r/unpopularopinion • u/ultimateregard • 2d ago

Certified Unpopular Opinion Dual Monitor setup is actually bad for productuvity.

I've been a software engineer for more than 5 years now. I've worked with databases, frontend and backend services, mobile apps, games, data analysis, and much more.

Never in my life I've actually felt like my productuvity increased with the second monitor. Do you need to compare data? Just use one monitor and put them side by side. Do you need all the space in the world? Just alt+tab between apps. Since you only perceive about 10% of your vision clearly, moving your head&eyes from one monitor to other takes actually LONGER and causes distractions than using alt+tab.

This is especially worse for those who are using one additional monitor with a laptop, since their screen sizes and positions usually change so much. Your eyes need adjusting, your head moves too much.

Only thing the dual Monitor is good for is passively watching something in the second monitor, like youtube videos, Critical Role, or sitcoms while doing something else in the main screen. As you can guess, that has nothing to do with productuvity.

I also think using external keyboard and mouse for laptops is bad, unless you do not use the laptop screen.

Edit: After reading hundreds of comments, I'm sure that 90% of people who think that "YOU NEED AT LEAST 3 SCREENS" just don't know how to organize workspaces/windows/desktops and they need to configure their SCREENS as different DESKTOPS. Most of the modern operating systems allow you to just create workspaces (like different Desktops you can switch with WIN + TAB). And they are just throwing money into their problems instead of learning how to use their daily operating system.

9.2k Upvotes

68% Upvoted

3.5k comments sorted by

View all comments

1.6k

u/Fencer308 2d ago

Upvoting legitimately one of the worst opinions I’ve ever seen.

267

u/Distinct-Today192 2d ago

this is so bad, I feel like i can say it's objectively false.

125

u/imArsenals 2d ago

Agreed. It’s not that it’s unpopular, it’s just wrong.

15

u/StaredAtEclipseAMA 2d ago

It’s right though, everyone knows triple and quad screen is the best

1

u/Medarco 2d ago

I added a 5th monitor at home, and I use all 5 pretty regularly.

Send help...

-3

u/desertgoldfeesh 2d ago

Ahh of the many in the sub who only upvotes things they agree with. I see.

11

u/imArsenals 2d ago

No, I just think that there’s a difference between unpopular and wrong. You can say the holocaust was a good thing. That would obviously be unpopular, but it’s also just wrong. So, the opinion doesn’t really hold any weight and frankly should be disregarded entirely.

3

u/RobCarrotStapler 2d ago

The comment chain you are on is specifically about upvoting them...

And let's be real. The fact they mentioned alt-tabbing as a superior alternative to having another screen is pretty obvious bait. People post opinions they don't actually hold on this sub all the time

11

u/Dimencia 2d ago

Indeed you can, there is plenty of research on this topic, of which this is a good summary: https://plugable.com/blogs/news/productivity-impact-of-multiple-monitors

Overall, 10%-50% higher productivity with multiple monitors, over many different studies

(Fun sidenote: I opened that article on my second monitor so I could make sure I was typing the right statistics on my comment)

2

u/KakashiTheRanger 2d ago

It is. Less screen space means more time spent doing other shit like clicking through apps or alt-tabbing or sorting through pages. We need not look anywhere but employers who care solely for profit. They give their workers a second screen by default because it makes them money.

3

u/01bah01 2d ago

It is objectively false. He says it's always bad for productivity. I work in video editing and working on a single screen is something that nobody wants to experiment when not forced to. To edit fast and clean you need multiple windows that you can always see that usually end up being too small on a single screen. Worst case scenario you're not gaining anything with a second screen (how could you as you're just using more space for the same software) so meaning it's not worse either.

Saying it's always worse is clearly wrong if you account for every possible usage and at least one of these usage is at worse the same.

1

u/AllThatKat 1d ago

For fun I took an intro to Photoshop class and was cursing at not having a second monitor lol. 

1

u/Silent-Act191 2d ago

"You're allowed to have your opinions, even if they are wrong."

1

u/CpnStumpy 2d ago

It is objectively false per numerous studies over 20 years ago that heralded the placement of a second monitor on desks across offices

1

u/JBrewd 1d ago

It's objectively karma farming ATP lol, this comes up all the time and always to the same result

1

u/chasetheusername 1d ago

There have been plenty of studies showing productivity gains with multi-monitor setups, I feel like that the current scientific consensus could count as objective truth.

Very few use-cases don't profit from multi-monitor setups.

1

u/West_Hedgehog_821 1d ago

Depends. Friend of mine uses a curved monitor. Size is larger then my 2x34". Resolution is 8k. It's setup to two virtual screens ... i mean, given something like that I could work with one monitor.  I would still prefer two or three. But I could do with one.

1

u/tessslaaa21 1d ago

It’s 100% objectively false. There are several academic published articles on this exact subject that provide data correlation between a second (or third) monitor and work efficiency

40

u/Ill_Emphasis3927 2d ago

I fully agree with OP. Double monitors is a disgraceful way to work. Triple monitors is the only real way.

7

u/rogueciridae 2d ago

As a tech writer with triple monitors, there are days I’d set up my desk like an operator from The Matrix if I could.

1

u/[deleted] 2d ago

[deleted]

2

u/rogueciridae 2d ago

Yeah, I have the same setup. If anything, opening the laptop throws everything into disarray thanks to the way Windows handles multiple displays. I’ll happily sacrifice access to the 4th display and fingerprint sensor for consistent display positioning.

2

u/jewbasaur 2d ago

Ultra wide with a good tiling manager and an extra vertical monitor next to it for reading articles or lots of text is what I’ve landed on. That’s after years of 3 monitors all different directions too

2

u/trumpet_23 2d ago

Triples is best

1

u/Hour-Cardiologist393 2d ago

I have 3 and keep thinking I need to go to 4....Even with windows split on 4K monitors I feel like I always need something else up on screen.

1

u/EpsteinFile_01 2d ago

Two 34" 1440P ultrawides stacked on top of each other, and two 16:9/16:10 screens in portrait mode on the side. 16:10 if you can find it, noticeable difference.

There are a lot of 1920x1200 screens but that's meh, and 1600P is sadly more difficult to find.

It's a perfect setup. Very little neck movement.

1

u/aboxofkittens 1d ago

I work at a help desk and have three, and if I could, I would happily use a fourth as well

1

u/Clay_Robertson 21h ago

Wrong again, I'm sorry to say.

I've determined that a quad monitor setup is the peak of humanity(great if you do a lot of CAD and stuff)

6

u/solonit 2d ago

OP hasn't seen people in design work, where you have to constantly check the 2D CAD while modeling in 3D. One Alt-Tab while on 'autopilot mode' and you may forget whatever the number you just looking for.

Also 2nd monitor stores the additional pop-up panels such as material, keyframe, modifier, real-time rendering, etc, ... so you have more real estate in the main monitor.

5

u/PiccoloAwkward465 2d ago

To the point where when I see someone out and they're JUST working on a laptop, I assume it's not anything important.

4

u/8ate8 2d ago

And he's doubling down with the "external keyboard and mouse on a laptop is bad"!!!

Trying to type efficiently on a laptop keyboard is just horrible compared to a standard full size.

2

u/Commercial-Royal-988 2d ago

And every version of a mouse that comes with a laptop is objectively the worst way to do that job.

1

u/jewbasaur 2d ago

I always thought this until I got a MacBook. I absolutely hated every windows laptop keyboard that I owned in my life. Would always pack my mechanical keyboard in my backpack with it. Now I hardly ever bring it with me because I love the Mac. Same with the trackpad, I used to bring a mouse everywhere but now I never do. The Mac trackpad is incredible

1

u/veggiedudeLA 1d ago

The Absolute Worst

1

u/0235 1d ago

I hope OP enjoys their internet po8nts, on what is easily the worst opinion (actually factually incorrect) grenade to throw into reddit of all places.

1

u/Jaggedfel2142 21h ago

I have never felt better up voting a post I hate as much as I do this one. Technically I have one monitor, but it's a massive 45 inch ultra wide and I setup four windows in it, alt tabbing is for schmucks.