Second monitor recommendations?

[O-bro7]

I'm looking to purchase a second monitor for productivity but I don't want to spend much on it. Could I get something decent for $100 or would I need to spend more? Does my second monitor need to be the same size and resolution as my first or does that not really matter?

[675409]

I would recommend it to be the same size as it would just look cleaner. For a secondary monitor (assuming your gaming/streaming) it would normally be lower resolution. And yes, you could get a decent 1080p or even 1440p monitor for that price.

1 minute ago, O-bro7 said:

I'm looking to purchase a second monitor for productivity but I don't want to spend much on it. Could I get something decent for $100 or would I need to spend more? Does my second monitor need to be the same size and resolution as my first or does that not really matter?

 

[675409]

Btw, what size is your main monitor?

[RONOTHAN##]

If you go used, yeah you could get something pretty decent for about $100 (my secondary monitors were up until about a year ago 2 21" BenQ 1080P TN monitors that I got for $50 a piece of Craigslist, nothing special and not very color accurate but great for having Discord open, different documents for reference, etc.) If you want to go new, you really should be looking at $150+

[675409]

Yes, especially for a monitor over 24"

[rikitikitavi]

If your gpu has an additional port, then you should be able to easily hook up a monitor. Monitors don't have to match.

For $100 - second hand market. Even an older monitor might satisfy your needs. 

[O-bro7]

24 minutes ago, 675409 said:

Btw, what size is your main monitor?

its a 27 inch 1440p monitor

[675409]

ok, then try to get a 27" 1080p

[rikitikitavi]

38 minutes ago, 675409 said:

ok, then try to get a 27" 1080p

That is a poor advice, given you don't know OP's ppi tolerance or any preference for the 'productivity' monitor.

 

To get the same density of 100+ ppi at 1080p you need max a 21" monitor.

 

@O-bro7what does 'productivity' mean? Do you care about how crisp your monitor (displayed content) looks, in comparison with your current 27"1440p?

[xg32]

3 hours ago, O-bro7 said:

its a 27 inch 1440p monitor

awhile ago some1 dumped hundreds of used pa242w on ebay for 70bucks each, they are all gone, just letting u know it's possible if u wait. i wouldnt tunnel on the same size/resolution too much. I just searched ebay for a buncha known models and there just aren't many used atm

 

for new 24g2 for 180usd is decent, if it's purely for productivity then the benq sw240 is hard to beat for 400usd, all rounder would be msi mag274qrf-qd for 400usd, if you are fine with 1080p my recommendation is just the 24g2

[varrys]

The size/resolution truly depends on you and what you need it for, plus what you can tolerate. For years I ran a 25" 1440p monitor as my main and then had a 22" 1080p as a secondary, used for playing videos and baseball games while working/chilling, plus extra windows while DMing for D&D. They weren't the same size, resolution, or height, but I didn't mind. Some people would!

 

Now, I'm rocking a 27" 1440p 144Hz as my main, and the old 1440p 60Hz is my secondary. But the old stands taller than the new despite the new's larger screen. Again, does that bug me? Nope! I could lower the stand's height on the old to make the tops match, but again, I don't care.

 

If it's an issue for you, then you may want to save more and/or wait for a perfect find/sale. But consider your usage, what you'll be using it for, and go from there.

[O-bro7]

18 hours ago, rikitikitavi said:

That is a poor advice, given you don't know OP's ppi tolerance or any preference for the 'productivity' monitor.

 

To get the same density of 100+ ppi at 1080p you need max a 21" monitor.

 

@O-bro7what does 'productivity' mean? Do you care about how crisp your monitor (displayed content) looks, in comparison with your current 27"1440p?

I'm a student so I will be using the second display for playing youtube tutorials while I work on the other monitor and also to display my reference images and concept art so I can refer back to it. I don't mind if the ppi is lower than my main monitor

[IPD]

It's not the PPI that bothers people.  The most common complaint is that desktop "notch" that comes from navigating between different resolutions, and how the lower resolution panel will "block" the mouse pointer unless it is in the immediate adjacent area.  There are other, mostly aesthetic complaints; but the "notch" is the most common one I've heard.

 

I am not familiar with any software/mods that will force-pinch/move the mouse pointer into the smaller area automatically--when migrating between displays.  It would be nice to never have to worry about the lower corner of your 1440p not connecting to your 1080p and the mouse being stuck there until you move it up the screen a bit.

[rikitikitavi]

23 hours ago, O-bro7 said:

I'm a student so I will be using the second display for playing youtube tutorials while I work on the other monitor and also to display my reference images and concept art so I can refer back to it. I don't mind if the ppi is lower than my main monitor

Since no such preference, you should have no problem finding a good deal. My suggestion - don't go higher than 24", also a 90˚ rotation or VESA compatible might be helpful.

If you want to match icon/text size with your 27"@1440p you'll have to scale it down.

 

10 hours ago, IPD said:

The most common complaint is that desktop "notch" that comes from navigating between different resolutions, and how the lower resolution panel will "block" the mouse pointer unless it is in the immediate adjacent area. 

Honestly first time hearing such complain. However, now that I think about it, given the ridiculous things I saw throughout the years, this one feels 'legit' now lmao.