Connecting multiple monitors to your computer has proved to increase productivity, the overall experience, and the convenience of working or playing games on your computer. However, not everyone can cash out enough money to buy two state-of-the-art monitors right away.
Therefore, I’m sure the most common dual monitor setup consists of a brand new monitor paired with a much older monitor that’s waiting to be replaced. Now, if these two monitors are not the same size, will it still work?
Dual monitors don’t have to be the same size. You can connect two monitors of different size to your computer and run them without problem regardless of the monitor’s size, refresh rate, resolution, and model. The size of the monitor is more about user experience than functionality, so it comes down to personal preference.
Continue reading as we’ll talk about how you can improve your dual monitor setup without purchasing a new monitor, what you should think of when buying monitors for your dual monitor setup, and what to avoid!
Is Having Two Different Monitors Bad?
No, you’ll be totally fine if you decide to connect two different monitors to your computer. Two identical monitors will probably be your best option – both for your experience and the overall appeal of your setup, but it’s not needed.
For reference, I used to run a dual monitor setup where I used a 27″ 1440p as my primary monitor and a 24″1080p as my secondary monitor and it worked like a charm.
During a short period of time, the secondary monitor was replaced with a 22″ monitor, and it almost ran like clockwork. There were minor drawbacks with the setup, and I definitely want to emphasize the word minor to show you that it isn’t wrong or bad.
The setup could, at times, feel a bit janky because of the different sizes and resolutions of the two screens. The pros of having an extra monitor outweighed these small drawbacks by more than enough to prevent me from being bothered by it.
Below is a list of things that not only I, but a lot of people over the internet have experienced when using different sized monitors.
- Moving applications from one screen to the other would change the window size because of different resolutions.
- Sometimes the mouse wouldn’t move over because the difference in resolution created an “edge” around the top or bottom of the screen when you move from the large screen back to the smaller screen.
- It wasn’t possible to align the monitors precisely because there was a difference in height.
- If the resolution differed a lot between the two screens, it became very noticeable – but when I ran the monitors at their recommended resolution, I didn’t notice anything. To be frank, this was only noticeable when I was running games on the computer.
So, what’s the bottom line? You can use monitors with different dimensions for a dual monitor setup without a problem.
Use the old monitor you’ve got at home to start with. Don’t go spending money on a new monitor just because the one you’ve got at home doesn’t fit the bill when it comes to size.
If you’re starting from fresh and have the option to purchase two monitors, then I do suggest that you look for monitors that are of the same dimension. Two of the exact same monitor don’t hurt either.
Unless you’ve got limited space or budget. If that’s the case, focus on the primary screen and purchase a smaller secondary screen.
What Size Monitor Is Best For Dual Monitors?
If you ask me, there’s no wrong or right way of doing this. There are, however, methods that have been popularized by users all over the world because of how convenient they are.
I’m saying methods, not method, because the answer varies depending on what you intend to use your setup for.
Not all dual monitor setups are used for work or gaming, which I’m sure you’re well aware of. I, for one, use my dual monitor setup for content creation and editing and have, therefore, focused on equipment that will grant me a lot of additional workspace. Much more than I would need if I was gaming.
Let’s take a look at the different areas of use.
But before we do, it’s important to remember that it comes down to personal preference, so you don’t have to stray away from the monitors you initially imagined yourself buying just because I’m suggesting otherwise.
The recommendations below are guidelines based on what seems to be popular. Never ever would I purchase one of these and think of it as less capable of doing the job of the other setup, these recommendations are for someone who’s planning to purchase new equipment.
If you’ve already got a setup, it’s most likely enough to do all of the things mentioned below.
Dual Monitor Setup For Gaming
Going with two 24″ monitors for your gaming setup is a good choice. You can pick up a 140 hz 24″ monitor at a reasonable price these days. For gaming, these monitors are neither too big nor too small, they’re just perfect if you ask me.
Alternatively, you could go with two 27″ monitors if your budget allows for it. They’ll be a bit more expensive than the 24″ monitors but their size isn’t so big that it becomes redudandant to have two of the same.
For some, it’s important that the primary monitor is larger than the secondary monitor. In that case, I would go for a 27″ primary monitor and a 24″ secondary monitor.
Dual Monitor Setup For Work
At our office we don’t have assigned workstations. Instead, you take your laptop and connect it to any available docking station. These docking stations are then connected to monitors and peripherals.
As you might understand, this means I’ve worked with a bunch of different monitors over the years, ranging from 22″ to 37″ inch curved screens.
However, when it comes to work it’s often less important to have a secondary screen that’s capable of much more than displaying information. The primary screen becomes the highlight of the show while the secondary screen acts as an accessory for e-mails, calendars, etc.
I recommend a large primary screen (27-32″) and a small secondary screen (22-24″) for your workstation setup.
Dual Monitor Setup For Writing / Studying / Reading
When it comes to writing, studying, reading, and general use – I wouldn’t go with a screen that’s too large as there’s very little need for it. Why?
Because you can go with a 24″ monitor and turn it vertically, which I’m sure you’ve seen streamers do to keep up with their neverending flow of messages. The secondary monitor is often the one that’s turned vertically while the primary monitor is kept in it’s normal position.
Dual Monitor Setup For Editing
When it comes to editing, it’s important that your monitor provides you with a good overview of your project and every detail within it. The monitor should be able to run at high resolutions and offer great color accuracy.
You’re working with colors, brightness, shade, and effects when editing and monitors have their own settings for each of these too.
To minimize the difference between the two monitors when editing, it’s preferable to get two of the same to ensure your videos, photos, or graphic designs look the same across the board.
With that said, I think you understand why it would be beneficial to have two large monitors of the same model. I recommend going with at least two 27″ monitors.
Read: How to Tell If Your Computer Can Support Dual Monitors
Can You Use a Curved Monitor For a Dual Monitor Setup?
You can use curved monitors for your dual monitor setup but using two curved monitors will most likely create too much of a curve, making the entire setup a bit impractical and uncomfortable.
Two curved monitors next to each other can wrap around to the point that it causes a bit of neck strain over time.
For gaming purposes, the bezel in the middle would cause a bit of frustration if the display is extended over both monitors.
Curved monitors can work in a dual monitor setup but they’re better for large single-monitor setups. Instead of going with two small curved monitors, purchase a large single curved monitor.
This way, you’ll get rid of the bezel in the middle and still have a lot of space to work with without it curving around you.
Ergonomy is important when you consider how many hours you will be spending infront of the monitor.
Should Dual Monitors Have the Same Refresh Rate?
Monitors come in different shapes and sizes, but another key element that separates one screen from another is the refresh rate. Today, a 60hz monitor is considered a low-end monitor while high-end monitors often run at 144hz.
High-end monitors are oftentimes quite expensive too, which leads people to purchase a single 144hz monitor and opt for a cheaper secondary monitor. But would it be possible to match these monitors or would it cause issues?
Running multiple monitors at the same time doesn’t require the monitors to have the same refresh rate. You can connect a primary monitor with a high refresh rate and a secondary with a lower refresh rate, or vice versa. This can cause issues with the configuration but these issues are quite simple to solve.
Sometimes, the computer will lock the refresh rate of the high-refresh-rate monitor to match the refresh rate of the lower monitor.
Read: Do Multiple Monitors Slow Down the Computer?
Can Dual Monitors Have Different Resolutions?
The display resolution, which is the number of pixels on the screen, doesn’t have to be the same for all your monitors. If you have two monitors of different sizes, chances are they will run best at individual resolutions.
The only thing you’ll notice is that applications change in size when you move them from one monitor to the next if the resolution is different.
The larger the screen, the more pixels must be displayed on the screen in order for the image to look good and not have a pixelated look. This is because each pixel will increase or decrease in size depending on the resolution.
The fewer pixels visible on the screen, the larger they have to be in order to cover the screen. When they become too large, the image rendered starts to look quite bad. Therefore, each monitor has a recommended resolution corresponding to its size.
You can see the monitor’s recommended resolution and change settings by following the steps below.
- Right-click on the desktop background
- Click on Display Settings
- Click on the image of a monitor to select the monitor
- Adjust the settings
How Do You Match Dual Monitors?
Whether you’re looking for a setup that looks sleek or just want to match your monitors to make sure there’s little difference between the two monitor’s color settings, there’s a little bit of matchmaking to do unless you’ve gone for two of the same monitor.
Well, even that could require some adjustments. It’s normal for a manufacturer to receive parts from different suppliers or that the suppliers receive parts of their product from different suppliers. This can cause identical monitors to
When it comes to the image the monitors are displaying, you want to adjust the color temperature, gamma settings, sharpness, display modes, and brightness until the monitors have equal display settings.
The level of a setting can differ from one monitor to the next, so aim to adjust the monitors until their image looks the same more than just matching the numbers.
Most monitors come with a menu that can be accessed by using any of the few buttons on a monitor. Go to the menu and find the color and brightness settings. Here, make the adjustments needed on both monitors.
You can also handle color management by going to the Control Panel and looking for Color Management. You’ll be prompted to make a custom profile for each monitor.
In the dropdown menu Device, select your monitor and check the box “Use my settings for this device” then click Add.
You’ll see a bunch of different presets you can choose from.
How Do I Make My Dual Monitor Setup Look Better?
When multiple monitors are involved, there are going to be more cables and less space on your desk. That’s non-debatable. There are plenty of things that can be done to make your work, gaming or editing station look a cut above the rest.
- Cable Management: An abundance of exposed cables is a surefire way to degrade your setup. Find out how other people have handled their cables, as there are plenty of viable ways to hide them completely. This makes your setup look much better right off the bat.
- Proper Desk: Placing mulitple monitors, a keyboard, speakers, a mouse, and a mousepad on a small desk is going to ruin the experience as you’re crammed up into your little space. It will also make the setup look ridiculous in comparison to the desk. Therefore, find a desk that’s suitable for your setup.
- Align the Monitors: Aligning the monitors is a nice touch. Regardless of their size, try your best to align them so that they’re as close as possible. Monitors don’t have to sit next to one another – some users prefer to have their secondary monitor mounted above the primary monitor.
I hope this guide has proved helpful. Good luck with your dual monitor setup. Comment below if there’s something we’ve forgotten.