Thoughts on multiple monitor setup: resolutions and screen sizes

I thought this might be the right category for this question, but maybe it would go better in office setups? Anyway…

I have been thinking about my multimonitor setup and could use some advice. Right now I have an iMacPro (with its 27” 5K display) and a Dell 24” 4K monitor off to the side. I am considering setting up a three-monitor display, with the iMacPro in the center and two side monitors, one to each side, left and right.

It seems to me that the “smoothest” setup in terms of moving things from monitor to monitor and uniformity of the display would be then to have the two side monitors be the same size and resolution as the iMacPro, but that means buying 2x of the LG 5K monitor. As far as I can tell that is the only game in town for a 27” 5K display. Given the current price of said monitors, that is more than I am willing to spend.

The least expensive solution is to buy another of the Dell 4K 24” that I already have. A mid-point is to sell or repurpose the 24” and buy 2 x 27” 4K monitors. As far as I have found so far, only LG has such a beast at a price point near where I am willing to spend.

I wonder from those who have mixed and matched monitor resolutions and sizes: does it work out well or are you constantly resizing windows and/or resolutions to avoid visual and cognitive dissonance?

I haven’t trialed this very well on my own despite having the second monitor, as it has been in use to display OmniFocus and my calendar but nothing else (I had it around when I bough the iMacPro so I just hooked it up); I’m just now finding that having a second monitor or a third is useful to my workflow.

Thanks.

I have 3 displays, all different size & resolution: 15" MBP, ASUS 27" above, and an old Dell 23" rotated in portrait position on the right side.

I use Moom to move things from one display to another and to resize/reposition windows. It took a bit to set it up and get used to it, but now it works super fast with the memorized keyboard shortcuts. You can even set up specific arrangements that trigger when you switch to 2 or 3 displays.

The main thing that could bother you is the difference in resolution. The MBP & 27" have similar resolution so it’s not an issue. And I just got used to the lower resolution of the 23", so I use it only for specific items.

Obviously, having all same size/resolution displays would look sleeker, but I would give it a try with the display you already have before going the expensive route :slightly_smiling_face:

I have mismatched screens sizes. What worked for me was using display arrangement in System Preferences to adjust the vertical positioning whenever I noticed the mouse or window not appearing where I expected it to. Within a few days I had the positioning that felt natural to me.

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I have an LG 27” 4K to the right of my iMac Pro. It’s pretty seamless for me. Windows are sized appropriately when moved from one to the other, no glaring changes in color or resolution for that matter. I usally work on the iMac Pro, and have email, a PDF, or a YouTube video on the external. I do research, so I’m not calibrating and worrying about color gamuts, but do consider myself picky about things.
I have my external on an arm so I can match the height to the iMac Pro (which is on a 12 south riser). There’s maybe 2 inches between the active parts of the screens due to the bezels and a small gap that I leave.

I have another of these monitors at school, and since our lab is closed indefinitely, I’m thinking about bringing it home for a three monitor setup.