Backend dev. I have an ultrawide (like two monitors in one).

Sometimes I need to test the full stack and need a lot (8+) terminals. I try to tile them all on a separate virtual desktop.

Most commonly though, I center my main application and can have two smaller, peripheral applications, one on each side.

When doing full stack, I need a browser, IDE and two terminals, tiled to give more space for the browser.

Four monitors plus the laptop screen. It’s…a lot visually, but my productivity is significantly higher than when I only had two and the laptop screen.

They’re arranged in a square so clockwise from top right:

1. Work entry screen - this is where I’m typing a lot

2. Reading screen - this is the general source of what I’m working on

3. Outlook - I’m fully remote, Outlook is life

4. File folders - I work mainly with two or three folders all day so it just makes sense to have them uncovered

Laptop - Teams!

Of note, I use a ton of keyboard shortcuts and have generally optimized my workflow so I’m not hitting the mouse nearly as often as my coworkers. Having Outlook and Teams each have their own screen means I can keep them open and see what’s coming in while still working on my stuff on other screens. Final thing I’ll say about the arrangement, because you’re probably visualizing this making for a good gaming setup, no it wouldn’t because of how the screens are placed.

No matter what, get yourself a mirror. I don’t like people suddenly appearing by me, and since I’m using noise-cancelling headphones with music/podcasts 40+ hours a week, this keeps me from jumping out of my skin.

One monitor for ide. One monitor for docs.

Third screen, laptop, for slack/zoom

What is a rainbow computer?

I have 2 monitors. My primary is ultra wide for gaming and the secondary is discord, Spotify, etc. so I can view messages and stuff without leaving my full screen game.

For work? I just use my Mac monitor like a neanderthal. Idk why but I don’t really find multiple monitors helps me work faster.

I had two but switched to one 30 inch. I almost never looked at the other monitor. :)

Tilling WM is all I need baby

Not a software dev but tech is central to my life.

3 monitors for normal use

1 - personal streaming, video meetings

2 - remote business desktop access, main personal browsing window

3 - online chat presence window, personal email client, other

3 monitor gaming

3 monitors for racing simulators and any games that support it (which make sense)

Single monitor gaming

1 - Game related content on left 2 - Game window in center 3 - Game related social media or streaming

3 monitor home labbing

1 machine or app per monitor Triple monitor stare and compare windows GUI / CLI / Monitoring system interface

I didn’t realize how extensively I used my monitors until this exercise. Feel better about the spend and space tax related to it.

The old data I have from the industrial engineering work was that going from one to two monitors was a 40% productivity speed up, then from two to three was about a 5% speedup, then three to four was a productivity loss.

Those numbers were on general workloads, not for specialists. It was also with UI design from 20 years ago, and the way interfaces work now the numbers are likely different.

Personally, I immediately try to get a second monitor because having only one means I lose a lot of focus and mental time just swapping the active on screen windows, but a rarely seek out a third, though a third is nice for overflow tools (chat, docs, music) to have a third screen.

I came in here late, but I just wanted to say I have three monitors, and I often use a music stand to hold up a book where my 4th monitor would be. Really helpful when your technical manual is a physical document but you’re doing work on a computer. It’s a “monitor” by any other name, and lines up with the rest of my monitors in a neat little row.

Not a dev, but I have 3 monitors on my rig that I use for work and play.

A 24" 1080p as my main monitor for stuff like games or Blender, a smaller 18 and a half inch 720p for secondary stuff like Firefox, Discord/TeamSpeak, and monitoring Cura when the 3d printer is going, and a 21" 1080p Wacom on a monitor arm. The Wacom is kinda outside my field of view unless I’m actively using it, so most of the time it just has a performance monitor running so I can see what’s hogging my resources. Having Spotify on there is nice though, the touchscreen/stylus makes running it quick and easy.

I used to swear by two monitors, but switched to a single ultrawide and it’s so much nicer. No bevels in the middle and therefore freedom to set up windows in whatever configuration you like. Good tiling window manager is a must though.

Embedded software developer here. One monitor, virtual workspaces. Because I don’t need distractions.

People in here with 2+ monitors, how do you stay focused? Probably it’s just me, but I have a hard time getting into the flow after getting interrupted.

First screen for gaming and watching videos (landscape)

Second screen (portrait) Termal and reading documentation

3 screens are ideal for me:

• Primary

• Secondary screen to be able to look at 2 windows (that are maximized) side by side with the primary screen

• 3rd screen for static apps that are always open like email, slack, music, etc.

Having said that, getting a widescreen monitor has helped reduce my desk space requirements a lot. So now I only have 1 widescreen, and my laptop acting as the 3rd screen.