Travelling with 24” Monitors • Hacker News Board

Re: Travelling with 24” Monitors

#211

Post by benzesandbetter » Mon, Mar 02, 2020, 1:40 AM UTC

I did about a decade as a digital nomad, spending a couple months in each city. These days I'm still fairly nomadic, but stay longer (3-6mos) in each place.

I've experimented with a couple different multi-monitor setups. Notably, dual 24" displays, and a single Thunderbolt 27". For a while I had Skyteam Platinum and shipped my Thunderbolt display as my free extra checked bag on a couple trips to Brazil and Holland. When the shipping was free and I was staying in the same place for a while, it was marginally worth it bringing the second monitor. When I was making more frequent jumps between cities it was definitely not.

Personally, I find having additional monitors to not be a huge productivity boost to my work (software engineering, team/account management, writing, coaching, and managing an import/ecommerce business) relative to a good virtual desktop setup, particularly when weighed against increased pack weight and shipping costs. The place where it helps me the most is to be able to have API docs open alongside my editor/IDE, but I can do the same on retina macbook display, so having a lightweight and portable setup wins out for me.

Re: Travelling with 24” Monitors

#212

Post by brian-armstrong » Mon, Mar 02, 2020, 1:43 AM UTC

"I don't really need to be close to my friends or be in a place that I know but I need ... three 24 inches monitors an external GPU and an ergonomic keyboard."

Does anyone else have a hard time coming to grips with this prioritization? Even looking at this objectively with something like Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, yes we do need friends, though 3 24" monitors don't seem to appear.

Re: Travelling with 24” Monitors

#213

Post by epidemian » Mon, Mar 02, 2020, 1:57 AM UTC

brian-armstrong wrote: post #212

"I don't really need to be close to my friends or be in a place that I know but I need ... three 24 inches monitors an external GPU and an ergonomic keyboard." Does anyone else have a hard time coming to grips with this prioritization? Even looking at this objectively with something like Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, yes we do need friends, though 3 24" monitors don't seem to appear.

Yes, i found that sentence extremely off-putting. It's surely a personal thing, but i feel being close or far away from my friends and loved ones has a much bigger impact on my happiness than how many monitors or ergonomic devices i use. And happiness, in turn, greatly affects what i do.

For example, right now i'm work&traveling, and i've definitely felt loneliness and the distance from my friends, while i couldn't have cared less that i've only been programming with a 14" laptop monitor.

Re: Travelling with 24” Monitors

#214

Post by znpy » Mon, Mar 02, 2020, 1:59 AM UTC

ajiang wrote: post #138

Plugging a friend's super cool product: a pop-up 24" monitor with full HDMI support and a long lasting battery that uses short throw projection. https://www.arovia.com/

Linus from LinusTechTips reviewed that! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XufsrHTLNig

Re: Travelling with 24” Monitors

#215

Post by detaro » Mon, Mar 02, 2020, 2:01 AM UTC

brian-armstrong wrote: post #212

"I don't really need to be close to my friends or be in a place that I know but I need ... three 24 inches monitors an external GPU and an ergonomic keyboard." Does anyone else have a hard time coming to grips with this prioritization? Even looking at this objectively with something like Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, yes we do need friends, though 3 24" monitors don't seem to appear.

Favorably read, emphasis on "close to". You can have friends you talk to daily and are physically close to rarely. Proximity doesn't matter to everyone.

Re: Travelling with 24” Monitors

#216

Post by gbraad » Mon, Mar 02, 2020, 2:03 AM UTC

CriticalCathed wrote: post #136

Does does security like that?

they already complain with my setup; I use 2 LT1423 screens and a ThinkPad laptop, two external batteries for work in a unplugged situation and a tablet. All weighs about 6kg.

Each airport I arrive at I have to open this up. My setup does surely not look so 'open' and 'exposed' as his does, but always have to explain this is for work. the US is the worst, Asian countries usually care less... but each and every one.

Re: Travelling with 24” Monitors

#217

Post by savrajsingh » Mon, Mar 02, 2020, 2:06 AM UTC

virtualwhys wrote: post #209

Creative solution, nicely done. For 15 years I traveled with some flavor of 23"/24" monitor, putting it into my checked bag, and paying that checked bag fee over and over and over (probably $5K USD over the years). This year I scrapped the big monitor setup and got an ultra lightweight 16" USB-C powered monitor along with a Dell Precision 5540. Now I just stuff everything into an REI Trail pack (40L) and walk on the…

What is your job where you travel with an external monitor?

Re: Travelling with 24” Monitors

#218

Post by m463 » Mon, Mar 02, 2020, 2:10 AM UTC

brian-armstrong wrote: post #212

"I don't really need to be close to my friends or be in a place that I know but I need ... three 24 inches monitors an external GPU and an ergonomic keyboard." Does anyone else have a hard time coming to grips with this prioritization? Even looking at this objectively with something like Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, yes we do need friends, though 3 24" monitors don't seem to appear.

an external monitor (one) and ergonomic keyboard have one benefit. ergonomics.

Remember there are no osha-approved laptops.

Typing on a shitty keyboard, no wrist rest and holding yourself hunched over is a quick way to musculoskeletal hell.

Re: Travelling with 24” Monitors

#219

Post by woutr_be » Mon, Mar 02, 2020, 2:12 AM UTC

christkv wrote: post #164

For travel I always brought one of these as us zenscreen https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-ZenScreen-MB16AC-Portable-Monito... they are powered off the USB.

I bought one of those as well, although it was a knockoff brand, it's great when travelling since it's about the same size as my MacBook. I wish I invested slightly more, the brightness on mine is terrible.

Re: Travelling with 24” Monitors

#220

Post by maximente » Mon, Mar 02, 2020, 2:22 AM UTC

brian-armstrong wrote: post #212

"I don't really need to be close to my friends or be in a place that I know but I need ... three 24 inches monitors an external GPU and an ergonomic keyboard." Does anyone else have a hard time coming to grips with this prioritization? Even looking at this objectively with something like Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, yes we do need friends, though 3 24" monitors don't seem to appear.

well, Maslow's hierarchy is a theory, and not without controversy, though i think you're on to something here personally.

however, it sounds like they're prioritizing productivity, which may be a proxy for money or success at this point in their lives. i'm not opposed to it.

it's also really hard to maintain less deep friendships without presence so if you're moving a lot those are likely to go away. though i do think nomads undervalue roots and community, but i imagine many of them discover that after some time, or are OK with it and keep traveling.