Best dual mointor programmer displays? 1 widescreen / 1 vertical.

[musixman]

I'm ashamed to say I haven't really kept up with the latest tech in monitor displays and need some help. There has been so many advances in displays & graphics cards I can't tell what is marketing speak & what is actually good for my needs.

 

Does anyone know of a good review or thread about monitors for programming? Or know of a monitor that would work for my setup.

 

My needs / questions are the following,

 

- I don't really game. Maybe Simcity once and awhile & a game from steam no and then. But I don't need anything high end for gaming. Just minimal.

- I run 2x monitors. 1 horizational & 1 vertical 90 degree's for programming.

- For programming, the 90 degree monitor, I neeed as much width as possible when vertical. Is 16:10 the best I can get? The wider it is the better for me since reduces scrolling.

- Eye fatigue, as I'm getting older this has become more of an issue. What do I look for when trying to reduce this?

- Graphics cards, I have a new computer but kinda old graphics card. It has dual-dvi's only. What should I be looking for to drive these mointors. Is dual displayport's better then HDMI's?

 

Thanks in advance for any help I really appreciate it.

 

*note, ugh mis-spelled monitor in title. lol

Edited May 24, 2014 by musixman

[wng_kingsley7]

@musixman Greetings new member, I'm Kingsley. How do you do?

Can you post what is your current hardware and a budget price point for a dual monitor setup. Thanks

after reading your post either dvi-i/dvi-d will be better than hdmi. It's mainly recommended for running higher then 1080p go with dual link dvi or display port (thunderbolt) but hdmi is fine at this resolution.

[TheProfosist]

16:10 especially for the vertical if not both. 1920x1200 is pretty decent. DP is the best available currently but even single link dvi is fine for that res.

[wng_kingsley7]

Would you consider giving 1440p a go? provided that you'll only have one monitor? @musixman.

16:10 isn't common but not entirely rare. I would recommend the Dell U2414H it's got my eye for either Dual landscape or portrait for 32:9 ratio or 16:18 = 8:9 nearly.

It has an anti-glare coating so there isn't much reflection in the glass screen. ips for flourishing colour accuracy, quite a thin bezel.

[musixman]

@wng_kingsley7, really good thanks for your help.

 

My budget is < $1000 for both monitors, but obviously the best price / performance is ideal. If I have to spend more I will.

 

I most likely will have to buy a new graphics card as-well. But that will be extra doesn't need to be included in the 1k.

 

My setup is,

Motherboard: Gigabyte: Z77X-UD5H - http://ca.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4139#ov

Graphics Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 6800. http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3614#ov

Intel i7 - 4770k

32GB RAM

Corsair 750W power-supply

[musixman]

@wng_kingsley7, @TheProfosist, I really need 1 mointor that's 16:10 it makes a big difference when your coding vertically. You gain the height but lose the width & end up scrolling left to right alot.

 

I really small bezel isn't a deal breaker for me at all. Or a matched pair? Not sure if that's a bad thing or not, being not a matched pair.

[wng_kingsley7]

@wng_kingsley7, @TheProfosist, I really need 1 mointor that's 16:10 it makes a big difference when your coding vertically. You gain the height but lose the width & end up scrolling left to right alot.

 

I really small bezel isn't a deal breaker for me at all. Or a matched pair? Not sure if that's a bad thing or not, being not a matched pair.

I would suggest that you can expand the screen resolution, a recent video that Linus uploaded regarding how to upscale/downscale a monitors fixed resolution.

With this you can adjust from 1920x1080 to 1920 to 1200 however I'm not sure if it'll add a black borderline.

I think having matched monitors isn't the top priority however it's nice to have that option. The only monitor I know that is 16:10 is the pa249q from asus.

With both monitors being 24" (the Dell UH2414H and pa249q)

Both are very adjustable physically, the pa from asus is already pre-calibrated to the best colour accuracy of any 16:10 pls panel (although you can gain the extra heigh real-estate using the video I linked)

[musixman]

@wng_kingsley7, the Dell U2414H sure do look nice! I think 2x of those and the screen resolution adjustment you suggested is a great idea.

 

In terms of graphics cards & outputs to the monitors (running Windows 7). Do I just need any card that has 2x, HDMI outputs? I don't want to get a card that doesn't support the correct resolution.

 

That great video you posted, he said I should stick with Nvidia cards because they allow easier adjustments to the resolution.

[musixman]

Was just reading the specs for the mointors. Looks like I need a "1 DisplayPort (version 1.2a)" for optimizal results between the two monitors.

 

Is the 1.2a, something that comes with every graphics card with Displayport adapters?

[wng_kingsley7]

@wng_kingsley7, the Dell U2414H sure do look nice! I think 2x of those and the screen resolution adjustment you suggested is a great idea.

 

In terms of graphics cards & outputs to the monitors (running Windows 7). Do I just need any card that has 2x, HDMI outputs? I don't want to get a card that doesn't support the correct resolution.

 

That great video you posted, he said I should stick with Nvidia cards because they allow easier adjustments to the resolution.

No you can buy the adapters although the display will come with specific display interface cables pre-packaged in the box. I can look it up if you need it.

The image is sooo big .

 

Well let me put this into perspective if you buy the GTX780 which is a pretty good card to date for multi-monitors I would advise using the using the full size display port to monitor 1 with display port and the dvi port to the monitor 2 display port input.

 

HDMI isn't bad however the current 1.2a is only able to push 1920x1080p at 120hz max, the 1.4 implementation is being perfected. However DP 1.2 was surpassing it before the 1.4 was being hypothesized I think.

I can't remember if you need an active adapter for dvi to go into display port.

[musixman]

@wng_kingsley7

 

Thanks so much! I really apprecite your help! I just picked up 2x of those monitors from Dell for $299.99. I'll buy the graphics card when the monitors arrive

 

This forum is awesome & so are it's members.

 

Thanks again.

[tbc]

paying extra for better image quality is really silly for reading text.  save your money and don't bother paying extra for precalibrated monitor.

 

 

absolutely DO NOT buy a gtx780 for running multiple monitors.  buy it because you want better looking games.  that's an absurd waste of money.  even c2d  iGPUs can run dual monitors.

 

 

 

there is no such thing as 'port quality' as this resolution and setup. get hdmi OR displayport if you want audio to your monitor (w/e combination saves you money on a new GPU/cables).  that's the only feature consideration unless the size of the connector matters to you.

[TheProfosist]

@wng_kingsley7, @TheProfosist, I really need 1 mointor that's 16:10 it makes a big difference when your coding vertically. You gain the height but lose the width & end up scrolling left to right alot.

I really small bezel isn't a deal breaker for me at all. Or a matched pair? Not sure if that's a bad thing or not, being not a matched pair.

Asus makes a lower end 24in IPS that 16x10 and then there's the PA246Q, PA248Q, PA249Q

all of those are good if not great options.