Should I upgrade my monitors?

hj2k_x

hj2k_x

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Looking for some advice here.

I've been using two Samsung T260 25.5" monitors at work for many years now (plus a laptop as a third display), like the one in the pic (though the pic is a random one from Google).

I bought the T260s in 2007 and they have not give me a single problem. Really lovely monitors with competitive specs even today, some 11 years later.

Nevertheless, I have itchy fingers. Christmas is coming and I'm wondering whether an upgrade is in order.

Would an upgrade to 27" screens like this make a discernable difference? http://takealot.com/og/v1/PLID47173644

I spend a lot of time in front of the monitors on any given day (working with documents - drafting things, viewing things - not multimedia or graphics-intensive stuff).

I've considered one really big monitor and one smaller one. But then all three screens would be different sizes and that would drive my OCD mental.

Keen to hear people's views :)
a1a58da13a6eba16b984b250d610446c.jpg
 
I went from 2*T260 at home, then 2*Dell U2412M at work (bezels about half the size of the T260) and now 2*Dell U2415H at work and 2*Dell U2412M at home. Basically 2*1920x1200 is life :D

Spent much time considering alternatives. I think I could make a 34" 1440p work but the price would be around 4 times that of the current setup (used).
 
rorz0r said:
I went from 2*T260 at home, then 2*Dell U2412M at work (bezels about half the size of the T260) and now 2*Dell U2415H at work and 2*Dell U2412M at home. Basically 2*1920x1200 is life :D

Spent much time considering alternatives. I think I could make a 34" 1440p work but the price would be around 4 times that of the current setup (used).
Click to expand...
And do you feel as if you're in a better place compared to when you had the two T260s?
 
hj2k_x said:
And do you feel as if you're in a better place compared to when you had the two T260s?
Click to expand...
Yeah the bezels of the T260 are a bit much to use side by side. The curve doesn't help either. The image is better on the Dells too, makes the T260 look washed out. I wouldn't pay the new prices to upgrade from T260s though. I got the 2412s for a good price so almost a free upgrade from the T260s.

After the U2415 Dell went to 16:9. You can also get the 25" 1440p 16:9 but I still prefer lower resolution and 16:10.

The reason I like the real estate is because I do a lot of web development using visual studio and chrome with dev tools open. With 2 monitors you can't have a window straddle the middle, so I figured with a 34" ultrawide I could split VS/Chrome/devtools 3 ways.
 
rorz0r said:
Yeah the bezels of the T260 are a bit much to use side by side. The curve doesn't help either. The image is better on the Dells too, makes the T260 look washed out. I wouldn't pay the new prices to upgrade from T260s though. I got the 2412s for a good price so almost a free upgrade from the T260s.

After the U2415 Dell went to 16:9. You can also get the 25" 1440p 16:9 but I still prefer lower resolution and 16:10.

The reason I like the real estate is because I do a lot of web development using visual studio and chrome with dev tools open. With 2 monitors you can't have a window straddle the middle, so I figured with a 34" ultrawide I could split VS/Chrome/devtools 3 ways.
Click to expand...
Ah ok.

Seems like I might be sticking with what I have for now, then.

You are right about the bezels. They are a bit big on the t260...
 
hj2k_x said:
I bought the T260s in 2007 and they have not give me a single problem. Really lovely monitors with competitive specs even today, some 11 years later.
Click to expand...

They are really old and I can promise you that a new display would look much better. Organised a mate a new dell laptop with ips display recently and I was in awe as it made my old samsung 24" look like washed out papyrus scroll.
 
ponder said:
They are really old and I can promise you that a new display would look much better. Organised a mate a new dell laptop with ips display recently and I was in awe as it made my old samsung 24" look like washed out papyrus scroll.
Click to expand...
What kind of Samsung? The T240?
 
Now I'm wondering if I shouldn't try to source a T240 or another T260 so I can replace the laptop screen with a matching 3rd screen...

Here is a noob question: if I got a dock like this one which supports 2 monitors at the same time (http://takealot.com/og/v1/PLID48471837 which connects via USB, would the existing ports on the laptop still support monitors as well(so I could plug the third into one of the ports on the laptop itself)? I need 3 different desktops across the three screens
 
hj2k_x said:
Now I'm wondering if I shouldn't try to source a T240 or another T260 so I can replace the laptop screen with a matching 3rd screen...

Here is a noob question: if I got a dock like this one which supports 2 monitors at the same time (http://takealot.com/og/v1/PLID48471837 which connects via USB, would the existing ports on the laptop still support monitors as well(so I could plug the third into one of the ports on the laptop itself)? I need 3 different desktops across the three screens
Click to expand...

Does your laptop have USB-C? Yes the existing laptop ports will continue to work.
 
rorz0r said:
Does your laptop have USB-C? Yes the existing laptop ports will continue to work.
Click to expand...
Ah you make a good point. No it only has usb2. But if I find a docking station which supports two monitors and it's USB2.0, I'll be able to. Plug the other monitor into the other port(s) on the laptop then?
 
Don't think you can even do 1 fhd over usb2. The dell D3100 will do two monitors over USB 3 though.
 
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