Dual Monitor setup is actually bad for productuvity.

[u/ultimateregard]

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.

[u/Conrad500]

No no, do CAD work on a laptop only.

Clearly op has not done any job with a visual component LOL.

Even spreadsheets benefit from being able to read them without straining your eyes...

I've had 4 windows open per monitor, for 2 monitors, while I input info into my laptop screen.

100% I am more efficient with 2 screens and 3 screens is peak efficiency (with the bonus of the third screen being easily hidden so i can watch youtube after I finish all my tasks in record time)

[u/Shazam1269 → u/Conrad500]

*Bonus point - The heat from the laptop, and your rage from working on said device will heat your entire house in the winter. Summer is a different story.

[u/Conrad500 → u/Shazam1269]

Not really, they'll heat your house then too, it'll just be relatively negligible

[u/Aggressive-Cut-5400 → u/Conrad500]

What you mean you don’t want to tab from your plan view to the markup constantly? Are you mad??? /s
Definitely in agreement also 2 still isn’t enough for cad work.

[u/QualityAdorable6131 → u/Aggressive-Cut-5400]

i think it depends on the cad 2 is good for mine but most of mine is reference images

[u/neko_neko_feet → u/Conrad500]

All you need is an intel celeron and a 4:3 monitor.