How to pick a good monitor for software development • Hacker News Board

Re: How to pick a good monitor for software development

#181

Post by listenallyall » Mon, Feb 07, 2022, 11:44 PM UTC

perryizgr8 wrote: post #168

listenallyall wrote: post #115

Does anyone have a non-mac laptop that truly handles 2 monitors? I had an old Dell with both HDMI and Mini-DisplayPort ports, it drove two monitors well. But new laptops only have HDMI and rely on USB or Thunderbolt for additional monitor ports. My second monitor (connected via a USB-C hub with HDMI port) works, but it flickers and is not as bright as the first monitor connected directly to HDMI.

I used to use an HP elitebook. It drove 3 1600x1200 monitors from on display port using daisy chaining. Pretty well built laptop.

The daisy chaining is built into the monitors, correct? If every monitor was set up like this it would be great, but very few are, thus the need for 2 HDMI/DP in the laptop itself.

Re: How to pick a good monitor for software development

#182

Post by michaelmrose » Tue, Feb 08, 2022, 1:55 AM UTC

fwoty wrote: post #138

krrrh wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A preference for 24” or 27” at 4k is also largely impacted by how far away you position the monitor from your face.

I suppose if you put it quite far away, a 27" 4k @2x scaling would work well. It'd feel like a 24" 1080p monitor with retina sharpness. For all the folks confused why I'm saying you don't want a 27" 4k monitor for text, it's because the PPI isn't nicely sized for 1x or 2x, which means you have to set it to scaling that rounds and blurs subpixels. More info: https://www.caseyliss.com/2017/5/17/retina-monitors By the w…

> For all the folks confused why I'm saying you don't want a 27" 4k monitor for text, it's because the PPI isn't nicely sized for 1x or 2x, which means you have to set it to scaling that rounds and blurs subpixels.

This appears to be either a misunderstanding or a description of a deficiency in your environment for example Apple devices. For text there are 2 factors that control its size the designated size in points and for apps not sophisticated enough to scale elements appropriately according to DPI a scaling factor.

You appear to be suggesting that if you only had one knob you would be stuck with text that was either too small or too big however one or an application can adjust the size of the text independent of an integer scaling factor to produce a desirable end result. The same thing is true of images which are already trivially displayed at a different absolute sizes like every image on your browser ever.

For example on Linux most apps you are liable to run that aren't simplistic text apps are liable to be either QT or GTK. QT apps intelligently scale, GTK apps rely on a scaling factor one can set for example with an environmental variable. In both cases there is a setting for font size that effects 90% of apps of that stripe the minority having their own configuration.

It is incredibly trivial to have an environment that looks nice at any size.

Re: How to pick a good monitor for software development

#183

Post by mixmastamyk » Wed, Feb 09, 2022, 5:32 AM UTC

Kon5ole wrote: post #170

mixmastamyk wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interesting, how does it fit on your desk?

it fits fine, it's only about 4ft/120cm wide. I can touch both sides with my hands when sitting normally in front of it. Basically most of my field of view when working is available retina screen space, it's really nice. :)

Now I need a video card to drive it, guessing my laptop won’t cut it.

Re: How to pick a good monitor for software development

#184

Post by wjdp » Fri, Feb 11, 2022, 12:15 PM UTC

listenallyall wrote: post #115

Does anyone have a non-mac laptop that truly handles 2 monitors? I had an old Dell with both HDMI and Mini-DisplayPort ports, it drove two monitors well. But new laptops only have HDMI and rely on USB or Thunderbolt for additional monitor ports. My second monitor (connected via a USB-C hub with HDMI port) works, but it flickers and is not as bright as the first monitor connected directly to HDMI.

I use a ThinkPad P14s running Ubuntu, runs two monitors fine: HDMI on one and USB-C to DP cable for the other. Had another ThinkPad previously with same port config also fine.