We use two. A 24" (1920x1200) in normal landscape mode for graphic work, and a 17" (1280x1024) in portrait mode for text work (emails, web browsing, etc). It's always advantageous to have more desktop real-estate, and using an old monitor in portrait mode as a second monitor is a good way to extend it's useful life.
Our head engineered poo-pooed having two monitors until I set him up with a pair, now he swears by it.
Here in the development offices in Cypress, CA (and at lotehr locations) the standard set-up are either dual 20" monitors or a single 22" (most people opt for the dual 20's).
Note that in my office I have 2 workstations, an older desktop machine which I use only for 'office automation' (that is I don't use it for NX) with a single 22". As for the other, that's my mainline mobile workstation (i.e, laptop) with a full fledged docking station setup which includes a full-size external keyboard, mouse, 3D Connexion's Space Pilot-Pro and a single 24" monitor (which I actually purchased myself). While I would personally like to have a dual monitor set-up, mine is a special situation. You see, Ben is RIGHT, once you start using dual-monitors you'll never go back (sort of like a Spaceball, which is why I carry one the compact ones with me when I'm on the road), but in my case since what I give presentations and demos at User Group meetings and when meeting with customers, almost always this will involve projecting the display from my laptop and so inorder to not fall into 'bad' habits and to keep my demo skills honed, I have NO choice but to also run in my office on a single large screen.
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
I would add, if you are not in a rush for a second monitor pace yourself and wait for sales.
I am a huge fan of Dell Ultrasharp monitors. They always go on sale, usually during what Dell calls "Days of Deals", about 4 to 6 times a year. Savings are usually better than 25% off, and sometimes hit close to 40% off. Often shipping is free as well.
For CAD work the Ultrasharp monitors are fantastic.
Sounds great, glad I can justify having two on my desk today lol. I just bought another one and people are saying, "who does that?" Looks like almost everyone!!
I use (2) 20" hooked to my Dell m6500. Then I have 2 more 20" hooked to my Teamcenter and Unix boxes with a single keyboard and mouse. Those are mostly used for PDM and remote desktop work.(4) 20" LCD monitors in my cube. People think I am insane - until they sit down behind them.
They are Optiquest Q20wb. I also bought them myself since work would not spring. Got them all used for udner $100 a piece.
I'll never go back to a single monitor - unless it's a 55" LCD tv - which I use at home : )
That's how we justified offering our developers dual-20's. Besides, we were replacing CRT's so often this actually freed-up deskspace and certainly helped with power consumption and heat-load.
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
I'm a cam guy who does big parts so I prefer a single 28" monitor. That said, if you want the sweet deal on a large dual setup: go for the older 3/4 aspect flat screens. The dual setups for me are to wide and narrow. The older ones give you height for a more square setup. Also look for a thin bezel so if you're panning across the two screens you don't notice the split.
I have been using a 30" LP3065 for NX and a 23" for office apps, vieuwing PDF's etc. for 2 years now. I undock the assembly and part navigator and display them on the 23" so I have full 30" for 3D modelling.
I am planning (er...advising my manager that is) to buy a new 30", because I use also NX viewer to display the same part on the other monitor and I also want to stretch my desktop.
In some cases I use a single monitor configuration. Makes me desperate, wondering how I managed to live with this little workspace available...
Funny situation here where I work. After I bought a second monitor on Black Friday and brought it in to work, everybody else said, "Hey, I want two as well" no just this week our IT guys is busy hooking up another screen for our other departments. Now if I could just get our engineering department to use Assemblies, forget about layers, stop photo copying emails rather than just forwarding them, we'd be almost out of the stone age. lol.
