# 32" or 34" ultrawide



## robcs (Aug 25, 2021)

I'm looking to replace my current display set up (27" imac + 19" monitor + a 2010 27" imac hooked up as a secondary display). The old iMac is great, and it was effectively free since I already had it, but it heats up the room better than any radiator so I can't use it in summer unless I want to work in a suana.

I'm looking at replacing the 2 external displays with one big display, but I'm torn between a 32" 4k or a 34" ultrawide 1440p.

If you're using either of those options, what are your experiences?


----------



## Nimrod7 (Aug 25, 2021)

I personally feel that vertical space is more valuable than horizontal. I will vote for a 4K 32”.

I have both an ultrawide 5K (which is great in terms of resolution ) in a graphics workstation and 32” in music. 

I wouldn’t vote for 1440p, I like crystal clear UIs


----------



## robcs (Aug 25, 2021)

Nimrod7 said:


> I wouldn’t vote for 1440p, I like crystal clear UIs


I have to have my imac set to 1440 otherwise I can't even read the interface!  

As the vertical pixel density on a 34" is the same as a 27" for any given resolution, I thought it best to stick to 1440 - no resizing as I move windows across, and I'm using the monitor at its native resolution which should give me a bit of a performance boost 

But I take your point about vertical space - that's the bit I'm wrestling with. Whether I want more vertical space, or more horizontal. I like the idea of having more of the timeline visible across the screen. At the same time, having more tracks or staves visible is also appealing.

Decisions decisions!


----------



## Pictus (Aug 25, 2021)

With any option you choose, make sure it does not use PWM for backlight dimming!
At least avoid the low frequency PWM models...
Why PWM is bad https://www.notebookcheck.net/Why-Pulse-Width-Modulation-PWM-is-such-a-headache.270240.0.html

The best review sites: (Check for PWM, flicker free probably means no PWM)

https://www.rtings.com/monitor/reviews/best/by-resolution/4k-ultra-hd-uhd
https://www.prad.de/test-kaufberatung/testberichte/test-monitore/
https://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews.htm
https://pcmonitors.info/reviews/


----------



## robcs (Aug 25, 2021)

Pictus said:


> With any option you choose, make sure it does not use PWM for backlight dimming!
> At least avoid the low frequency PWM models...
> Why PWM is bad https://www.notebookcheck.net/Why-Pulse-Width-Modulation-PWM-is-such-a-headache.270240.0.html
> 
> ...


Thank you - I had heard about the problems with PWM, but thanks for the timely reminder. I get enough headaches as it is without adding to them


----------



## brandowalk (Aug 27, 2021)

I have a 34” ultra wide and love it for music/video work. Also, I like the ability to have email, calendar, and browser on the screen all at once.


----------



## thevisi0nary (Aug 28, 2021)

I replaced two monitors with a 32” 4k. After using it for awhile, I want an ultrawide. If you like working with large single windows, the 32” 4k is good, but in my experience it’s not a proper replacement for dual monitors.

A 34” ultrawide I think still pushes you toward using one large window, or a large window with one skinny window on the side. 

When I can justify getting it this is the monitor I’ll get - 
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1560688-REG


----------



## easyrider (Aug 28, 2021)

Monitor setup is such a personal thing….some cream over 4K….I myself find it too small and I don’t want to sit in front of a massive screen.

I myself have a 100hz 3440 x1440p ultra wide and above it I have two 144hz 1440p 27” angled monitors.

Very handy to throw things upwards and three monitors is just so liberating.


----------



## Paulogic (Aug 29, 2021)

4K can be to small to see. As mentioned here before, I use a 40" IIyama monitor (not TV),
4K but only with 2K resolution. Then everything is fine, even the non resizable UI's of plugins.
Works fine for a nice overview of the tracks and mixer on one screen. I tried a widescreen but
sent it back after a week. Wide is nice for seeing the full track length, but the resolution was
to low for me. Made me think about the old 17 inch monitors long time ago.


----------



## EpicMusicGuy (Aug 29, 2021)

I have a 4k screen. But I don't use 4k res on the desktop. I can't read anything. I would use 4k all the time if more plugins scaled. But for now I'll just have to use 1440p.


----------



## EpicMusicGuy (Aug 29, 2021)

And a lot of plugins are already to small in 1440p


----------



## Nimrod7 (Aug 29, 2021)

EpicMusicGuy said:


> I have a 4k screen. But I don't use 4k res on the desktop. I can't read anything. I use 1440p on it.


The scaling on the Mac is actually still using the pixel density of the 4K, which make the UI larger but also pixel perfect.

there are disadvantages (eg. GPU overhead) but is not the same thing as a 1440p monitor.


----------



## Paulogic (Aug 29, 2021)

I'm indeed using Mac Scaling for getting bigger image. That's why i call it 2K whitch it probably
isn't.


----------



## RAdkins (Aug 29, 2021)

If you have the space and cash, check out the new monitor from Gigabyte 

AORUS FO48U 48" 4K OLED 3840x2160 120Hz 1ms GTG​


----------



## robcs (Aug 29, 2021)

Well I bit the bullet. Picked up a 32in 4K Acer screen yesterday. Now to reorganise the studio!


----------



## Jhickin (Aug 29, 2021)

For me, as others have mentioned, the vertical room is much more useful, I got the
BenQ PD3200U​
It is an absolutely SENSATIONAL monitor, completely changed my setup, one of my best ever Tech Purchases (though a bit pricey maybe)


----------



## Tralen (Aug 29, 2021)

I use a 43'' 4k.

As said above, I find vertical space much more important.


----------



## Nico5 (Aug 29, 2021)

I'm using a 40" 4k UHD TV with a 60Hz (fps) refresh rate as my main monitor - driven by a graphics card that can push that 4k at 60Hz out of an HDMI port.

TV because it's much less expensive than a computer monitor
However: Using a TV over HDMI from a graphics card typically does NOT turn the TV on and off over HDMI when turning the computer on/off. I'm willing to live with that. 

40" since it's the size where the individual pixel size is very close to the same as a 27" monitor at 2560 x 1440 (which is what I used before). And any smaller pixels size is too hard to read for me at native resolution.
Since 40"4k TVs don't seem to be made much anymore, now I would have to buy a 43" TV to ensure that native resolution is still legible. 

60Hz refresh rate (fps) seems pretty much the minimum for having a solid mousing and clicking experience. I briefly tried at 30Hz (fps) and found it unbearable.
p.s. I'm also still using my prior 27" monitor as secondary screen. With the pixel sizes being closely matched, I don't experience some of the Windows 10 problems caused by using different zoom levels on different monitors.

Ultra wide monitors also seem to be more expensive than 4k screens.


----------



## Pictus (Aug 29, 2021)

But almost all LCD TVs use PWM...





R7 250X and 4K TV


Hi folks, I'm planning to get a 43" 4K TV as my PC monitor (switch from 2X 27"). I have an older MSI R7 250X 1GB card which worked fine for multiple screens over the past few years: https://www.msi.com/Graphics-card/R7-250X-1GD5/Specification It says it supports 4K @ 50Hz but only via...




vi-control.net


----------



## stevebryson (Aug 29, 2021)

I had three Dell 24" monitors, and replaced the center one with a cheap Hisense 43" 4K TV (pictured in this post). This was motivated by a big Logic project. I'm really happy with the result, and like others here make much use of the vertical space for my track and mixer windows. I use the two Dell 24" on each side for plugins and scores/project docs. A big center monitor and two side monitors is the best of all worlds. 

I didn't know about PWM issues, but I run at 60Hz and don't see any flicker.


----------



## Pictus (Aug 29, 2021)

Not everyone notices...


----------



## thevisi0nary (Aug 30, 2021)

Those with one 32" or 43" 4k monitor, do you usually leave one large window open at a time? Or do you do two thinner windows?


----------

