Have you “downgraded” from 2 monitors to 1, and if so, why?

My standard setup used to be a desktop with two monitors. Once I transitioned to using a laptop, I dropped down to a single monitor. Given that I often use my laptop away from my desk, I like having a workflow that stays consistent whether I'm at my desk with a monitor or away from my desk with just the laptop. Switching from one screen to two screens became too disruptive so I reduced to a single monitor.

Dell 38 UltraWide at work and a 40 at home.

I used dual monitors back from when it first became an option with 17” CRT monitors 25 years ago but you end up with a primary monitor and then other apps off to the side. The UltraWide is just easier - I can snap code and docs side by side, or two windows of code, or I can have code centered and in focus.

It’s not really a ‘downgrade’ because it’s considerably more expensive than two separate monitors but the ergonomics are so much better.

"Downgraded" to a single 4k screen. Why have multiple monitors with various sizes, bezels, colors etc., when you can have 1 large one and use it as a single large screen for all the tmux panes (effectively 4x 1080p areas), or to watch movies, play games. I can still split the screen output between 2 or more devices if I desire.

Bonus: it can also charge my laptop via USB-C while connected, so one cable less :)

It's really awesome, I only wish it was curved because I sit pretty close to it.

I downgraded from two monitors to one, then to a laptop when I started traveling while working. Now I can work from an iPad if necessary.

At first I had to change because I can't fit a big monitor into a backpack (though I have seen digital nomads in coffee shops using two monitors). Over time I found that I can focus better on one screen and one window. I don't need a bunch of windows on multiple screens to work (programming and system admin). Those just distract without adding much to getting my work done.

Now I tend to interpret multiple large monitors as status symbols or productivity performance art. I probably have a bias because I started programming on 80x24 dumb terminals (ADM-3a, VT100) and some of my core work habits and skills formed around limited hardware. Since I still spend most of my time reading pages of code I normally focus on just a portion of the display. The ability to view hundreds of lines of code or multiple files across two monitors just jerks my focus around.

Looking back, I think the big difference is that I used to be able to leave windows and programs active in my office for days or weeks at a time. I could lock the screen at night and come back the next day to resume a sprawling workspace, with all the persistent layout helping me orient to continue a longer effort. Switching to WFH with continuous ratcheting of the IT/networking policies at work, I now suffer from forced termination of idle or long duration VPN and SSH connections on a regular basis. I can't even take a lunch break and expect to find everything open where I left off...

When a session involves restarting or reattaching too many different windows and working states, it isn't worth the trouble. I've adjusted my working style to be smaller campaigns with bits of local/offline work, quick forays into remote systems to test/debug, and separate bursts of commits, tagging, or deployment of code.

In some ways, I treat my future self more like another remote coworker with more formal process and less implicit state sharing. Onsite in the past, I might have done all editing, deployment, and testing from a working copy on the workstation before making commits. Now, I might edit, commit, and push to a branch from my laptop and then pull and test on a remote server, making small bugfix edits and commits there with a remote editor.

I went from using dual 21" 1920x1600 monitors to using dual 28" 4K monitors with a desktop in the office, to having those 4K monitors for WFH with a laptop. With the IT disruptions described above, I now have the 4K monitors in different rooms where I might want to dock the laptop, but I often just work directly on the 1920x1080 laptop screen from other comfortable locations. With the quick in-and-out of ephemeral VPN and SSH sessions, I don't miss the large pixel areas as much. Just one large 4K monitor affords a lot of space to pull up side-by-side editing windows, documentation, etc.

For me, portability trumps pixel count at the moment.

I haven’t used a multiple monitor setup for about 10 years now, and that works just fine - adding another monitor adds only the ability to keep an eye on things out of the corner of my immediate focus.

If I had to keep track of dashboards visually, or did 3-d modeling, or video editing or something like that, it’s possible I’d need more real estate visible at once, but since I’m programming, I only really care about the function I’m working on at the moment, which doesn’t need much :)

I had a 27 inch main monitor and a 32 inch dumb TV as a second monitor for Netflix and YouTube, but it was just a ton of space taken up, so I met in the middle with a smallish ultrawide. Takes up a little less space but I can still comfortably do two things at once. And now I don't have to fight weird viewing angles across my desk.

I’ve started doing more work during travel so I’ve had to get used to a 1 monitor workflow as I found the portable solutions too difficult to manage unless your idea of portable is “something small to carry to a desk I’ll be at for 2 weeks”.

At home I still have a 6 monitor (3x2) setup and it’s still the best beyond I can’t take it with me.

My business partner likes big monitors. He needed a new one. So one showed up in the mail for me too.

It's awkward, has bad perspective at the sides, heavy and doesn't fit on the table properly.

I don't know why I continue to use it. Because it cost a lot? Because my 2 old monitors needed replacing too?

I was dual monitors since I had twin 17” CRTs. I went a year with just one monitor due to wiring issues and it was completely livable but I eventually went back to dual. The productivity boost isn’t as high as it once was when monitors were smaller.

So far so good. I'dont miss two monitors on my desk, I prefer a big enough one. Currently I use a LG UltraFine 32UN650, 4k 32". With two monitors I needed to move my head constantly between both monitors, right now is easier.

43inch 4K Samsung TV used as a monitor. But I still use a smallish font. So lots of real estate to use. Stops any need for a lot of scrolling with things like HN.

On the contrary: I’ve made a leather sleeve to hold 3 portable external monitors.

Yes, RSI.

I switched to DualUp which removes the strain when I need to turn my head.

i went with a 32 inch 4k single-monitor setup & virtual desktops and never looked back.

but imho. in the end it is - as a lot of things in live - a matter of taste ;)

simplicity. have less gear, have better gear.

a good monitor plus a laptop is already two monitors. need more screens? add a tablet.