Dual Monitor advice

aajohnny

I am sorry if I am a computer noob, but I feel I need to ask this question, because I don't wanna spend my money on something I will regret.

I am looking into buying another computer monitor for dual monitors to improve my workflow, and I am looking in the budget of $120-130 max (I am a college student bare with me ) My questions are:

- Do I need the same model monitor as the one I currently have?
- Do I need the same size monitor?
- Other advice on looking for a good monitor

Thanks for your help guys.

Barbarian

Do a search for a thread that I started a few months ago related to dual monitors of different size yea or nea. There were a lot of good responses.

Will Faucher

I work with two different monitors at different resolutions both at home and at work. No issues.

Wesley

It depends how you use them really... at home both my monitors are the same brand and model, and I really enjoy that. Feels uniform, especially considering colour.

But at work I have two different ones and I get on okay as well. You just end up assigning each monitor certain tasks. So the biggest is for Max while the other will have a bunch of references.

X-One

You should be able to mix and match monitors however you like. I personally run an lcd/crt. At work I use two lcds, same size, same resolution of different brands.

While most videocards these days do support dual-display, be sure that yours does, because it would suck to buy monitors to find out that your vid card can't take them.

haiddasalami

Have a 24 as my main and a 22 as my secondary monitor. No issues and great for coding, reference and throwing menus on one side

notman

Yeah, it just depends what you want to use the second one for. I keep mine the same size/resolution, but I use it for side by side viewing, and I find it more natural. We have IT guys that like one monitor in landscape mode, and the other in portrait. They do normal stuff on landscape, and the portrait is for network traffic and server info.

McGrandpa

I use a pair of Samsung LCD monitors via DVI to a 8800GTX. Main is a 245T 24" Widescreen and here is where all my photography and 3D is done. Secondary is an older 19" 930B I use for the 'catchall', like palettes and just Stuff. Once I actually did plug 2 monitors in to a vid card, I've run at least two continuously ever since. Just TOO handy having a catchall!

aajohnny

Thanks guy I just bought my monitor how do you guys use yours? do you use the side one for just references?

haiddasalami

notman wrote: »

Yeah, it just depends what you want to use the second one for. I keep mine the same size/resolution, but I use it for side by side viewing, and I find it more natural. We have IT guys that like one monitor in landscape mode, and the other in portrait. They do normal stuff on landscape, and the portrait is for network traffic and server info.

portrait is sooo good for coding haha. I just wished I had a longer DVI cable

notman

I should try turning mine to portrait sometime. I tend to like more width for visual studio tools, but seeing more code may be helpful too. I have cheap monitors at home though, and they don't rotate

Skillmister

I use a 24" main and 19" secondary. They are almost the same height so it works out alright.

Talbot

I have a 27" (2560x1440) and 26" (1920x1200). Since they are different aspect rations and densities, it is a little but of a weird transition... even though they are about the same height.