Opinions Please: 38" 3840x1600 vs 42" 4K Monitor for Business 1st, Gaming 2nd

[GDI Lord]

Hi guys

I'm considering replacing my current setup (attached, 1x 768 work laptop, 1x 1080p 24", 1x 1680x1050 22") with a larger single screen. Primarily for business, but I'm also going to game on it (not competitively, just on the odd evening.) I want to have more screen space but keep the PPI reasonably low so that I can still make out what some people are saying when they use their tiny fonts.

My current 24" 1080p is OK-ish, but I was looking for a 48" 4k screen so that I can have what is effectively 4x 1080p screens at 100% scaling. But what about a 38" ultrawide of 3440x1440 or 3840x1600?

Any suggestions on the concept, please? I don't do heavy graphics stuff, I'm a data architect/data engineer. What issues have you run into while gaming? I mainly/almost exclusively game GTAV, BF1, C&C Remastered, OpenTTD, DOSBox type of stuff. I'm looking forward to BF2042 and GTAV. (And yeah, my valiant and faithful little RX470 trying to push 4K or 3840x1600... lol)

Thank you.

 

[l88bastard]

Splurge and get the PG32UQX....it will pay for itself if your doing CADD or spreadsheet work and you dont need to clutter up your desk with other displays.

I had the X38, it was good for work productivity but I had to push it ALL the way to the back of my desk because I am spoiled by 4k PPI....also no HDR on those UWs and it is quite the awesome experience.

So in short live a little, throw the display on a credit card if you have too....or sell your ass for $5 a pop on the street corner like I did....im middle age, but still got it!

 

[LukeTbk]

ultrawide

If you are used to 3 monitor and go down to 1 I would certainly consider an ultrawide (but for some stuff it is not out of the box the same experience on Windows to me at least, specially if one application run in fullscreen mode, which maybe is not an possible issue for data architect workflow), rtings have nice reviews:

https://www.rtings.com/monitor/reviews/best/by-usage/business-office

If you go to say 27 inch 4K, it could be worth it that your application you use scale well, otherwise it could be an issue.

 

[kasakka]

I have the 48" LG OLED TV and feel that 100% scaling on it is not feasible. The display is so large that you want to put it further back to see it all comfortably and by that point 100% scaling looks too tiny. 42-43" would be more appropriate for that.

I would add the 40" 5120x2160 ultrawides screens on your list as well if you are ok with 60 Hz refresh rate. The 38" 3840x1600 is also a good sweet spot where it has a decent amount of vertical space and can fit two large windows nicely side by side.

 

[Murzilka]

definitely depends on your preferences. for me 38" - is the ideal form factor. so the question remains if you can live (leave) without any meaningful HDR and if not having 16:9 is not an achievement for you.

 

[sharknice]

I have the 48" LG OLED TV and feel that 100% scaling on it is not feasible. The display is so large that you want to put it further back to see it all comfortably and by that point 100% scaling looks too tiny. 42-43" would be more appropriate for that.

I would add the 40" 5120x2160 ultrawides screens on your list as well if you are ok with 60 Hz refresh rate. The 38" 3840x1600 is also a good sweet spot where it has a decent amount of vertical space and can fit two large windows nicely side by side.

I use 100% scaling on mine and love it. I sit the same distance I from it as my 1080p 24" screens. I have really good vision though.

 

[kasakka]

I use 100% scaling on mine and love it. I sit the same distance I from it as my 1080p 24" screens. I have really good vision though.

I would find the size of the display overwhelming like that. Plus the OLED WRGB pixel structure is not ideal.

 

[sharknice]

I would find the size of the display overwhelming like that. Plus the OLED WRGB pixel structure is not ideal.

Yes, that's the point if you're replacing 4x 1080p screens though. You get the benefit of an array of monitors with no bezel. Then when you do game you get the immersiveness of having more of your peripheral vision filled with a large screen. I actually have an additional 4 monitors on the sides. It's not overwhelming at all to me, I use them all when I'm programming.

The problem for OP is his desk would not work well with any more height to the monitors. He would need to look up at a lot of the screen real-estate which is terrible for your neck. So unless he wants to completely change his setup an ultrawide would work a lot better.

 

[DoubleTap]

Splurge and get the PG32UQX....it will pay for itself if your doing CADD or spreadsheet work and you dont need to clutter up your desk with other displays.

I had the X38, it was good for work productivity but I had to push it ALL the way to the back of my desk because I am spoiled by 4k PPI....also no HDR on those UWs and it is quite the awesome experience.

So in short live a little, throw the display on a credit card if you have too....or sell your ass for $5 a pop on the street corner like I did....im middle age, but still got it!

He wants a low PPI so he can read tiny text.

The 38" monitors are basically the same pixels as three 1080P monitors (it's like two 1920x1080 monitors, side by side, but with 50% more vertical)

It's a good format if your work is reading documents and you want a lower PPI (it's close to a 20-21" 1080P monitor or a 40-42" 4K monitor)

If you really need all the pixels, then a 4K is probably better but for me, I think 32" is too high a PPI and a 42/43" 4K monitor is too tall - but 3/4ths of the complaint about every monitor is that the 16:9s are not wide enough and the ultrawide monitors are not tall enough...

 

[GoldenTiger]

He wants a low PPI so he can read tiny text.

That's what scaling is for... Also makes text look sharper at 4k.

 

[Dan_D]

He wants a low PPI so he can read tiny text.

The 38" monitors are basically the same pixels as three 1080P monitors (it's like two 1920x1080 monitors, side by side, but with 50% more vertical)

It's a good format if your work is reading documents and you want a lower PPI (it's close to a 20-21" 1080P monitor or a 40-42" 4K monitor)

If you really need all the pixels, then a 4K is probably better but for me, I think 32" is too high a PPI and a 42/43" 4K monitor is too tall - but 3/4ths of the complaint about every monitor is that the 16:9s are not wide enough and the ultrawide monitors are not tall enough...

I do not have the best eyesight and I use a 43" 4K ACER Predator CG437K with no resolution scaling for text. I sit about 2.5 to 3' away from it. I don't have a problem seeing the corners. I think 40"-43" is the perfect size for 4K. I did use a Samsung KS8500 49" 4K display before, and while it was great for gaming it wasn't good for reading text in the far corners. I think 48" is too much. I've had 30" 2560x1600 displays, 27" 2560x1440 displays, a 34" 3440x1440 UW, and a couple of different 48"/49" TV's. I've been the happiest with the 43" ACER Predator. It's not perfect, but does what I need it to do.

 

[Wiz33]

No problem running 100% on both my CG437K and FV43U but the FV43U is the better of the two.

Work and game pics on FV43U while it was at my office with overhead fluorescent lights and window and door to the side and another window behind my seat.

 

[xDiVolatilX]

If you are really wanting a screen of that size I would consider either the 50"Samsung QN90A or the 43" Aorus FV43U. The samsung tops out at 120hz while the Aorus can do 144hz. Not that it matters with your gpu lol

 

[mjoeTW]

Vertical real-estate is most important, so 16:9 will be better than anything ultrawide.

 

[sethk]

I have used a 32” 4K IPS as my work monitor for years - at home i have the FV43u (VA). On the whole the scaling means the 42” actually has more workable real estate and I miss it when I use my work PC. I don’t have a problem with text sharpness in IDEs or designers either. Unless you use both, the 38 is a decent option too but I’d personally pick a 42 4k for work use myself.

 

[GDI Lord]

Thanks for your input, everyone. It's given me things to consider. And yes, a relatively low PPI to read text would be something that I would like.

 

[xDiVolatilX]

Thanks for your input, everyone. It's given me things to consider. And yes, a relatively low PPI to read text would be something that I would like.

You dont need a low PPI when you can just use windows scaling to higher it? Like 125% or 150% should do the trick.

 

[GoldenTiger]

You dont need a low PPI when you can just use windows scaling to higher it? Like 125% or 150% should do the trick.

Yep, more pixels for text = better quality.

 

[mjoeTW]

windows scaling doesn't really work well in many programs. plus, many pictures on the internet have a size that targets a normal DPI.

 

[Machupo]

I have been using a P4317Q as my business environment desktop for about four years straight... wouldn't have it any other way.

Best benefit is being able to plug multiple computers in and using an edge-detection KM switch. So much more productive.

 

[GDI Lord]

windows scaling doesn't really work well in many programs.

Thank you, this.

 

[GDI Lord]

an edge-detection KM switch

What is the name of that, please?

 

[Machupo]

What is the name of that, please?

Vertiv/Cybex Secure KVMs are NIAP-compliant and have "cursor navigation switching"

[Edit] so with the P4317q, you set each computer up as a pane on the screen with side-by-side in the monitor's settings and then calubrate the KVM to know which computer is where, so as the mouse hits the edge of that computer's display, if there is another desktop in that direction of travel, it switches to that computer automatically.

I did this with one computer covering the top half of the screen, a second in the lower left quad, and a third in the lower right quad.

 

[motqalden]

As an owner of a 43" 4k panel I suggest that you might want to go 1440p or 1600p, because by your description you do not have the GPU power to drive 4k for gaming.
I would suggest a larger ultrawide as this will be a good replacement for your current multi panel setup and also not require quite as much GPU to be able to game at reasonable settings. I have a 3080 and even with DLSS this only gets my into high refresh territory on some modern games. Yes it is true that you can run a 4k panel at lower res but speaking from experience if you have the pixels you are going to want to drive them and unless you want to spend top dollar on the best GPU you will be left wanting. I would also not consider anything smaller than 38" as I think you will miss the extra real estate. I use my 43" 4k for both gaming and productivity working from home but I am also fine with spending thousands of dollars on my GPU.

 

[GoldenTiger]

windows scaling doesn't really work well in many programs. plus, many pictures on the internet have a size that targets a normal DPI.

That wasn't even true 7.5 years ago when I got my first 4k monitor. Nowadays under 10 it's basically flawless. Pictures are irrelevant as the higher ppi makes up for the "stretched" images. They look perfectly normal.

 

[kasakka]

windows scaling doesn't really work well in many programs. plus, many pictures on the internet have a size that targets a normal DPI.

It works fine in most applications nowadays. The exceptions will be some industry specific apps that were never built for this, run on old frameworks etc. If all you are using is say web apps and common desktop applications then you are probably fine, but if it's some proprietary desktop apps, better to test scaling with your current monitor first.

Images on the internet are a complete non-issue.

 

[GDI Lord]

Thank you everyone.

I'll be looking to get a new gfx card for gaming, so that's not a concern, thank you.

Yes, DPI scaling is still an issue in some data tools, even in 2021.

My head is about 80cm / 30 freedomches away from the middle screen. Have you found that curves (36/38" ultrawide or 42" 4K) help or hinder at the distance vs a giant flat 42" panel, please?

 

[Wiz33]

Thank you everyone.

I'll be looking to get a new gfx card for gaming, so that's not a concern, thank you.

Yes, DPI scaling is still an issue in some data tools, even in 2021.

My head is about 80cm / 30 freedomches away from the middle screen. Have you found that curves (36/38" ultrawide or 42" 4K) help or hinder at the distance vs a giant flat 42" panel, please?

I sit about 30"-36" away from the FV43U. At first it would seems that the 43" screen edges curves away from you coming from a 32" flat and a 40" Curve but my eyes adjusted within a week. Being a VA panel, there's a little bit of color shift 1/4"-1/2" at the edges of the screen if you really look for them.

 

[July2002]

As an owner of a 43" 4k panel I suggest that you might want to go 1440p or 1600p, because by your description you do not have the GPU power to drive 4k for gaming.
I would suggest a larger ultrawide as this will be a good replacement for your current multi panel setup and also not require quite as much GPU to be able to game at reasonable settings. I have a 3080 and even with DLSS this only gets my into high refresh territory on some modern games. Yes it is true that you can run a 4k panel at lower res but speaking from experience if you have the pixels you are going to want to drive them and unless you want to spend top dollar on the best GPU you will be left wanting. I would also not consider anything smaller than 38" as I think you will miss the extra real estate. I use my 43" 4k for both gaming and productivity working from home but I am also fine with spending thousands of dollars on my GPU.

How is gaming at 1080p on a 4k monitor? I don't have the gpu power for 4k gaming, but want a 4k monitor for productivity. Was intending to just game at 1080p on it?

 

[motqalden]

How is gaming at 1080p on a 4k monitor? I don't have the gpu power for 4k gaming, but want a 4k monitor for productivity. Was intending to just game at 1080p on it?

Nothing wrong with that.

 

[Archaea]

I worked on my 34" ultrawide 3440x1440 for a month and didn't like it. I prefer two 24" 1200P or a single 32" 16x9 2560x1440.
But I prefer gaming on the ultrawide over the other setups of course.

SO if business first and gaming second I'd do a 32" 16x9 or 42" 16x9 over a 38" ultrawide
however if it was gaming first and business second it'd be the 38" ultrawide.


As to reasons I did not like the ultrawide for work.

Everything wants to open up full screen - which means there is a LOT of white space on left or right and a lot of way to move your mouse to scrollbars or menus or whatever else from left to right. Snap to function in windows used to snap to right or left means the image is never in front of you, and I found that annoying and found I was constantly trying to manually resize stuff or move stuff to put it in the middle of my ultrawide, so I could look straight forward. Ultrawide is fantastic for gaming, but an annoyance for working IMO.

This use is as an IT professional with dozens of windows open, RDP instances, SSH connections, e-mail, browsers, chat windows, the like. Lots going on, on screen. I currently use 3 monitors and it's way better. A 32" in the middle, and two 24" 1200P monitors flanking the 32 on left and right. I just converted a spare bedroom into my office and kept the 34" ultrawide for gaming, at my gaming PC desk.

Horses for Courses.

 

[GDI Lord]

This use is as an IT professional with dozens of windows open, RDP instances, SSH connections, e-mail, browsers, chat windows, the like. Lots going on, on screen. I currently use 3 monitors and it's way better. A 32" in the middle, and two 24" 1200P monitors flanking the 32 on left and right. I just converted a spare bedroom into my office and kept the 34" ultrawide for gaming, at my gaming PC desk.

Thank you for your input.

 

[File]

There is a windows tiling manager produced by Microsoft in the 'PowerToys' utility, Fancy Zones, https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/fancyzones

Allows you to assign custom snapping layouts with different arrangements. From my experience you can have different layouts on different virtual desktops, or monitors in Windows 10. Should help others with the getting things in the middle without resizing problems. Windows snap using the Win+Arrow hotkey into their respective spots, and can be dragged into occupying multiple zones by clicking the windows title bar -> Ctrl+Shift dragging across the zones.