A couple of years ago, I decided it was time to buy a new computer and kick my photography and graphics work up a notch. I made the move from working on a laptop with a 17 inch screen to a desktop pc with various display options. The first decision I had to make was whether to have one large 4K monitor or 2 smaller 1080p ones. Sounds simple, but there were many things to consider. Admittedly, 4K has come down in price since then, but I still think a 1080p dual screen  setup is the way to go at present. In this post, I shall go through a few of the considerations, as well as pros and cons.

Monitor – price vs performance

Getting two regular-sized 1080p monitors is still much cheaper than a single large 4K one. There is a massive choice of 1080p panels out there, and even the more premium models are affordable. For the same sort of cost, you’re looking at the ‘budget’ end of the 4K market. Even the cheapest 4K monitors are pretty good, but just not quite as good as the (still cheaper) upmarket 1080p models. The dynamic range, colour gamut, coatings, and refresh rate you get can all improve if you’re willing to spend a little extra.

Currently, high quality 1080p monitors will set you back around £150 each. Budget 4k panels, while a little larger, are around £500. That’s a £200 difference. read more