Large Computer Monitors

[btq96r]

Does anyone know a store where large computer monitors are on display, with an actual variety of inventory in the Middle Tennessee area?

I spent part of this last weekend at Best Buy and Electronic Express in Mt. Juliet and Hendersonville, only to be severely disappointed in options.  I know that brick and mortar retail isn't all the rage at the moment, especially for obscure items like this...but I was expecting more.  I'm generally looking for a large curved monitor for my home setup (and if I like it, I'll ask my boss if I can expense one for the office).  Hard to explain exactly what I want, more of a when I see it, I'll know.  I do know I want some decent height which seems to be the lacking feature on most of the floor models.  They have some length to them, but height isn't wowing me. 

I just want to see something in person before dropping some decent money on it.  Things like this are hard to gauge via online retail.

[MacGyver]

I feel your pain.

I’m running two benq PD3220Us.  You’re welcome to come by and check them out if they’re on your list. 

[E4 No More]

@btq96r You might call up Opry Mills and see if Dell still has a booth there. Then call the booth (if it has a phone) if you can to see what they have before driving there. Dell has some pretty cool curved monitors they've had on display in their building, but that doesn't help you since you can't get in their without an escort.

[FrankD]

if you're asking for height I assume you are doing a decent amount of document work.  I have worked with a lot of folks who have their monitor on a mount that allows it to be flipped 90 degrees and they have all the height they need.  

I have a cheapo sceptre 32" curved monitor at my home setup and it's not a bad setup, not a fancy gaming monitor but works for a home office setup

 

[GlockSpock]

2 hours ago, MacGyver said:

I feel your pain.

I’m running two benq PD3220Us.  You’re welcome to come by and check them out if they’re on your list. 

I'm on a PD2500Q, which I have for several specific reasons, but overall I must state that I absolutely love BenQ but feel overall they are severely underappreciated in the hardware world.

[btq96r]

1 hour ago, MacGyver said:

I feel your pain.

I’m running two benq PD3220Us.  You’re welcome to come by and check them out if they’re on your list. 

I've been impressed with what I'm reading on the BenQ offerings.  Hadn't heard of them until I started this search. 

Does your work benefit from the design type monitor, or was it just the best option with some compromise?  I have this model on my list of possibilities, but feel like  just to get the size I'm looking for, I'd also be paying for a lot of graphics support and built-in speakers I won't necessarily use.

https://www.benq.com/en-us/monitor/entertainment/ew3880r-38-inch/reviews.html#expert

 

43 minutes ago, E4 No More said:

@btq96r You might call up Opry Mills and see if Dell still has a booth there. Then call the booth (if it has a phone) if you can to see what they have before driving there. Dell has some pretty cool curved monitors they've had on display in their building, but that doesn't help you since you can't get in their without an escort.

Good idea, I'd forgotten that one.  Will see if it's still around.

 

26 minutes ago, FrankD said:

if you're asking for height I assume you are doing a decent amount of document work.  I have worked with a lot of folks who have their monitor on a mount that allows it to be flipped 90 degrees and they have all the height they need.  

I have a cheapo sceptre 32" curved monitor at my home setup and it's not a bad setup, not a fancy gaming monitor but works for a home office setup

 

More spreadsheets than documents, but I occasionally have to proof, or help draft shared documents.  I'm also (finally) getting plugged into a PowerBI resource, and will have a folder based system to view a real-time work list for my organization.  So, something that can handle all that at various times is needed. 

 

[Defender]

54 minutes ago, FrankD said:

if you're asking for height I assume you are doing a decent amount of document work.  I have worked with a lot of folks who have their monitor on a mount that allows it to be flipped 90 degrees and they have all the height they need.  

I have a cheapo sceptre 32" curved monitor at my home setup and it's not a bad setup, not a fancy gaming monitor but works for a home office setup

 

Im also looking for a larger monitor for home general use. What cheapo are you using?

[JeffL]

I believe my next monitor is going to be a 42" LG C2 OLED.

[FrankD]

59 minutes ago, Defender said:

Im also looking for a larger monitor for home general use. What cheapo are you using?

I've got this one.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Sceptre-C325W-1920R-32-Inch-LED-lit-Monitor/dp/B01LY5MTNN/ref=asc_df_B01LY5MTNN/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312727440900&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2608354982090377108&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9013147&hvtargid=pla-493787463335&psc=1

 

Edited July 15, 2022 by FrankD

[MacGyver]

1 hour ago, btq96r said:

I've been impressed with what I'm reading on the BenQ offerings.  Hadn't heard of them until I started this search. 

Does your work benefit from the design type monitor, or was it just the best option with some compromise?  I have this model on my list of possibilities, but feel like  just to get the size I'm looking for, I'd also be paying for a lot of graphics support and built-in speakers I won't necessarily use.

 

 

I had several requirements:

1. True 4K or better resolution

2. I wanted an actual Thunderbolt 3 monitor - needing only one cable on my desk and then being able to charge and daisy chain monitors was a must have for me.  I run two 32" monitors side by side and don't want tons of cabling all over my desk.

3. I  wanted a monitor that could pivot and work in portrait mode which few actually seem to do.

In this particular monitor, the non Thunderbolt 3 model is a lot cheaper.

I've run Benq monitors going back to the mid 90's.  They're great quality.

I don't actually benefit from all of the design features.  I write more code than I do any type of graphics or video work.  But, my rationale goes kind of like this - I work with these monitors for hours a day. They're how I make my living. The last ones I replaced were original 30" cinema displays that I had for years.  Amortized over time - these and a good laptop are totally worth it.

Same can be said for a standing desk and the best chair you can get that fits you.

[btq96r]

15 minutes ago, MacGyver said:

I had several requirements:

1. True 4K or better resolution

2. I wanted an actual Thunderbolt 3 monitor - needing only one cable on my desk and then being able to charge and daisy chain monitors was a must have for me.  I run two 32" monitors side by side and don't want tons of cabling all over my desk.

3. I  wanted a monitor that could pivot and work in portrait mode which few actually seem to do.

In this particular monitor, the non Thunderbolt 3 model is a lot cheaper.

I've run Benq monitors going back to the mid 90's.  They're great quality.

I don't actually benefit from all of the design features.  I write more code than I do any type of graphics or video work.  But, my rationale goes kind of like this - I work with these monitors for hours a day. They're how I make my living. The last ones I replaced were original 30" cinema displays that I had for years.  Amortized over time - these and a good laptop are totally worth it.

Same can be said for a standing desk and the best chair you can get that fits you.

Great points.  Especially since I'm replacing a 28" monitor at home I've had since 2013.  The more work I do from home, the more it hits me that I need to upgrade the hardware to keep productivity.

It's not improper at all to look at this as a buy once, cry once situation.

 

Edited July 15, 2022 by btq96r

[MacGyver]

For what it's worth, I'd buy an LG 32UL950-W with zero hesitation too.

[FrankD]

2 hours ago, MacGyver said:

I had several requirements:

1. True 4K or better resolution

2. I wanted an actual Thunderbolt 3 monitor - needing only one cable on my desk and then being able to charge and daisy chain monitors was a must have for me.  I run two 32" monitors side by side and don't want tons of cabling all over my desk.

3. I  wanted a monitor that could pivot and work in portrait mode which few actually seem to do.

In this particular monitor, the non Thunderbolt 3 model is a lot cheaper.

I've run Benq monitors going back to the mid 90's.  They're great quality.

I don't actually benefit from all of the design features.  I write more code than I do any type of graphics or video work.  But, my rationale goes kind of like this - I work with these monitors for hours a day. They're how I make my living. The last ones I replaced were original 30" cinema displays that I had for years.  Amortized over time - these and a good laptop are totally worth it.

Same can be said for a standing desk and the best chair you can get that fits you.

Can't second the chair logic here any harder.  When I first started WFH I am ashamed to admit how long I worked on a folding table using an extra dining room chair.  My back kept hurting and eventually pulled the trigger on a decent steelcase chair and I have never regretted a single dollar of that expense.

[Links2k]

2 hours ago, MacGyver said:

Same can be said for a standing desk and the best chair you can get that fits you.

Good advice 

[Omega]

Some of the guys here have those large curved monitors, and they are ok, but I have been working with this setup for about three years and it works just fine for what I do.  I am sure I will be "upgraded" soon enough but I can't see any real advantages between the two.  The monitors are LG, and together span across my whole 4' desk.

[TripleGGG]

I run 3 BenQ PD2725U 27" 4K UHD Thunderbolt 3's on a HUANUO Triple Monitor Stand at the office. This works great for me as I can rotate to portrait mode if needed with any monitor. I may upgrade to 32" one day. 

I have a couple of friends who like the large 49" curved monitors. I have a 32in Dell curved monitor at home and just don't like it. I think my progressive lenses create focusing issues for me being curved. 

And I 100% agree, spend the money on the best chair you can find. 

 

Edited July 16, 2022 by TripleGGG

[billmeek]

My favorite place to get (very in-depth) reviews for TVs and monitors is:

https://www.rtings.com/

Personally, I went from a BenQ dual-monitor setup to a single Hisense 65H9G TV.  With 65-inches of display setting arms-length from me, I don't feel the need for more screen real-estate. 

If I do need additional space, Window multiple desktops (WIN+CTRL+D) gives me a clean display to work with and I can swap back and forth between them (WIN+CTRL+(right or left arrow key)).  You can close the additional desktop with WIN+CTRL+F4.

[Defender]

I'm old and dont see as good as I used to. I have a 32 inch Samsung monitor on my home desktop computer.  I work from home and had another Samsung 32 inch monitor on my work laptop.  It recently went out and I'm temporarily using a  Sanyo 30 inch tv that I had in my home office (to monitor news as I work) as my monitor.  Its an older tv and the quality sucks, but still easier to see than my small laptop screen.  A couple years ago, I found a couple of these Samsung 32 inch curved monitors on Facebook marketplace by a couple gamers who were upgrading their systems.  Picked them up for around 100 each.   I keep looking for that again, lol, but no luck so far.  I don't want to spend the money for new if I don't have to.

[btq96r]

This is my leading contender after a hefty bit of research.

https://www.lg.com/us/monitors/lg-40wp95c-w#

 

 

[GlockSpock]

On 7/16/2022 at 8:19 AM, TripleGGG said:

I run 3 BenQ PD2725U 27" 4K UHD Thunderbolt 3's on a HUANUO Triple Monitor Stand at the office. This works great for me as I can rotate to portrait mode if needed with any monitor. I may upgrade to 32" one day. 

I have a couple of friends who like the large 49" curved monitors. I have a 32in Dell curved monitor at home and just don't like it. I think my progressive lenses create focusing issues for me being curved. 

And I 100% agree, spend the money on the best chair you can find. 

 

So that’s what Triple G stands for. 

[btq96r]

On 7/15/2022 at 10:10 AM, MacGyver said:

In this particular monitor, the non Thunderbolt 3 model is a lot cheaper.

Quick question, what do you know what the the non Thunderbolt 3 is?  Looks like the PD3205U if I'm reading the specs correctly.

Thunderbolt power from a monitor plugin would be great, but since I have a company issued Dell WD19S 180W docking station, it's not on the essential list.

Edited July 22, 2022 by btq96r

[MacGyver]

3 hours ago, btq96r said:

Quick question, what do you know what the the non Thunderbolt 3 is?  Looks like the PD3205U if I'm reading the specs correctly.

Thunderbolt power from a monitor plugin would be great, but since I have a company issued Dell WD19S 180W docking station, it's not on the essential list.

So, keep in mind I've not handled this monitor - but from people I know who have - if you're using a docking station you ought to be just as happy with it as you would be with the more expensive one..

If you're trying to daisy chain multiple monitors together, straight USB-C might have some trouble keeping up in high demand graphics applications (you'd probably never notice in business applications.). It's got FreeSync where the PD3220U doesn't - so it actually should be a pretty great standalone monitor - even for gaming.

 

 

[MacGyver]

Also worth noting that I’m on a MacBook Pro in clamshell mode on these monitors.  If you’re running a PC, I don’t know that you’d have reason to care about daisy chaining off one wire. That monitor delivers 90W through USB-C - so in most use cases you’ll be great  

That monitor does not rotate to portrait - but again - a specific use case that may not be worth the extra money for what appears to be the same panel  

 

[btq96r]

5 hours ago, MacGyver said:

So, keep in mind I've not handled this monitor - but from people I know who have - if you're using a docking station you ought to be just as happy with it as you would be with the more expensive one..

If you're trying to daisy chain multiple monitors together, straight USB-C might have some trouble keeping up in high demand graphics applications (you'd probably never notice in business applications.). It's got FreeSync where the PD3220U doesn't - so it actually should be a pretty great standalone monitor - even for gaming.

 

 

 

2 hours ago, MacGyver said:

Also worth noting that I’m on a MacBook Pro in clamshell mode on these monitors.  If you’re running a PC, I don’t know that you’d have reason to care about daisy chaining off one wire. That monitor delivers 90W through USB-C - so in most use cases you’ll be great  

That monitor does not rotate to portrait - but again - a specific use case that may not be worth the extra money for what appears to be the same panel  

 

For the Dell Latitude laptop I have from work, 90W is plenty of power; the charger that came with it is only 65W. 

I honestly don't think I need two monitors for the house given my work requirements and desk space...but if I get froggy, I really don't do much too graphic intensive from an application perspective.  At home I just use the one monitor, and open the laptop for a small screen to have my Spotify account up on. 

The built in KVM in either model is a huge plus for me right now.  Would be great for my desktop PC with Linux or another non-work laptop if I pick one up again.  I can just HDMI or USB-C that one to the monitor easy enough.  No macOS for me to worry about.  Right now I have a TESmart KVM that can handle four devices.  It's given me a Yeoman's service since I snatched it up back in mid-March 2020, but it's got enough cords to tie down everything on the Clampetts' truck.

In the department...according to the specs on the website, the PD3205U has a 90˚ pivot and one of the pics on the BenQ site shows it in portrait mode.  That would be quite the mistake to publish if it didn't do that.

[MacGyver]

Oh, I’d go with what their site says.  I think I was looking at a B&H side-by-side comparison.