Which layout is best for 4 monitors?

Question

I have 4 monitors on my current computer and wonder how you would set them up. Currently I have a left, center, right and top monitor. The top one is right above the center monitor. Do you prefer to setup a row of 4 monitors or a 2 by 2 grid?

I should add: 2 are 20 inch and 2 are 22 inch monitors. It may be a lot, but I enjoy having them.

Answer 1

If I had the space, I'd go with the same layout.

With a row, you have a large "sweep" from monitors 1 to 4, but this is local with the upside-down T, plus it allows different sized monitors (a huge primary, 3 smaller secondary, perhaps) - which a 2x2 doesn't allow.

Answer 2

I have currently only had 2 monitors, but if I were to get four I would go with the top, center, right, left solution. If you still want a monitor in front of you, the 2x2 grid solution will cause neck-problems since two of the monitors will be off to the same side. I had this problem for a while when my second monitor was on the left, both at work and at home.

Answer 3

I'd always go for the L-C-R + 1 mounted top that you describe.

It keeps a natural centre focus (one of the few pain points of just two monitors) and gives you the extra realestate of 4 provided you use a good mounting arm.

Answer 4

While I only have 2 at the moment, I imagine that I'd rather go for a traditional row of 4. However I don't like the idea of moving the mouse from #1 to #4, so perhaps a square of 2*2 could be worth trying out (assuming your monitors are all the same size/resolution)?

Answer 5

Depends on the size of the monitors and where you sit. If you have to turn your head more then about 45 degrees side to side or 30 degrees vertically, then it is too much.

Answer 6

Two 32" monitors is enough for me. The other two I'd put into the garage.

Answer 7

Use the one you have or the 2x2 grid. I'm using 3 monitors in one row. Mouse movements are ok now, but with a fourth monitor in the row, it would get cumbersome.

Answer 8

The human eye travels left to right faster than it can up and down, so that would suggest that putting all four in a row would be the best option. However, the distance between 1 and 4 is high. Moreover, human eyes cannot effectively see all four screens at the same time, assuming these aren't tiny monitors. If I could do it, I would place the monitors in the shape of that Tetris piece shaped like an upside-down T. That should maximize productivity ever so slightly. Of course, the square would also be a good option, putting all screens firmly in view.

Answer 9

It depends on how you use them, but if I had 4 I would be more tempted to go with a standard-T shape, with the bottom-centre screen tilted back at 45 degrees, effectively on the desk. That's the screen I would use for lookup/scratchpad functions (db schema, copied code snippets) which are used less frequently but very useful to have quickly available. I would think that having a screen above three monitors (positioned at their correct heights) would strain my neck somewhat.

And if that bottom screen was a touch screen with a Star Trek style GUI...

Answer 10

This issue may depend on the work that you're doing.

For development work that I do, I've realized that I like all of my monitors in a horizontal spread. Ergonomics is most important for my layout: I need to have room for my keyboards (pushing the monitors back) and I need to not get neck strain. If I have to lean up to look at a higher monitor, I'm going to go home with a stiff neck and, quite often, a migraine (whee!).

For completeness, here's what's on my cube "desk" that wraps around the corner:

1. 21 inch CRT heavy dinosaur (Linux desktop 2)
2. 24 inch Dell LCD (Linux desktop 1)
3. 24 inch Dell LCD (shared between Linux 1 and Linux laptop)
4. 15.4 inch Dell Linux laptop
5. 17 inch Dell LCD attached to the unworthy laptop

Answer 11

Assuming your going to use one of them more than the others the classic upside-down t, would probably be the best idea.

If you will be using them all equally, you may be better off with the 2-by-2 square, this way they are all equally difficult to look at. Or if you are going to use 2 most of the time you could adjust it so that two of them are at eye-level, with the other two sitting just above them.

Another option is the simple straight line, which would be good if you will be working on one screen for a while, then switch to another one, etc.

I would probably just use 3, one main one, and two on either side. With maybe one more above the others that just has some statistics, that are updated periodically. It could even be from another computer.