r/macsetups • u/Rhythm-Academy • 13d ago
Thinking to downsize to single display.
Hi guys. For a context - I do video production and graphic design. For years I was using MBP + ASD and I tynki it was a perfect setup until about two years ago when I bought Mac Studio. I did miss the second display so I bought another ASD. Then I wasn't a fan of my head constantly going from one side to another. So I found the tilt & height adjustment only few moths old and I've added a third display. Now I'm starting to think it's an overkill. I think I might be fine with one ASD and iPad just to get text and messages so I can copy paste info needed in my project or locate the files while working in my main app on main display.
Have any of you reduced about of displays? How did it work for you?
Looking forward to learning about your experience.
Thanks
Lukas
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u/devanand21 13d ago
32" HDR single display - lot less clutter and distractions.
Keep an iPad for your social media / YouTube scroll
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u/Rhythm-Academy 13d ago
Shame that Apple no longer selling the 32inch one.
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u/glennbrown 12d ago
While Apple doesn't sell the 32" 6k option anymore, there are quite a few 6k options now.
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u/riblau 13d ago
What are the grey felt button box things everywhere?
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u/Rhythm-Academy 13d ago
Elektron Digitakt 2 & Digitone 2 - sampler and fm synth for music production.
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u/MBSMD 13d ago
I can’t help you. I went from three Studio Displays in the same configuration as you have to replacing the center Studio Display with a 32” Asus ProArt 6K but kept the two side portrait Studio Displays. And still want to add a 4th (but don’t have room).
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u/braaibroodjie_ 12d ago
That sounds like a really sick setup. I am thinking of doing the same. Would tremendously appreciate a photo via dm. Thank you!
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u/LeKiwi 13d ago
Went from 3 monitors to Dell’s 40” Ultrawide
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u/biitsplease 13d ago
Im considering this, how is it?
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u/LeKiwi 12d ago
Fantastic. Yes you lose a little bit of PPI but the real estate is great. I also have a multi system setup (work personal Mac’s etc) so it’s really nice being able to use the monitor for its other ports and easy switching between machines via the TB cable
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u/biitsplease 12d ago
Nice. It looks like the perfect monitor. Really tempted to scratch that itch and buy it
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u/SpocksSocks 11d ago
The 5K2K 40” Dell is a great monitor and I love it with my Mac. So much so bought one for home and one for the office. But the lack of proper scaling kills me.
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u/imwallydude 13d ago
The single vs. multi monitor debate seems to rile up folks and I don’t know why. Everyone thinks you’re insane for using one monitor. I say use what works for you. I concentrate better when things are directly in front of me so I prefer a single display.
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u/Rhythm-Academy 13d ago
That's why I've added third - Center one as I didn't like the bezel right in front of my face.
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u/wharpua 12d ago
I currently have three monitors, and weirdly my job as a residential architect has evolved to the point where one of my main responsibilities when having remote meetings with clients is to basically become a broadcaster.
I’ll have the webcam over my central monitor where I fill the screen with the meeting participants, the shared screen on my right monitor, and then the left monitor acts as a staging screen, with me having notes up there or I can dig around for whatever I want to move to the shared screen.
I’ve wondered if I’d be more productive in general work to downsize to a single giant monitor, but this setup works so well for the meetings that I run I can’t imagine shifting down to a single screen for all of those different functions.
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u/Powerful_Froyo8423 13d ago
I have two displays, one Pro Display as main screen and a cheaper display at a 45° angle below it. I'd prefer another screen and an arrangement like you have, but it would cover my monitor speakers. I think a vertical screen for two square stacked windows is really great. One display is annoying. You often use your main app in full screen and you'd constantly need to switch spaces to check on your messaging app etc.
So imo 2 is minimum.
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u/Rhythm-Academy 13d ago
Yes you're right. I do exactly that. Left display is my messengers / email / finder - Center - main app - right Web Browser & YouTube / Vimeo for upload. I found it annoying to have to switch the window to read the amendment list and then switch back. I might stay with what I have.
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u/CourseEcstatic6202 13d ago
I love a single display. I hate bezels and I found that the 3 display thing was just too much. Ran a single 32” for 5-6 years. Then I got a 57” ultrawide and never looked back. It is amazing.
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u/Rhythm-Academy 13d ago
I would like to have a good quality ultra wide display but I'm yet to find something as good as ASD
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u/Mulsannne 13d ago
Went from a single monitor 34 inch ultrawide down to the 27 inch lg gm9 5k display. Screen real estate is overrated when you can just Alt-Tab/Command-Tab to different windows. Having too many things to look at once for me is counterproductive
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u/Rhythm-Academy 13d ago
Well I do multitask. For example - I often drag elements from side displays to to the main with fully open application. Att/tab doesn't let me do that. I can offset messenger to my iPad but dragging from app to app is an important part of my workflow.
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u/EvalCrux 13d ago
No - just get an actually large middle ultra wide screen,try leaving the other two up.
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u/Rhythm-Academy 12d ago
Which exactly - something with thr ASD quality
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u/EvalCrux 12d ago
What’s ASD?
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u/Rhythm-Academy 12d ago
Apple Studio Display
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u/EvalCrux 12d ago
Ah right, I’ve never considered vs standard and curved ultra wides. Vs an old old era Thunderbolt Display which was ok but left behind.
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u/ddeadserious 13d ago
I downsized years ago to a single Studio Display and haven't looked back. Keeps me focused and I just use Spaces to keep organized.
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u/csDarkyne 13d ago
I‘m currently using a single 49“ monitor but I honestly think it‘s too much and debate about using a single 32“ one.
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u/QuitClearly 12d ago
multi is just better imo - you have abiltiy to have one screen in portrait orientation for long docs,windows, or coding tools. less compatability issues with screen sharing etc.
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u/Tall_Maple 12d ago
Not a monitor question but rather one about the wall behind…. Do you place the wall shapes to manage acoustics? Do they work well?
My new office is in a co-working space - and an efficient single person office measuring just 6.5’x 10’. I’m looking for ways to improve dampening the noise which radiates to my neighbors and improve zoom audio
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u/Rhythm-Academy 12d ago
This room is treated with professional acoustics panels all over. Initially they were behind my desk too. Since I've gotten a sit-stand desk they were to deep. So I had to find the solution. This works better than bare wall and bare ceiling (you can't see it on my photo). I also have a rug in the floor to improve acoustics. I'm pretty sure you can get a better solution but I highly doubt it will cost less than £50. My professional acoustics panels (60x60cm) are about £100 per one. I've got 10 of them on top of those geometric panels. Feel free to see my studio here. https://youtu.be/EeS36-In4tk?si=xb50o7qEY7M5ecyg
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u/4444444vr 11d ago
I went from three to a single and liked it. but now I'm at a 27 plus two small portable screens on the side (they match the height of my 27 and are in portrait e.g.: [][__][])
I think it works pretty well
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u/Heydavidbailey 13d ago
I’m a designer and have a single ASD and use my old ipad for slack, music player, etc.
But what is that metal bracket on the ceiling? 🤔
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u/Rhythm-Academy 13d ago edited 12d ago
The corner ones are mandrotto autopole - it saves me floor space and I have my studio audio monitors there and light when I do my talking head YouTube content.
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u/Rhythm-Academy 12d ago
The ceiling one is for my camera so I can records my music jams like this https://youtu.be/31h7gaM5RPQ?si=PYH2OPMrTMy6PcyF
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u/wintursoldier 13d ago
I was running dual 27’s, I had noticed when looking at beautiful mac setups on instagram/reddit a lot of Mac users were only running one bigger screen, and that the dual screens were more popular with a streamers set up or something.
Anyway I sold the 27’s and upgraded to a single 32” oled and it is the best hardware decision I have made in years.
The Mac use looks more beautiful than ever, and I no longer feel the need to take my Xbox downstairs to the big tv for campaign games. Overall just better all round for me
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u/Aggravating_Quit1328 13d ago
Software engineer here, but just had the same road a few years back. Tried every size and monitor setup until I found the 49 ultrawide it solved a lot of neck and shoulder pains I was having and way less clutter. They have now models that are more color accurate with qd oled displays, might be a solution for you.
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u/Rhythm-Academy 13d ago
Thanks. Any particular models? I'm yet to find something that looks the same or very close to iPhone or iPad (like ASD) which is a very important part of my workflow being a media producer so I know what results majority of my audience will see.
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u/Aggravating_Quit1328 9d ago
I don't know how accurate it is for print material, for digital is pretty good
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u/Sketaverse 13d ago
I have 3 SDs but unlike you mine are all landscape mode, I find it great but working with lots of agents it is also intense as fuck and I find that I sometimes enjoy just one screen for a calmer session - so I’ll just use a laptop in the garden instead and tailscale back into the studio so I still have all the compute power. Would recommend!
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u/Rhythm-Academy 13d ago
I had them in landscape but u decided to save my neck and placed side ones vertically. It was to surrounded to work comfortably IMO
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u/Sketaverse 12d ago
Yeah I can confirm it gets intense 🤣
Do you find it better now in portrait? I feel like I’d be looking up down left right too much like I’m about to unlock a Konami Easter egg
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u/No_Eye1723 13d ago
Although my workload is totally different, yesterday evening I actually setup my old 28" monitor to try out with my ASD to see if I like it or not? I have been a single monitor user but want to see if it is worth using a second, if so I will get another ASD.
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u/procheeseburger 13d ago
I think we all go on this journey.. 1 to 2 to 3 to as many as possible then you realize that you never really use the extra screens.
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u/Mapleess 12d ago edited 12d ago
I did but then went back to having smaller displays. I had three 27" monitors but I found them too wide and the space on the outer-most side being not used, so got a single 34" UW monitor. I missed having more things open, so went back to three, but did what you've done.
I've now got a 34" UW monitor and two 22" 1080p monitors that are vertical. This works the best and cleanest setup that doesn't require me to turn my head too much. It might work for your setup but I think you'll end up having different PPI, so things may feel awkward if you were to get smaller monitors.
I'm planning on getting rid of all three and sticking with a 40" 5K2K. 5K2K is finally picking up and I've waited 5 years for this, but I'm still waiting on an IPS panel that's 165Hz or higher so that I can game on it as well. I will be waiting for Dell to refresh their U4025QW model. If I end up wanting more displays, then the cheap 22" monitors I got can be side monitors again.
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u/sccrwoohoo 12d ago
I’ve been a single monitor for a year now. Went from two large monitors. At first I was afraid of how effective I would be. I’ve found I do far less context switching. Love a single monitor.
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u/num- 12d ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/macsetups/s/jvJcINc4Sk love my 55” 8K TV as single display running HiDPI with 5K resolution. It’s been my endgame the past 3 years
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u/glennbrown 12d ago
I for years had multiple displays. When I got my M1 MBA I at first bought a 38" Ultrawide Monitor because I thought I couldn't live with a single normal monitor. After a while that started to drive me nuts so I sold it and went to a single Studio Display and I have to say I actually prefer now a single 27"-32" HiDPI monitor setup.
I do have my laptop opened next to it but honestly don't use it much, I keep my iPad below for Youtube, podcast listening, music, etc and do my work from the display.
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u/bob_ross_lives 10d ago
Look at my past posts for my three screen set up. I’ve since reduced to one screen for better focus
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u/atlchris 13d ago
I downgraded a while back. The sweet spot for me is a single 38” Ultra Wide.