Displays / Monitors

Also see https://github.com/aizatto/character-length

Minimum width: 1280px

• Sites now are being unfriendly to smaller screens
• Or treat smaller screens as mobile devices

Reviews:

• Wirecutter
  • The Best Ultrawide Monitors
  • The Best 27" Monitors
  • The Best 4K Monitors

My Preference: 38" 3880 x1600

Work

Window Management

• Divvy
  • This is the one I personally use
  • Cons:
    • Grid does not properly render on vertical oriented desktop
• macOS native Split View
• Moom
• Magnet
• Check out Product Hunt

3 Vertical Windows:

I like to split things into 3 windows.

• Central: main window of focus
• Left: Notes
• Right: Documentation

The center is my focus, left and right are supporting material.

Pros:

• Great for comparing two things, and keeping notes centered

Cons:

• Can be too tall

Options:

• 3x 24" 4K vertically oriented monitors
  • Breaks the limit of 1080px width
  • 24" when rotated
    • Height: 56cm
    • Width: 36cm

2 Vertical Windows

I tried this, but I like having one main thing in front of me that I can focus on.

Aspect Ratios

4K (3840x2160)

27"

I didn't like using 4K for my work (programming, documents).

Using at 4K:

• Fonts are too small for me
• I still reduce size to 2560x1440

MacBook allows me to push at:

• 1920x1080
• 2560x1440
• 3008x1692
• 3360x1890
• 3840x2160

Scaling to 3360x1890 @27"

• Feels like a lot happening at one time in a small space
• Feels very compressed.
• It's very tall, which can be useful.
• Fonts are small.
  • Feels like it can be very straining over long period of time.

Resolution	1/2	1/3
3360x1890	1680x1890	1120x1890	1/3 resolution is ok size
3008x1692	1504x1692	1002x1682	1/3 resolution is awkward size

34"

• Dell U3219Q

Resolution	Pixel Per Inch	Comment
3840x2160	140
3360x1890	122.5
	110	Ideal
3008x1692	109	But awkward 1/3 size

35"

If I can find a 35" 4K monitor. Pixel Per Inch: 109. I can use the full 4K at a comfortable display.

Seems I can fit a lot of vertical ext as well 2160px vs 1440px.

UWQHD (3440x1440) @ 34"

Ultra Wide Quad High Definition: 3440x1440

Displays:

• 1146x1440: if dividing by 3
  • Cons: Doesn't hit 1280px minimum

Pros:

• Single cable; if going USB-C
• Can tile 3 windows vertically

Alternatives:

• Three vertically oriented displays
  • Pros:
    • Forces clear delineation between displays
  • Cons:
    • Bezels (can get smaller displays)
    • More cable/power management

21:9 3880x1600 @ 38"

Pros:

• Comfortably fit 3x1280 windows
• Vertical height is larger at 1600 (vs 1440)

Models:

• Dell U3818DW
  • https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/accessories/apd/210-amrc
  • https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1349058-REG/dell_u3818dw_ultrasharp_38_curved.html
  • https://www.dell.com/en-hk/work/shop/dell-ultrasharp-38-curved-monitor-u3818dw/apd/210-amwo/monitors-monitor-accessories
  • https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Screen-LED-Lit-Monitor-U3818DW/dp/B073FHWTPL/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=U3818DW&qid=1558253484&s=gateway&sr=8-3
• LG 38WK95C-W
  • HDR 10
  • https://www.lg.com/us/monitors/lg-38WK95C-W-ultrawide-monitor

32:10 3840x1200

Properties:

• 3x 1280

Display:

• Samsung: 43" CJ890
  • US: $849.99
  • Not available in Malaysia

32:9 (3840x1080, 5120x1440)

3840x1080

Displays:

• Samsung 49" LC49HG90DMNXZA
• Cons:
  • Smaller resolution

5120x1440

Properties:

• 2x 2560x1440
  • 4 windows vertically at 1280 x 1440

Pros:

• Vertical window is 1280px
  • A little more spacious

Alternatives:

• 2x 27" 2560x1440
  • Cons:
    • More cables to manage
    • Bezel divided in the center

Displays:

• Dell 49" U4919DW
  • Dell US Store: $1349.99
  • Dell Singapore Store: $1939.00
  • Not available in Malaysia
• Samsung 49" C49RG90SSU
• LG 49" 49WL95C-W
  • HDR10
  • 10W Speakers
  • Amazon: $1498.98

Divvy:

• Setup an 8x4 grid

Vertical Orientation

Problems:

• 27" displays are too tall
• 14" ideally
• Cannot use 1920x1080 displays, as 1080 for the width would be too small
• 2560x1440 displays, all come in 27" sizes

Reviews

Dell U2717D: 2560x1440 @ 27"

Likes:

• I like the almost seamless bezels.

Panel Dimensions

• Height: 33.33cm
• Width: 60cm

Dell P2715Q: 4K (3840x2160) @ 27"

Dislikes:

• Bezels are big
• Personal for me, I didn't use the 4k
• 4K @ 60hz on MacBook Pro 2017 15" does not work as expected
  • Requires a USB-C to DisplayPort cable
  • Dongles (USB-HDMI) do not work
    • Output at 30hz

Dell U3419W: 3440x1440 @ 34"

Likes:

• USB-C charges my MacBook Pro 2017 15"
• You can push audio to the screen
  • Audio is controlled on screen

Dislikes:

• Bottom Bezel has this plastic strip coming out
• Wished the 2 usb ports on the side were on the back
• Screen audio quality is flat, and muffled
• It's a little "tight" when windows are vertically tiled for 3 windows at 1146px per window.
• I think it could it be taller, by an inch or two.
  • Add more vertical pixels.

Panel Dimensions

• Height: 33.33cm

Dell U3818DW: 3840x1600 @ 38"

My current monitor:

Likes:

• Fits 3x 1280 windows
• Speakers are good

Similar likes and dislikes to Dell U3419W

Other

Pixel Pitch / Pixel Per Inch

This is my personal preference. I notice I like it when the Pixel per inch is 109 (or a ratio of it). Anything higher than that is too small for my eyes.

Device	Pixel Per Inch	Pixel Pitch
MacBook Pro 2017 15"	220
Dell U2717D: 2560x1440 @ 27"	109	0.233mm
Dell U3419W: 3440x1440 @ 34"	109	0.233mm
Dell P2715Q: 4K (3840x2160) @ 27"	163	0.1554mm
Dell U3219Q: 4K (3840x2160) @ 32"	140	0.182mm

DisplayPort daisy-chaining (multistream / MST)

Macs do not support DisplayPort daisy-chaining (multistream / MST)

• Source

Macs do not support CEC or HDMI controls

Controlling Sound (to HDMI/DisplayPort/USB-C)

• https://www.reddit.com/r/MacOS/comments/9nipy4/samsung_c43j89_monitor_on_macbook_pro_2018_no/
• https://github.com/the0neyouseek/MonitorControl/releases