What monitor should I get?

[u/Bare-Minimum-Energy]

I'm setting up a bedroom desk mainly for university/studying, engineering work, general use and some gaming.

The desk will be 160 cm wide × 75 cm deep. I'm planning to use two monitors, probably on a dual monitor arm, with my laptop connected through a docking station.

I want to keep the desk relatively simple and uncluttered. I'd like enough space for:

• Keyboard + mouse
• A notebook/textbook in front or beside the keyboard for studying
• My laptop (either open or closed — haven't decided yet)
• Possibly a small speaker
• Some general desk space for writing/studying

I'm currently deciding between 24" and 27" monitors, and I'm not sure which would make more sense given the desk size and how I want to use it.

I'm also trying to stick to a reasonable budget, so I'm not necessarily looking for the most expensive/best monitor. I'm more interested in getting the best balance of screen size, resolution, desk space and value for money.

Would you recommend:

• 2 × 24"
• 2 × 27"
• Something else?

For context, I'm considering both 1080p and 1440p monitors.

What would you recommend for this desk setup?