4x 20 inch monitors or a 40 inch display?

[Brookie]

Why is it no one ever suggest LCD Displays here...everyone always goes with multi-monitors?

The way I see it,

4 X 20 inch monitors = $600
2 x Decent vid card = $300
Monitor stand = $200

So your talking around $1000-1300 for a 4 monitor setup...

Right now I could buy a 40 inch display for about $1500, and not have to worry about the monitor frames in the middle of my view, especially if I span my view across all screens.

Is there something I'm missing here?

[Frosty]

Is there something I'm missing here?
Yes! You are missing that most people don’t have a spare $1,500 laying around.

Using the other method will allow you to buy as you go. ;)

[Bigfish]

In my case, I could go with 2 40" monitors for 3000$, or I could go with 10 100$ cheapies and 50$ of shelves from home Depot for 1050$.

[Hachoo]

That and I would be willing to bet that a 40" LCD (probably have to do 42") is not going to even be compatible with a resolution large enough to run 4+ WoW windows at a decent size...usually full LCDs are limited in max resolution (or used to be).

[zanthor]

Why is it no one ever suggest LCD Displays here...everyone always goes with multi-monitors?

The way I see it,

4 X 20 inch monitors = $600
2 x Decent vid card = $300
Monitor stand = $200

So your talking around $1000-1300 for a 4 monitor setup...

Right now I could buy a 40 inch display for about $1500, and not have to worry about the monitor frames in the middle of my view, especially if I span my view across all screens.

Is there something I'm missing here?4x 20" monitors... 1280x1024... say you lay them out 2x2, thats 2560x2048... If they are widescreen (most likely) then you are looking at 3360x2100...
1x40" display for $1500 is no more tahn 1920x1080.

While the 40" tv is huge, it's not high res, so you lose a lot of virtual space.

To see this in action, take your wow client and set it to run at 960x540 and see if thats enough room to do what you want. Keep in mind that while it will be BIGGER the number of dots is the same, so to make text readable it still has to be a certain size... etc.

[pengwynman]

That and I would be willing to bet that a 40" LCD (probably have to do 42") is not going to even be compatible with a resolution large enough to run 4+ WoW windows at a decent size...usually full LCDs are limited in max resolution (or used to be).this

generally extremely large lcd's have smaller resolutions comparatively. this means the pixels are bigger/more spread apart, which = a picture not as clear if you're sitting closer, using it as a computer monitor (google 'Dot Pitch'). i was thinking about getting a 40" LCD and plugging it into my compy, but i decided i'd rather have a really good quality 30" that will be better for computer viewing (larger resolution, smaller dot pitch, etc). imo, leave the huge displays for watching tv/movies, get something 30" or less for gaming.

[bodefeld]

Three things I would keep in mind:
1. Total resolution
2. display speed (ms)
3. flat (1) vs. angled setup (4) -> field of view

[Aradar]

I run all 5 clients on a 30" and in hind sight I would have preferred multiple monitors. I already own the 30" and taking it off SLI makes it run horribly so I"m stuck unless I want to invest in an additional computer or sit my 30" to the side. Ideally, I would have gone one monitor for the main and one monitor on each side turned on their side for the other four.

[entoptic]

I started with a 30" and love it. however I find that it is hard to see my alts sometimes.

I then bought 2 24" monitors and they are turned 90 degrees and on either side of the 30". Talk about hot!

[Brookie]

I've heard a deal, and have some experience with, the whole resolution thing making the graphics blurry and text unreadable. But that was a good while ago...was wondering how things are nowadays with improved technology?

What factor in particular should I look for to help make text and all readable on a 40 inch? And is it the video card or the game that determines max resolution?

[Catamer]

doesn't the 40" monitor have the same 19200x1080 pixels that the 20" monitor has?
the only difference is that the pixels are larger on the 40" monitor.

two 20" monitors is actually more overall pixels ( and may need more GPU to do twice the work ).

[Drizzit]

The other thing is that some people have 1 toon per pc. They have 5 different computers so they need 5 different monitors.

[zanthor]

doesn't the 40" monitor have the same 19200x1080 pixels that the 20" monitor has?
the only difference is that the pixels are larger on the 40" monitor.

two 20" monitors is actually more overall pixels ( and may need more GPU to do twice the work ).This is 100% accurate (Except the 19,200 number which is 1,920). The end result is a 5" tall window using 1/4th the screen vs a 10" tall window. The text still needs to be the same size to display properly. Basically if you can read it on the screen getting really close it will be easier to see on a 40", but if you can't read it, because it's garbled, it will still be garbled on a bigger display.
I've heard a deal, and have some experience with, the whole resolution thing making the graphics blurry and text unreadable. But that was a good while ago...was wondering how things are nowadays with improved technology?

What factor in particular should I look for to help make text and all readable on a 40 inch? And is it the video card or the game that determines max resolution?TV's have come a long ways in the past few years, 1080p tv's (1920x1080 or 1920x1200) actually make decent monitors, but keep in mind a single 30" LCD has a LOT higher resolution and costs a lot more.

Gateways cheap ass 30" (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824113013) is $999, 2560x1600, which while a smaller LCD than a 40" TV provides the room to quite reasonably display 4 clients (1280x800) similar to individual 19" monitors (commonly 1280x720).

Compare that to a 40" TV running 1920x1080 and you have clients running smaller, 960x540, still livable by many peoples standards...

Personally I've got a 28" LCD I'm using as a TV right now, runs 1920x1080... since I'm so used to 1680x1050 I would happily switch to using that machine and tiling all the clients on it down the side...

[Kulzor]

I run five pcs, so I need five monitors.

I'm with the people above that the best HDTVs are only 1920x1080 (and most AREN'T! Commonly the cheaper HDTVs are only 1380x760 or something close to that, and the cheapest are even worse.).

Having said that, I use 2x28", 1x19", 1x20", 1x22". If I were to go out and buy new monitors, I think I'd either stick with one 28" in the center, and have two 22" to the left and right (stacked on top of each other). Or perhaps all four be 24". As it is I could do with less whiplash, being as my monitors are in a 6 foot wide U shape in front of me, and my main monitor is on the far left.

[Duane]

I started with a 30" and love it. however I find that it is hard to see my alts sometimes.

I then bought 2 24" monitors and they are turned 90 degrees and on either side of the 30". Talk about hot!

Are you running multiple computers, multiple video cards or some other configuration?

[Notes]

I'm playing on an LCD tv, with a smaller 24" widescreen next to it for my main.

The LCD tv is 1920x1080 pixels wich gives a high enough resolution to read quests and chat logs on my add's. I also use it for solo play as my main screen, for WoW it's fast enough ;)

Btw, I used to have it like this:
http://nelis.dsl4u.nl/boxing/IMG_9583.jpg
Also worked very, very well, but the 4 adds on 1 screen makes it easier to use both screen for other stuff aswell.... (and the viewing angle kinde sucked, with the screen 90 degrees rotated)
+ my 5 wow's are now the exact same ratio.

If you have a tv like this 'laying around' ... Go use it 8)

[Smoooth]

I recently bought a 42" LCD at 1920x1080. It only cost my $700. They are way cheaper than they used to be. Look for less known brands, they are just as good and lots cheaper. Just make sure they come in a native resolution of 1920x1080.

[Halo]

To the OP: As others have made clear, resolution doesn't go up linearly with screen size for TVs. They currently max at 1920x1080 (HDTV, Blu-ray etc) or 1920x1200 if it is marketed as a monitor. However, PC monitors go far above this in resolution.

I run the DELL 3007 (30" with 2560x1600). I use the standard maximizer layout from keyclone for this screen size which makes the text on the alts somewhat tricky to read but usually there isn't anything I really need to read there that isn't on my main. If there is something i MUST look at on one of the alts, I use the PiP feature of Keyclone. Sometimes I wonder if the alt screens couldn't just be minimized to the task bar and PiP'd up as needed.

Personally, I like the idea of just having a single PC and single screen so my workspace is not cluttered, but that's just me. I'm also pretty anal about my cables and whatnot. Although I can appreciate the advantage of a multi-monitor setup, I don't want all that shit on my desk. I also have all my cabling dressed and routed through piping attached to the back of the desk.

I've played WoW on a 1600x1200 50" LCD via a DVI cable and it was definitely playable for a single toon. The problem is, you definitely can't sit 18-24" from the screen because of the pixel size. It was cool to bring a second PiP screen with NFL on during a session of WoW! As long as you're not watching the alts much, though, you could definitely multi-box from the couch.