From experience I can vouch for the benefits of having more surface area to complete tasks, and the digital world is no different. Just like when I’m cooking dinner at home, I need room to work. I need music, I need clean tools, I need space to let my elbows kick out to either side freely (yes this applies to the kitchen and the office).
So of course I am a huge supporter of the multiple monitor desk space. First thing I did this spring was reorganize my desk life. Pushed my laptop out to the left a tad, replugged my monitor and voila, I felt instantly more productive. Why? Because I can see everything I need to do, all at once. I can have my outlook open on my laptop screen, checking emails and the calendar, while I am writing blogs on my larger monitor. This basically ensures I miss nothing, which is how I like things to be. Do yourself the favor and take a minute to look at your desk situation. If you are looking at that tiny laptop screen and thinking you could really benefit from a new monitor or even two, I’m with you, and I have complied a list of the best monitors to increase your work productivity.
Desktop monitors generally fall between 15 inches and 34 inches (measured diagonally). The bigger the screen the more you can expect to pay, so take into account the amount of space you have at your desk. A 24-inch display is a solid choice for the average user, but if you have the room in your budget and on your desk, you can opt for a 27-inch or even a massive 34-inch display. I personally recommend a curved monitor. Not only is this cutting edge, but makes for a more comfortable working experience. If you spend a significant chunk of your day starring at your monitor, the curved design will allow for a better range of vision, not to mention the picture quality will be insane compared to any monitor you’ve had in the past.
Dell UltraSharp U3415W – $900
34 inches / 3440 X 1440 resolution/ HDMI, MHL, DisplayPort and mini DisplayPort 6 USB ports
Excellent and my personal top pick for curved 34 inch display. The price is high but it packs the quality to match, with In-Plane switching panel technology, with anti-glare non-reflective screen. Split screen capabilities, picture in picture, picture by picture, great sound, and amazing clarity. A sure fire win!
Acer Predator XB271HK – $800
27 inches / 3840 X 2160 resolution / HDMI, DisplayPort, 5 USB ports
Top pick for big screen, performance, gaming, crisp colors and gray-scale reproduction. Only get two video inputs sadly, but has excellent gaming features. Still appropriate for the workplace if you have the cash and the desire for ultra crisp visuals.
BenQ XL2730Z -$500
27 inches / 2560 X 1440 resolution /DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA 5 USB ports
This 27-inch display pairs Twisted Nematic (TN) panel technology with AMD’s FreeSync dynamic-refresh technology to deliver excellent gaming performance with sharp, accurate colors and a Quad HD (2,560-by-1,440) resolution.
AOC G2460PF – $200
24 inches / 1920 X 1080 resolution /DVI, HDMI, MHL, DisplayPort, VGA 5 USB ports
If you’ve been itching to get your hands on an FreeSync-enabled display, but have found the prices prohibitive, check out the AOC G2460PF ($249). This 24-inch monitor uses AMD’s FreeSync anti-tearing technology to deliver smooth gaming action, and it offers a quick pixel response, speedy refresh rates, and low input lag. The gray scale is nothing compared to the BenQ however.
