I use dual screens at work (and in a previous job used a three screen setup) and replaced a previous dual screen setup at home with an ultra widescreen monitor (21:9). However you do it, there's nothing distracting about extra screen real estate. With these types of setups I personally take advantage of Windows' standard window snap features, which work the same as on a regular single screen, just with however many more screens or real estate available. You typically still only work in one main program at a time for obvious reasons, but don't have to do as much switching windows (if at all) when referencing things since they're already visible. Since you're planning on dual monitors (preferably both 16:9), you can comfortably fit four portrait mode programs (if you want to get really fancy, you can take one of the four panels and have programs on the top and bottom as well). As I type this, I have Chrome open on one half of the left monitor with Word open on the other half. On the right monitor I have a PDF reference file I'm using for the Word document, and next to that is a To Do List from Evernote. I also echo the sentiments of others regarding resolution. I'd say 4K is unnecessary and expensive (and it's unlikely your PC would be able to drive it satisfactorily even with a good video card), but you'd want two 1920x1080 screens at minimum. Of course, the nice thing with a dual (or tri) monitor setup is that you can mix and match screens and resolutions without issue, although I personally like to match the two (or three) monitors as closely as possible, since significant color/contrast differences between panels can be a bit distracting/annoying. ======================================================== Bill Loguidice, Managing Director; Armchair Arcade, Inc. <http://www.armchairarcade.com> ======================================================== Authored Books <http://www.amazon.com/Bill-Loguidice/e/B001U7W3YS/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_1> and Film <http://www.armchairarcade.com/film>; About me and other ways to get in touch <http://about.me/billloguidice> ======================================================== On Thu, May 19, 2016 at 9:40 AM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Starting to think I need a second computer monitor. My PC is 5 years old and only has the one VGA port (no DVI/HDMI), so do I need to get a video card? For those who've done it -- do you find it distracting to have your display spread across two screens? A priority is to spend as little as possible.