Ultrawide or Dual Monitor?

[GamerTrem]

My primary display is starting to die. It works fine then randomly flickers, goes blank, etc. Before it dies completely I want to get a new monitor. I'm currently running a dual monitor setup, but I'm looking for some input from those who have used both ultrawide and dual monitors.

 

1:  Can you run an ultrawide like a dual monitor setup? For example: I've got Youtube, Floatplane, Netflix, or w/e else on the second screen while gaming on the main one. Can I split an ultrawide down the middle (or into thirds) so I can still do this?

2: Performance hit or bonus? I'm running a 4080 Super, but I live in California where electricity cost is insane. Has anyone noticed a difference in power draw and/or FPS for dual monitors vs Ultrawide while using it in situations like Question 1?

3: If you've gone from Dual Monitors to Ultrawide what has your personal experience been? Positives and negatives.

4: If you run an Ultrawide setup and have used multiple Ultrawide monitors what is something you've learned to watch out for? Any Surprises?

 

Thanks for anyone who reads and responds!

[GamerTrem]

Follow Up question:

If you run an Ultrawide what kind of monitor arm are you using? I'll end up having to replace mine.

[Dedayog]

11 minutes ago, GamerTrem said:

My primary display is starting to die. It works fine then randomly flickers, goes blank, etc. Before it dies completely I want to get a new monitor. I'm currently running a dual monitor setup, but I'm looking for some input from those who have used both ultrawide and dual monitors.

 

1:  Can you run an ultrawide like a dual monitor setup? For example: I've got Youtube, Floatplane, Netflix, or w/e else on the second screen while gaming on the main one. Can I split an ultrawide down the middle (or into thirds) so I can still do this?

2: Performance hit or bonus? I'm running a 4080 Super, but I live in California where electricity cost is insane. Has anyone noticed a difference in power draw and/or FPS for dual monitors vs Ultrawide while using it in situations like Question 1?

3: If you've gone from Dual Monitors to Ultrawide what has your personal experience been? Positives and negatives.

4: If you run an Ultrawide setup and have used multiple Ultrawide monitors what is something you've learned to watch out for? Any Surprises?

 

Thanks for anyone who reads and responds!

You want dual monitors if you do so much multitasking like that.  

 

An Ultrawide if perfect for a full screen (or windowed fully open) experience, and nice for work as well to split the monitor with Excel and Email, etc.  But for gaming and needing a 2nd monitor?  Just get 2.

[Andrewtst]

18 hours ago, GamerTrem said:

Can you run an ultrawide like a dual monitor setup

If you very concern on this, you should use back dual monitor setup.

 

They are some Ultrawide monitor that can running as dual monitor but all of it is reduce feature. Beside this Ultrawide is only 21:9 aspect ratio where not enough to run exactly dual monitor of 16:9 aspect ratio. Ultrawide 21:9 is like having 1.5 units of 16:9 aspect ratio monitor only. If you need truly dual monitor, you need to get Super Ultrawide which is 32:9 aspect ratio and this is exactly 2 units of 16:9 aspect ratio monitor.

 

But then your usage is not that suitable, unless you accept Windows features of dual split using software with windows mode of gaming, and not the hardware split the monitor into two units, only some in market is supported this feature and all is half bake, most feature will be disable when doing so, for example a 240hz monitor will became 120hz each site, no G-Sync support, no VRR support and not even have many settings to allow you to adjust your monitor setting to your liking.

[Donut417]

On 3/15/2024 at 5:16 PM, GamerTrem said:

My primary display is starting to die. It works fine then randomly flickers, goes blank, etc. Before it dies completely I want to get a new monitor. I'm currently running a dual monitor setup, but I'm looking for some input from those who have used both ultrawide and dual monitors.

 

1:  Can you run an ultrawide like a dual monitor setup? For example: I've got Youtube, Floatplane, Netflix, or w/e else on the second screen while gaming on the main one. Can I split an ultrawide down the middle (or into thirds) so I can still do this?

2: Performance hit or bonus? I'm running a 4080 Super, but I live in California where electricity cost is insane. Has anyone noticed a difference in power draw and/or FPS for dual monitors vs Ultrawide while using it in situations like Question 1?

3: If you've gone from Dual Monitors to Ultrawide what has your personal experience been? Positives and negatives.

4: If you run an Ultrawide setup and have used multiple Ultrawide monitors what is something you've learned to watch out for? Any Surprises?

 

Thanks for anyone who reads and responds!

1) I have dual ultrawides because FUCK IT. But generally when gaming the game takes up the whole screen. I dont know of any screens off hand that allow you to section a ultrawide. Unless you play in windowed mode. Use Power Toys to create sections.

 

2 )Well, I was told that my 34" 1440p ultrawide has about 20% less pixels than a 4K 16:9 panel. So you would be having to drive more pixels vs a 16:9 panel. Id imagine for your GPU that might not be an issue.

 

3) With an ultrawide you can put 3 windows side by side easily. So if you like to multitask like that its nice. The only negatives is some times games dont play as nice. As in some times they dont support ultrawide and you will have black bars.

 

4) The first ultrawide I got was a 1080p 25" panel. The second ultrawide I bought was 34" 1440p, personally I think 34" is good enough. I wouldnt go smaller and you could go bigger but you need a lot of desk space.

 

[Dedayog]

12 hours ago, Donut417 said:

1) I have dual ultrawides because FUCK IT. But generally when gaming the game takes up the whole screen. I dont know of any screens off hand that allow you to section a ultrawide. Unless you play in windowed mode. Use Power Toys to create sections.

 

2 )Well, I was told that my 34" 1440p ultrawide has about 20% less pixels than a 4K 16:9 panel. So you would be having to drive more pixels vs a 16:9 panel. Id imagine for your GPU that might not be an issue.

 

3) With an ultrawide you can put 3 windows side by side easily. So if you like to multitask like that its nice. The only negatives is some times games dont play as nice. As in some times they dont support ultrawide and you will have black bars.

 

4) The first ultrawide I got was a 1080p 25" panel. The second ultrawide I bought was 34" 1440p, personally I think 34" is good enough. I wouldnt go smaller and you could go bigger but you need a lot of desk space.

 

So basically you support dual monitors then?.  Since dual UW's are still... duals. You're not using a single monitor at all.

 

 

[Donut417]

1 minute ago, Dedayog said:

So basically you support dual monitors then.  Since dual UW's are still... duals. You're not using a single monitor at all.

More monitors are better.

 

I like having stuff up when gaming, cant do that on a single monitor.

[ToboRobot]

I prefer to have a single monitor, and a laptop as a secondary screen/machine.

[GamerTrem]

Based on responses and what I've been reading I think I'll skip the UW and stick to my standard DS for now. Plus after seeing LTT do  review of the new Alienware 4k monitor... I'm thinking I might go with that. Its easily leaps and bounds ahead of this current one I'm using. It was AMAZING 6 years ago, but its showing its age against more refined 4k monitors.

 

Thanks for the input everyone

[Stahlmann]

On 3/15/2024 at 10:16 PM, GamerTrem said:

1:  Can you run an ultrawide like a dual monitor setup? For example: I've got Youtube, Floatplane, Netflix, or w/e else on the second screen while gaming on the main one. Can I split an ultrawide down the middle (or into thirds) so I can still do this?

You can do this either by running the game in windowed mode or using PPP/PIP modes included in the monitor. Both variants won't support HDR and the PBP/PIP variant will also not be able to use VRR.

 

On 3/15/2024 at 10:16 PM, GamerTrem said:

2: Performance hit or bonus? I'm running a 4080 Super, but I live in California where electricity cost is insane. Has anyone noticed a difference in power draw and/or FPS for dual monitors vs Ultrawide while using it in situations like Question 1?

Realistically, a monitor won't impact your yearly electricity cost that much.

 

Say you're using it an average of 5 hours per day, and one monitor comsumes around 50W per hour, that would mean you're looking at roughly 91 kWh per year. California electricity sits around 29.11 ¢/kWh so that would mean you pay $26.49 per year for just the monitor. You can decide yourself if an extra $20 or so per year are worth it.

 

On 3/15/2024 at 10:16 PM, GamerTrem said:

3: If you've gone from Dual Monitors to Ultrawide what has your personal experience been? Positives and negatives.

Dual monitor is better in practically any way when it comes to multitasking and gaming.

 

On 3/15/2024 at 10:16 PM, GamerTrem said:

4: If you run an Ultrawide setup and have used multiple Ultrawide monitors what is something you've learned to watch out for? Any Surprises?

I never had 2 ultrawide monitors, but I've always been using a higher-end monitor as my main and an extra basic 1080p monitor on the side. Every time I tried to go back to 1 monitor had me going back to 2 monitors within less than a week.

[GamerTrem]

17 hours ago, Stahlmann said:

You can do this either by running the game in windowed mode or using PPP/PIP modes included in the monitor. Both variants won't support HDR and the PBP/PIP variant will also not be able to use VRR.

 

Realistically, a monitor won't impact your yearly electricity cost that much.

 

Say you're using it an average of 5 hours per day, and one monitor comsumes around 50W per hour, that would mean you're looking at roughly 91 kWh per year. California electricity sits around 29.11 ¢/kWh so that would mean you pay $26.49 per year for just the monitor. You can decide yourself if an extra $20 or so per year are worth it.

 

Dual monitor is better in practically any way when it comes to multitasking and gaming.

 

I never had 2 ultrawide monitors, but I've always been using a higher-end monitor as my main and an extra basic 1080p monitor on the side. Every time I tried to go back to 1 monitor had me going back to 2 monitors within less than a week.

Thanks for the response and covering each question. Genuinely appreciate it. I've decided to stick with a dual monitor. It does seem to make more sense for my overly multitasking self lol. Perhaps in the future UW will have more flexibility to make the change really worth it.