Best resolution for DAW's: 2x 1080p vs. 1440p vs. 4k

minervx

Member
2 1080p monitors can be good for multitasking (i.e. having a DAW open on one screen and a synth on another. Or a DAW on one screen and browser/office/etc on the other. However, the bezels in between the monitors will break immersion if you want one large continuous screen to edit tracks on.

4K has the most pixels of these 3 choices by far. However, you would only see the full benefits of 4K on a large (~32"+) monitor. Good for studios that want to have a 40" 4K flat-panel wall screen (to leave free desk space). However, one problem with 4K is that text and icons appear very small (possibly illegible for some people).

1440p seems like the best balance overall. An ultrawide 1440p monitor especially can provide that horizontal view you'd expect from 2 1080p monitors without the bezels. It won't have as much pixel density as the other two options, but it will provide a meaningful improvement in workspace over a 1080p.
 
I hate multi-monitor setups ... I can't get around it with some of my 3d work... but I prefer one giant screen.

Actually, this guy (Stimming.. check his stuff, amazing producer) has it figured out.. he's using a Cintiq and the way he has it set up forces him to move about the studio. He doesn't have that much gear, but everything is top notch. Kind of the best of both digital and analog worlds.
The DAWs aren't quite tailored to touch- and penscreens yet, but they will be. I would like a setup like this, and then have a few iPad tablets on hand as user interfaces (lemur) or to display my meters.
Sitting in a kind of giant NASA console surrounded by screens doesn't work for me.

That money though...:S
 
MBP + an extra 27" @ 1440p is just fine for me, running Ableton Live.

I've also tried to go the iPad route at one point, getting rid of all physical controllers in favour of Lemur (or more specifically LiveControl2), but that shit didn't work out at all - maybe at some point when we get tactile displays, it'll work but having to always look at what you're adjusting takes all the fun away from it.
 
MBP + an extra 27" @ 1440p is just fine for me, running Ableton Live.

I've also tried to go the iPad route at one point, getting rid of all physical controllers in favour of Lemur (or more specifically LiveControl2), but that shit didn't work out at all - maybe at some point when we get tactile displays, it'll work but having to always look at what you're adjusting takes all the fun away from it.

True.. the technology isn't quite there yet.. I should've said 'like Lemur'.. Lemur isn't 'production ready' from what I've seen of it.
 
As minimalist as I am, I don't think touch screens will ever fully replace controllers. Not only is it a matter of it being pleasing to touch raised surfaces or an issue of multi-touch not working as effectively as your fingers, but also the ability to multitask and not having to look at what you're touching.
 
I've been doing dual monitor setups since Win98SE. Shit, I still have some of the old hardware I used back then too.

anyways...

A pair of 1080p monitors should do just fine. I'm running off a pair of old 19" 1280x1024 Dell monitors and it works out pretty well for me, but I can see where a pair of 1080p joints would set it nicely. My biggest issue is getting the same clarity from a 1080p monitor that I do with my current joints. In order to get what I need I'd have to go probably 23" to get the same 12" vertical screen height I currently get.
 
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