work I run 21" monitor & a 14" laptop in a dual screen configuration. Normally I use the smaller for network monitoring (pings, heat maps etc) & the larger for my Office apps along with MyE28 chatter. In a conversation with a co-worker, they read a study stating going between two different sized monitors is hard on the eyes & it's much better to have the same size. I'm curious if anyone has seen hard data to back this up?

[George]

I don't know about what is easiest on the eyes but I find that using the same size and aspect ratio is most efficient especially when I'm constantly switching back and forth.

I run 3 27" monitors at work and keep them all at the same height:

[gadget73]

When I did IT and helpdesk type work for a living I ran dual 19" widescreen LCD's. That was an upgrade from different sized CRT displays and I found it much easier on the eyes not going from big to small. Having matched displays also kept the brightness and such the same which was a help too.

This was 10+ years ago, bigger LCD's were pretty spendy back then. I haven't run dual displays since I stopped doing that work.

[duggi]

It's not the size of the screen that's the issue, but differences in resolution and brightness.

[Cactus]

I use a 22" with lots of dead pixels and a 25.something on my desktop. Never had any trouble with it. If I'm going blind it definitely has more to do with the kind of videos I watch than the monitor on which I watch them.

[Mike W.]

I had 2 different sized monitors at work for a few years and the only problem I had was when one was getting tired and looked washed out it pissed me off. But no problem visually or anything.

[vinceg101]

I don't know about what is easiest on the eyes but I find that using the same size and aspect ratio is most efficient especially when I'm constantly switching back and forth.
I run 3 27" monitors at work and keep them all at the same height:

I do something similar with two 22" NEC MultiSync P221W's:


Man I love these monitors. I would get a third if I could find one (they're kind of old), but I don't have the real estate for three even if I could.

It's not the size of the screen that's the issue, but differences in resolution and brightness.

Exactly. At least in the dual/multiple monitor mode for Win7, the OS will only use one setting profile (usually whichever one you set as Primary). Especially if you're using cheaper graphics cards or Motherboards with only 1 type each of interface connection (SVGA, DVI, etc.). This is why it always best to have the same monitor, (mfg'r, size, model) in multiple monitor setups. This is critical if you're doing anything with exact color profiles. Of course you always have to calibrate them also (to the PC as well as to each other and your printer).

I have a new higher level graphics card with dual DVI inputs that I need to install so I can run both of the NEC's from DVI cables; there is a huge difference in the signal between the two as one is on SVGA and the other on DVI (I actually just need to upgrade my whole PC, but that's another matter).

[davintosh]

I doubt having two monitors of different size, brightness, or resolution is any harder on your eyes than moving your eyes between the windshield and instrument cluster while driving. Your cow-orker seems to have fallen prey to a marketing spiel from a monitor manufacturer...
[
size=200]BUY MOAR BIGGERRER MONITORZZZZ!!! [/size]

[MicahO]

It's not the size of the screen that's the issue, but differences in resolution and brightness.

Totally agree here. Changes in the brightness especially will affect your eyes as you go back and forth.

Even if you've got matched screens, you want to take many breaks and change your focal distance. You know, wander around the office and sip that two-martini-lunch.....

[ahab]

I took the opposite approach for my work rig and find it very useful. Having different resolutions allows for different zoom levels by dragging an application to a different monitor. Especially useful for spreadsheets with large datasets that benefit from a lot of real estate, emails with different fonts, or documents with small text versus something like simple photo viewing/editing. They're all pretty close in vertical resolution so mouse movement is relatively seamless across them but the different aspect ratios and resolutions make for very different viewing perspectives. I've never had an issue with my eyes tiring or having difficulty adjusting, in fact I think having the different resolutions may actually be helpful as my eyes get to relax when something switches to a larger zoom.

Work recently sent me a new laptop with Win10 Pro and for anyone reluctant to made the switch from 7 (does anyone use 8?), I've been really happy with it. It took me an hour or so to rip out most of the "upgrades" like Cortana (who the fuck asked for that?), the way it wants to track my every movement for me so I never lose my place in anything, and its desire to send everything to the effing cloud, but it basically ends up as Win7 with a lot of helpful tweaks. Note the taskbar on all three screens, the improved usability of that simple change was a big surprise to me, as well as the way the start menu works with customizable tiles instead of buried sub-menus. Navigation is generally improved as well.

[funfunfer]

I run the laptop on a 3M LX550 stand that holds the screen at a good (in ergo terms) height. That's important for the health of your neck.
I just moved my 21" monitor to a height that matches the laptop. My neck feels better already. Thanks to all who posted pictures. It made me think about my setup.

[duggi]

I took the opposite approach for my work rig and find it very useful. Having different resolutions allows for different zoom levels by dragging an application to a different monitor. Especially useful for spreadsheets with large datasets that benefit from a lot of real estate, emails with different fonts, or documents with small text versus something like simple photo viewing/editing. They're all pretty close in vertical resolution so mouse movement is relatively seamless across them but the different aspect ratios and resolutions make for very different viewing perspectives. I've never had an issue with my eyes tiring or having difficulty adjusting, in fact I think having the different resolutions may actually be helpful as my eyes get to relax when something switches to a larger zoom.

Work recently sent me a new laptop with Win10 Pro and for anyone reluctant to made the switch from 7 (does anyone use 8?), I've been really happy with it. It took me an hour or so to rip out most of the "upgrades" like Cortana (who the fuck asked for that?), the way it wants to track my every movement for me so I never lose my place in anything, and its desire to send everything to the effing cloud, but it basically ends up as Win7 with a lot of helpful tweaks. Note the taskbar on all three screens, the improved usability of that simple change was a big surprise to me, as well as the way the start menu works with customizable tiles instead of buried sub-menus. Navigation is generally improved as well.

Let us know how much your chiropractor bills go up over the next year or so those two monitors up and to the sides are going to kill your neck after a while!

[vinceg101]

My desk setup is pretty ideal as my desktop is +33" above the floor and the monitors are set on a raised base that puts the center of the monitors right at my eye-line when I sit.
(I use a higher drafting chair since my drafting table is right next to my PC. The raised desktop can also be used standing somewhat which is useful.)

The only thing I move are my eyes back and forth.

[ahab]

Let us know how much your chiropractor bills go up over the next year or so those two monitors up and to the sides are going to kill your neck after a while!

Haha. Chiropractor bills??? Define "a while"... when should I be expecting this to set in? I've used this setup for years and I've never been to a chiro in my life, nor have I had any neck issues. Note that one of those monitors is 4:3, I don't think they even make those any more.

Thanks for your concern however Dr. duggi. Very helpful of you to point out and I'll be sure and follow up if I develop any chronic pain from shifting my eyes up and down.

Edit: To further that point, I use a desk the elevates too so I spend the day varying between standing and sitting. I think being stationary in any one position is more of a problem, and any time there's a change in position it's better for the body so long as it's not extreme. The difference in centerlines of all three of my monitors is less than 3" and that probably contributes to the lack of neck pain or strain I feel when working 12-14 hour days.

[Mike W.]

I took the opposite approach for my work rig and find it very useful. Having different resolutions allows for different zoom levels by dragging an application to a different monitor. Especially useful for spreadsheets with large datasets that benefit from a lot of real estate, emails with different fonts, or documents with small text versus something like simple photo viewing/editing. They're all pretty close in vertical resolution so mouse movement is relatively seamless across them but the different aspect ratios and resolutions make for very different viewing perspectives. I've never had an issue with my eyes tiring or having difficulty adjusting, in fact I think having the different resolutions may actually be helpful as my eyes get to relax when something switches to a larger zoom.

Work recently sent me a new laptop with Win10 Pro and for anyone reluctant to made the switch from 7 (does anyone use 8?), I've been really happy with it. It took me an hour or so to rip out most of the "upgrades" like Cortana (who the fuck asked for that?), the way it wants to track my every movement for me so I never lose my place in anything, and its desire to send everything to the effing cloud, but it basically ends up as Win7 with a lot of helpful tweaks. Note the taskbar on all three screens, the improved usability of that simple change was a big surprise to me, as well as the way the start menu works with customizable tiles instead of buried sub-menus. Navigation is generally improved as well.

I love it just for the contrarian streak in me. 3 different monitors all very different, that's something like I'd do.

But I don't share your enthusiasm for Win10. Needing to replace my absolute bottom feeder laptop from 2006 a year and a half ago I bought a Win10 one. And I hate that f******** Hate it with a passion like I've never hated a computer before. Not even the work ones were that bad. I might be able to kind of, sort of, make peace with it if it wasn't for the unstoppable "updates" which you have no control over and which may render your, accent on your, computer, that you bought and paid for, useless for hours at a time. I like Win10 so much Linux or Mac might be in my future.

[offroadkarter]

I took the opposite approach for my work rig and find it very useful. Having different resolutions allows for different zoom levels by dragging an application to a different monitor. Especially useful for spreadsheets with large datasets that benefit from a lot of real estate, emails with different fonts, or documents with small text versus something like simple photo viewing/editing. They're all pretty close in vertical resolution so mouse movement is relatively seamless across them but the different aspect ratios and resolutions make for very different viewing perspectives. I've never had an issue with my eyes tiring or having difficulty adjusting, in fact I think having the different resolutions may actually be helpful as my eyes get to relax when something switches to a larger zoom.

Work recently sent me a new laptop with Win10 Pro and for anyone reluctant to made the switch from 7 (does anyone use 8?), I've been really happy with it. It took me an hour or so to rip out most of the "upgrades" like Cortana (who the fuck asked for that?), the way it wants to track my every movement for me so I never lose my place in anything, and its desire to send everything to the effing cloud, but it basically ends up as Win7 with a lot of helpful tweaks. Note the taskbar on all three screens, the improved usability of that simple change was a big surprise to me, as well as the way the start menu works with customizable tiles instead of buried sub-menus. Navigation is generally improved as well.

I love it just for the contrarian streak in me. 3 different monitors all very different, that's something like I'd do.

But I don't share your enthusiasm for Win10. Needing to replace my absolute bottom feeder laptop from 2006 a year and a half ago I bought a Win10 one. And I hate that f******** Hate it with a passion like I've never hated a computer before. Not even the work ones were that bad. I might be able to kind of, sort of, make peace with it if it wasn't for the unstoppable "updates" which you have no control over and which may render your, accent on your, computer, that you bought and paid for, useless for hours at a time. I like Win10 so much Linux or Mac might be in my future.

have you gone into the local group policy edit and told it not to force updates? I did that on my desktop at home

[e28Sean]

This is my office rig. Laptop stays closed in the dock w/ 2 external LCDs.

[Mike W.]

have you gone into the local group policy edit and told it not to force updates? I did that on my desktop at home

I've got 10 home or basic and I don't think it's an option, just on pro or premium or super duper or one of those variants.

[demetk]

have you gone into the local group policy edit and told it not to force updates? I did that on my desktop at home

I've got 10 home or basic and I don't think it's an option, just on pro or premium or super duper or one of those variants.

Just set your wifi to a metered connection. That will stop updates. Or install win 7.

[Mike W.]

Just set your wifi to a metered connection. That will stop updates. Or install win 7.

I thought I did at one time but it would seem not. But even if I did whenever I went on the road, which is it's primary purpose, it would be unusable. Looks like this one is going to the wife and 7 is looking better and better for me. Only semi obsolete instead of grossly obsolete like the XP I'm so fond of and use every day.

[demetk]

Why would setting your laptop's wifi adapter setting to a metered connection affect how you connect away from home?

[Mike W.]

It would mean as soon as I logged onto WIFI on the road it would immediately go crazy with updates rendering it useless for hours or a couple of days at a time.

[toddness]

I'll just add this.

As painful as the updates may be, the updates are making your systems more secure.

I strongly suggest you patch your systems ASAP, including every application you use. Adobe anything, Microsoft anything, Oracle anything, yadeyadayda...

Most if not all the hacks you've seen are preventable by keeping your systems patched.

I use cars as an analogy when describing computing and cyber - safety - We've gone from being operational (assembly lines) to adding safety items like rules for the road, brake lights, ABS, and airbags (security) over the last 100 years. I spent 20 years just trying to be operational 1985-2005, the last ten+ years has been more about remaining operational and not being hacked. Patch it.

[offroadkarter]

This is my office rig. Laptop stays closed in the dock w/ 2 external LCDs.

What is that, an 840G1? I see the Hp 3001 ultra slim dock

have you gone into the local group policy edit and told it not to force updates? I did that on my desktop at home

I've got 10 home or basic and I don't think it's an option, just on pro or premium or super duper or one of those variants.

Yeah I see it's disabled, it looks like it is possible to enable it. You could always put windows 10 pro on it for free then activate it with a legit windows 7 pro key (of which I have literally dozens)

Looks like you can also make it exist in home edition https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... 70e?auth=1

[e28Sean]

What is that, an 840G1? I see the Hp 3001 ultra slim dock.

It's some flavor of HP EliteBook. Not my first choice in PC brand, but it's what The Company issues.

[offroadkarter]

What is that, an 840G1? I see the Hp 3001 ultra slim dock.

It's some flavor of HP EliteBook. Not my first choice in PC brand, but it's what The Company issues.

Some of the older HP's were built like tanks. The 8440/8540's felt very well screwed together. I used a 8570w (still have a 8560w for the garage) which are very good machines to this day. The newer ones are pretty hit or miss. The 840G1's had constant battery failures, seen many that swell up as well. I'm seeing a lot of 17 g3's right now which at times fail to power on and you have to pull the back off and unplug the battery. I think it's related to the battery recall with HP, it looks like they set the latest bios to drain the battery in its sleep to prevent it from exploding.

The smaller Dell's these days feel put together better (I like the 7440/7450/7470/7480's).

[e28Sean]

Pretty sure mine is a G4. We have a fair number of problems with these laptops and their docking stations.
I work in IT, and I regularly get tickets in to fix a laptop that's stopped posting, or a dock that's not displaying video, or something equally annoying.

That said, my opinion may be biased, as we have literally thousands of these things deployed; It stands to reason that when you have that many devices, some are going to go wrong.

I'm seeing a lot of 17 g3's right now which at times fail to power on and you have to pull the back off and unplug the battery.

Next time you get one of these, try holding down the power and mute buttons for a few seconds (until the screen flashes at least once). That will reset the power management unit, and usually resolves this issue. I've had that trick work for me about a half dozen times or so just in the past few weeks.

[Karl Grau]

Between work and home, I have three dual monitor systems. All six monitors are Dell but only the work two match. I don't have both monitors on all the time depending on what I'm doing but I've never had issues with mismatched sizes and resolutions.

Work:





Home office:






Home workshop:

Let us know how much your chiropractor bills go up over the next year or so those two monitors up and to the sides are going to kill your neck after a while!

This is my work setup for the 50% of the time that I'm in the field and it definitely kills my neck.

[tig]

Home:



At work I also have the secondary oriented in portrait mode. The main at work is the Dell U3415W 34-Inch Curved which I absolutely adore.

[tig]

Work (Seattle office):

This is powered by my Dell Precision 5510. Amazon's too cheap to pay for nice laptops, so I bought it myself.

[Mike W.]

Work (Seattle office):

This is powered by my Dell Precision 5510. Amazon's too cheap to pay for nice laptops, so I bought it myself.

Now that surprises me given the business it is. I kind of had the opposite at the County, they bought good stuff but emasculated them so much they ran like turds. Plus they really didn't like it if anything besides the Office suite was run on them. Even though they were super security conscious and we ran the prox reader system that they revered and we administered it. They didn't see the disconnect.

[tig]

Work (Seattle office):

This is powered by my Dell Precision 5510. Amazon's too cheap to pay for nice laptops, so I bought it myself.

Now that surprises me given the business it is. I kind of had the opposite at the County, they bought good stuff but emasculated them so much they ran like turds. Plus they really didn't like it if anything besides the Office suite was run on them. Even though they were super security conscious and we ran the prox reader system that they revered and we administered it. They didn't see the disconnect.

The standard issue laptop isn't BAD, it's just not great. I demand great. Life is too short to work on slow, fat, bulky computers with tiny screens and shitty keyboards.

[Karl Grau]

I kind of had the opposite at the County, they bought good stuff but emasculated them so much they ran like turds.

It sounds like government I.T. guys are the same everywhere.

Life is too short to work on slow, fat, bulky computers with tiny screens and shitty keyboards.

You just described my work setup.

[toddness]

Large monitors are just indicators of compensating for something that is lacking otherwise. I run 43" + 32" and dual 15" laptops at my desk, with a 50" at my standup. I couldn't see shit before.

[e28Sean]

Took on a new position at werk, and got a shiny new desk to go with it. Much nicer than my old office.


Still rocking dual monitors, of course.