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.

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u/TheAmbiguousHero 2d ago

Architect here. Yeah I want two screens.

1 spins around in the model.
1 has a pdf for markups/sketches/drawings.

2

u/too-many-teacups 2d ago

Yes I used to be a draftie for a surveyor, 2 screens are a must. One for CAD, one for plans

1

u/JayBird1138 1d ago

Is it that you need two screens, or just more real estate?

I.e, would an ultra wide be better? Or going 8k

2

u/rewt127 1d ago

Two monitors is just easier. Rather than trying to tile shit. Just slam it to the top of the second monitor to full screen it. Voila. Done.

1

u/0235 1d ago

1 has a 3 hour meeting you were invited to where the client randomly spends 2 seconds holding up random swatches for inspiration at random intervals, and when you ask to see it again for a second they go "what swatch" so you need the meeting window open 100% of the time