[couplos]

hello,

i am just wondering witch monitor setup you guys (and girls of course) use,
simple monitor setup / ultra wide or not
or multiple monitor setup
? resolution uhd/2K/4K ...

mine is ... 15 Y old...and I think about changing, but on a reasonable budget (less or around 600€)
i was quite happy with mine so far anyway (26" 3/4 iiyama 1920*1200)

any ideas or thoughts,

kr,
couplos

[Klaus]

I've got a 32" 4K (3840x2160) Philips monitor - quite dated by now.
Can't think of going back to 1920x1200, really.

A 4K IPS/VA monitor should be possible for 600EUR. Dell Ultrasharp monitors have a good reputation in terms of quality for your bucks
https://www.rtings.com/monitor/reviews/dell/u2723qe

I wouldn't go for a curved one unless you are into gaming.

[wim]

I would agree with Klaus, provided your eyes are good enough. Yes, you can always switch up to a lower resolution if you can't make out what it says on teh screen, but that defeats the object of a high resolution screen.

Personally, I run 3 screens next to each other. On the left I have a Dell UltraSharp 24" IPS-screen, 1920x1200, calibrated, mostly for photo-editing. In the center I have an LG curved Ultrawide 38", 3840x1600, and to the right a Samsung 4K 27", 3840x2160.

I prefer to have a monitor that is higher than a standard video format, because that provides a little extra space for controls etc., which is why I like the Dell, apart from the excellent colour rendition.
The LG Ultrawide is great because I use spreadsheets a lot, and it gives me ample space to set up a very wide spreadsheet, which is very convenient. I also use it for multiple apps side by side, like WhatsApp and/or Explorer next to a large browser window.

The Samsung I mostly use for an extra browser, or activities I do not have to keep on monitoring all the time, but also for capturing detailed screen images and/or videos. The additional resolution really helps. Its resolution is such, however, that for text-based applications in standard, 100% mode, I can no longer read the fonts very well, they just get too small. I'd need at least a 36"4K monitor in order to see it properly.

Basically, the LG Ultrawide is for me and my eyes a good compromise, so I use it for most of my activities, and the other two for very specific ones, basically, for what they are really good at.

If I had to replace them, I would definitely go for larger monitors currently, basically because of my eyes deteriorating. I do use special glasses for reading at monitor distance, which helps, but larger fonts without compromising the functionality I need would only be useful with larger monitors, where the font is larger by definition due to their larger size. This apart from the defects that show when you enlarge fonts on a monitor.

So, if you are only going fro a single monitor, you really have to consider what is most important.

If it is photo- and/or video-editing, get yourself a monitor that supports a large gamma without dynamic contrast-trickery, like a Dell Ultrasharp. If you need a monitor that works well with, e.g., large spreadsheets and/or games, get an ultrawide.

In all cases, do try and get the largest size and highest resolution possible, within the constraints of your budget obviously. In case of photo-editing, try to find a good IPS-display, but if you want to combine everything, you may want to go for a monitor where you can switch of dynamic contrast ratios, as that means you will still be able to calibrate it.

HTH, kind regards, Wim

[Klaus]

It's worth noting that your computer hardware has to support 4K outputs.
If yours is as old as your screen, it probably doesn't ...

[toni-a]

Dunno why nobody addressed most important features for the screen: color accuracy and color gamut .
whatever other specs are just forget about any screen without those features:
Delta E less than 2: what's the point of a screen where  colors are not consistent and change.
Color gamut must  cover at least 100% sRGB or 72% NTSC: if it's not capable of showing you the colors: it's useless.
Screens that don't cover those are good for reading text, playing games, maybe watching movies but definitely not photography.
Resolution is not that important but really handy:
I opted for Huawei Mateview and I highly recommend it because aside having all that others offer it has 3x2 proportions not 16X9 which is better for photography and even for 4K video you still have 400 pixels beneath the video for the player
it has excellent connectivity it even reverse charges the laptop connected via USB-C  and you can plug the mouse in the screen not necessarily in the laptop also mateview  can be linked wirelessly to any laptop making it extremely handy.
Don't believe what media say, let's use some common sense: the spy thing about Huawei is a joke... It's nothing compared to what your smartphone is continuously doing

[Klaus]

@Toni

That's why Wim and I suggested the Dell Ultrasharp monitors - they are well-calibrated.

u2723qe:
100 % sRGB,
98 % DCI-P3

PS: The Huawei "complex" is not so much about their phones/laptops but their 5G networks and their status as a supplier for the Chinese military. At least technically, they have the obligation to support Chinese state orgs (inc the secret service) outside of China's territory. China could order Huawei to shut down foreign 5G networks in times of conflict. Needless to say, but telco networks are critical infrastructure. And no, the US couldn't do the same - there are no US 5G network suppliers (it's down to Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung and Huawei/ZTE).

[toni-a]

Of course Dell ultrasharp monitors are great, you can't go wrong with those.
My preference for Mateview was because of price, 2:3 proportions which is very practical for photography and built in wireless connectivity you can project your mobile phone or laptop screen in 2 clicks, also when laptop is plugged via USB-C the screen reverse charges the laptop and you can plug the mouse in the monitor USB socket which makes things really practical.

[stoppingdown]

Thanks for this discussion — actually my monitor setup is quite obsolete (an old Nec PA241W and an ancient Iiyama ProLite B2403WS — both are wide gamut, but the latter has degraded significantly, in particular for max brightness, so it cannot be calibrated any longer). Of course they are not 4K. Since I use them also for my real job, they still work for me, but I know I have to replace at least one. Basically I'm waiting for the Iyama to die.

Can you please suggest me a Dell 24" model? I don't have space on my desktop for a 27".

[wim]

Well, there are really on 2 options for a 24"Dell UltraaSharp currently:
1. Dell UltraSharp 24 monitor - U2422H - 1920 x 1200 resolution, around 270 euros
2. Dell UltraSharp 24 USB-C-hubmonitor: U2422HE - 1920 x 1080 resolution, around 330 euros
3. Dell UltraSharp USB-C hubmonitor- U2421E - 1920 x 1200 resolution, around 330 euros

Personally I would go for option 3 if you really want a 24" monitor. It basically is the successor to my current Dell UltraSharp, and should be very good indeed. I did have an Iiyama as well, basically because of my experience with Iiyama CRT-monitors back in the day, but I found they do not last overly long, so I will not get another one anymore if one of my current monitors decides to give up. It lasted about 3 years, while my other monitors are all going strong still for over 4 years now, and the Dell and Samsung for over 5 years. And I use them intensively, about 8 to 12 hours a day.

Having said all this, a 27" monitor is only about 3.5 cm wider than a 24"one, and if you would like better resolution, you would have to go that way.

The 3 cheapest ones are:
1. Dell UltraSharp 27 Monitor | U2722D - 2560 x 1440 resolution (QHD), around 380 euros
2. Dell UltraSharp 27 USB-C-hubmonitor - U2722DE - 2560 x 1440 resolution (QHD), around 440 euros
3. Dell UltraSharp 27 4K USB-C-hub monitor - U2723QE - 3840 x 2160 resolution (4K), around 620 euros

In this case, I would personally go for option 3, but it is right at the top of your budget.

The prices mentioned are what you'd pay over here, in the Netherlands, directly from Dell. You actually may be able to get them slightly cheaper from a computer shop.

HTH, warm regards, Wim

[Klaus]

There are, of course, many excellent monitors beyond just Dell Ultrasharp - LG, Samsung, and Philips have great products (if you avoid the cheapest). And at the high end, there's Eizo.

I'd say a good rule of thumb is a statement regarding the DCI-P3 >= 90%, IPS/VA, 400cd/m2, 1500:1 contrast and yes, 4K.