When I was setting up my ideal home office, I considered using three of the best monitors to maximize space and productivity. I even decided to go with a three-arm mount, with the idea of stacking two monitors on top of each other and attaching a large pen display to the third arm for editing photos.
I started putting everything together and wasn't happy with the result – so much so that I took off the third arm and went with a dual monitor setup with the monitors side by side. This has increased my productivity tremendously, and if I had stuck with my original three-screen idea, everything would have just gotten more confusing. If you're considering a multi-monitor setup, here are four reasons why you might want to stick with two monitors.
4 I lose less track of what I am working on
Three screens mean a lot of multitasking
A growing body of evidence suggests that our brains are not optimally suited to multitasking and that switching between tasks reduces efficiency. Studies suggest that up to 40% of a person's productive time is lost due to the mental gymnastics required to switch between tasks. This may seem contradictory to guidance that says multiple monitors increase productivity, but it's how you use the space on those monitors that matters. This is a big reason why I don't want to have more than two monitors, because having to switch my focus between multiple screens completely destroys my personal productivity.
However, I have found that having two monitors can be beneficial. On my desk, I have two 34-inch ultrawide monitors arranged side by side on monitor arms so that their mounts do not take up any space on the desk. When I'm working, I use one monitor with two browser windows open, one for writing and one for fact-checking or research. The second monitor has chat apps open as well as any browser tabs I might need later but am not actively working on, as a sort of cold storage. If I had a third monitor in the mix, I would constantly be juggling apps, browsers, and other tasks, wondering where the things I'm currently working on are. That's too much mental strain for me, but I like having the second monitor to store things I don't need right away, because if I close those browser tabs, I completely forget about them.
3 Significantly less neck strain
It is so much easier to turn my chair or swivel my head
Ergonomics is an important consideration when setting up any desk. After all, you spend a large portion of your waking hours working or gaming at your desk, so it's important that your monitors are the right height for your eye level, which is where the top of the monitor is. For me, the perfect height is either a 34-inch ultrawide monitor or a 27-inch monitor with a 16:9 or 16:10 aspect ratio. This allows me to easily turn to see what's next to me, and I don't have to move my neck to see the top or bottom of my screen.
With two ultrawide monitors, my 70-inch wide desk is running out of horizontal space. For a third monitor, I would have to go back to 16:9 aspect ratio displays, where I can't comfortably arrange as many browser windows or stack them vertically. Both options are a problem, but the worst by far is having to look up to see the contents of the top monitor. This may not seem like a huge burden, but doing it day after day will cause problems in the future.
2 My GPU only has two DP ports
I prefer it over HDMI for gaming monitors
Another reason I prefer to stick with two monitors has nothing to do with ergonomics, but rather with the whims of the manufacturer. I prefer to use DisplayPort for my gaming monitors, even though HDMI has gotten better in recent years. This is a problem on my main PC because while many of the best GPUs have three full-size DisplayPorts, my AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT has two full-size DisplayPort 2.1 ports and a DP delivered over USB-C. While I could use a USB-C to DisplayPort cable for a third monitor, I've had weird issues with every display cable adapter I've used. That said, until I change the GPU in my rig, I'm limiting myself to two monitors at most.
1 Takes up less space on my desk
Brackets or monitor arm clamps take up a lot of space
Effective use of desk space is always a problem whether the desk is at work or at home. Three monitors with their factory-supplied stands take up a significant amount of space. Take the beautiful Asus ROG PG32UCDP for example. The tripod design of the stand protrudes from the monitor in all directions, like any other Asus gaming monitor. I had one of the early 4K 144Hz IPS Asus ROG monitors and it was difficult to fit a desk pad for my keyboard and mouse in front of it on the thinner desk I had at the time.
However, the problem is not solved if you go for VESA compatible monitor arms. In order for them to be stable enough, the clamp needs to be relatively sturdy, and only the premium models can support more than two large monitors without wobbling or risking damage to the monitors. While you could stack the monitors to reduce the horizontal space required, then you're again battling ergonomics and neck pain. For me, it's just easier to fit two monitors in the space I have to work.
For me, two monitors are the perfect number for maximum productivity
Productivity studies aside, there is no magic number of monitors that will give everyone the best performance. Bankers and traders often have six or more screens, and some are more comfortable with one monitor as they have everything they need right in front of them. Personally, I have tried one, two, three and four monitors on my desk and have come to the conclusion that two is the best arrangement for my workflow.