Hardware

Dual monitor setup for boosted productivity

A dual monitor setup. It's what I've wanted for the longest time. Today I am happy to report... I finally went for it!

Jun 5, 2020 · by Ben from GameDevMix
hardwaremonitorjourneyproductivity

Motivation

A dual monitor setup at home. It’s what I’ve wanted for the longest time. But as so often is the case when there are too many choices, the result can be overwhelm and inaction. In my case, I have not had a monitor upgrade for almost a decade. So it’s about time!

Today, I am especially proud to say that, given the gift of time that is furlough, I have finally taken the plunge and ordered not one, but two brand-new 27” monitors for an amazing dual-monitor setup! Which one(s)?

  • The Dell P2720DC (note the extra “C” at the end).

This monitor has been awarded “Editor’s Choice” by PCMag.com.

Click to watch the Video Review on YouTube from March 2020.

Why the Dell P2720DC ?

This monitor offers a broad port selection (including USB-C), a range of ergonomic features (including height, tilt, swivel, and pivot adjustment), and bright, realistic-looking colors. It’s 27-inch screen offers in-plane switching (IPS) technology and a standard widescreen (16:9) aspect ratio with a QHD (1440p) resolution of 2560 x 1440 px.

The flat screen is set in a matte-black cabinet, with minimal bezels, which adds to its appeal as a candidate for a multi-monitor setup. Its practically automatic daisy-chaining to a second display is a bonus.

Features, features, features

On a more personal note, this model provides a number of features that will help me to maximise my productivity:

  • USB-C for video and charging
    Since the monitor features a USB-C port, I can directly connect it to my MacBook Pro (which only has USB-C ports), without needing an HDMI to USB-C adapter. Going even further, the monitor can charge the MacBook Pro using the very same cable that is used for the video signal. This will allow me to remove the regular charging cable from my desk.

  • Daisy-Chaining to link the two screens together
    With Dell Express Daisy-Chaining technology, I only need to connect the first of the two monitors to my MacBook Pro. The second monitor can connect directly to the first monitor using a DisplayPort cable. This will allow me to remove yet another cable from my desk.

  • Height, tilt, swivel, and pivot adjustment
    The monitor comes with a stand that not only allows the height to be adjusted, but the screen can also be swiveled, tilted and pivoted. This will allow me to get the setup just the way I want it.

  • Portrait support (90 degree rotation)
    As a programmer, I like to be able to rotate my screen by 90 degress to fit more code vertically. Expanding on the previous point, this monitor supports that as well.

  • Small foot
    At only about 18cm depth, the monitor’s foot is much smaller than the above-listed features would suggest, taking up as little of my precious desk space as possible.

  • VESA support
    The monitor supports VESA, making it future-proof in case I ever decide to mount the two devices to my desk or wall.

  • Super-slim bezels
    When using two monitors side-by-side, the bezels at the outer edges of the screens always are a little distracting. With this monitor however, the bezels are minimal, only around 0.5cm each on the left and right.

  • Display Manager app
    The Dell Display Manager app allows partitioning the displays, making it easy to set up specific configurations and get the most out of the avaialble space.

  • More USB
    In addition to the above-mentioned USB-C port, the display packs in four more USB ports (two USB 3.0, two USB 2.0) for charging handheld devices as well as connecting peripherals.

Why not a gaming monitor ?

The downsides of this model include it’s 60HZ refresh rate and 5-8ms response time. So if you are a hardcore gamer, this model likely isn’t for you.

But in my case, I am not planning to game on these monitors. I am planning to use them primarily for web and game development, in particular long programming sessions in Visual Studio and having multiple applications open at the same time.

So given my use-case, I have chosen to opt for the many great productivity features this model offers, over a slightly faster refresh rate or response time that a more gaming-oriented model might offer.

Put simple: This model has everything I need.

Why two 27” instead of one 32” or 34”?

For me, it’s all about maximising my productivity. When I am working on developing games, I want to be able to have:

  1. Untiy on the first screen
  2. Visual Studio on the second screen
  3. Chrome (Trello, Docs, YouTube, Udemy, etc) on my laptop screen

Similarly, when I am working on web development for my day job, I want to be able to have:

  1. VSCode on the first screen
  2. The website I am working on on the second screen
  3. Chrome (Trello, Docs, YouTube, Udemy, etc) on my laptop screen

Most importantly, I want to be able to quickly and easily arrange the windows how I want them to be. Having two separate monitors allows me to do that.

Having two separate monitors also makes it easier to share my screen with my colleagues, and to record my screen for tutorials.

Having a 16:9 monitor also is better for testing games and websites at an aspect ratio that is the same as what most of the target audience will use.

Some applications take up the whole screen when in full-screen mode, e.g. the YouTube and Udemy video players, as well as games. If you use a single screen, those applications will use the whole screen, leaving no room for anything else.

If everything ends up not fitting on the single screen, I’d be back to switching apps, which is exactly what I want to avoid to enhance my productivity and keep my sanity.

Conclusion

After using my previous, single 24” monitor for almost a decade, I am so very pleased that I finally took the plunge to upgrade. Here is my brand-new setup:

Dual Monitor Setup

If you want to get the same, or a similar monitor, consider these links: