Get rid of my (1200x1600) + (2560x1600) + (1200x1600) setup for a 4K TV???

[Fun Guy]

First of all, I am NOT GAMING - this is purely for work - reading, writing, and document examination.

This is my current setup, two Dell 2007FPs on the sides and a Dell U3014 in the middle.

This is a PLP setup measuring 4960 pixels wide x 1600 pixels tall, or 7,936,000 total pixels:

After a visit to Costco today, I thought about getting rid of all three monitors and putting a 4K TV/monitor in its place.

This would be going from the above setup, to one 3840 pixels wide x 2160 pixels tall, or 8,294,400 total pixels.

If I did, I would be able to see six (6) full documents instead of the four (4) I can see now, with the above setup.

Plus, the entire thing would cost less than just my middle monitor (a Dell U3014 that cost me a little under a kilobuck).

Questions
(1) What do you guys think?

(2) If I should switch, which TV should I get?

(3) Can regular HDMI handle this resolution?

(4) Which video card(s)? Will my GTX 950 work?

 

[PrincessFrosty]

A single monitor without bezels to interrupt the work space would for most people be better I'd argue, and 4k has a lot of real estate. As you've rightly worked out the total size isn't that much bigger but the arrangement of space may or may not allow you to have more documents open, that entirely depends on the dimensions of each document.

General notes would be to check the overall PPI of the screen you're getting, a single screen will likely be quite small in comparison the total space of that PLP setup so that means smaller pixels and harder to read text. I personally use 4k @ 32" which gives a PPI which is high but not so high you cannot read text, ideally you want to avoid scaling since it generally doesn't look good and you'll just lose work area anyway. So your min 4k size wants to be around >=32"

Don't get a TV get a proper monitor, never use TVs for a PC screen ever.

4k@60hz isn't trivial to run, it requires a lot of bandwidth on the connectivity, you need to check which monitor you want to buy and read carefully what resolution and what refresh rates it supports across which connectors, for example the 4k panel in my sig will only support 4k @ 60hz across display port so you'd need at least 1 DP port on your card. It differs from monitor to monitor as they tend to support different revisions of the connectors and each revision can handle different max bandwidth and so different resolutions.

With HDMI specifically you need to be running HDMI 2.0 or above to support 4k@60hz which the GTX 950 reference specs says it supports, but you'd need a monitor that has HDMI 2.0 in as well. You also have DP 1.2 on that card.

Always check with monitors specifically what resolutions are supported over which connectors because it's extremely common for early or even new 4k monitors to not actually support 4k at the full 60hz on all the ports, typically the max for each port will be listed.

 

[SithSolo1]

http://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/by-usage/pc-monitor/best


The Samsung 7100/7500 look like what you are after but it's hard to find them new in stock. Sears might be your best bet.

 

[4K_shmoorK]

Microboard B400/Philips BDM4065UC or 34" 3440x1440 IPS from LG/Dell/Acer/AOC.

All can be had for $600-750 (or less even) and have DP 1.2 support (your 950 would work perfectly).

 

[Viper GTS]

Yes, you should do it.

I had that same setup for years, then I sold it when I moved cross country. I replaced it with a triple 1440x2560 setup that I hated. I finally replaced that with a 50" 4K, it is much better than either triple monitor setup I used previously.

Don't get a TV get a proper monitor, never use TVs for a PC screen ever.

If you buy the right TV it works quite well. Full 4:4:4 at 4k60 is critical.

Also, if you're used to the curve you have setup on the triple monitor a curved TV is probably worth looking at. The one thing I would do differently if I were buying one today would be to get a curved model. They aren't curved nearly as dramatically as your setup appears to be, but it will still be preferable to completely flat IMO.

Viper GTS

 

[Spicedaddy]

If you get a TV, make sure it does 4:4:4 at 4K 60Hz like mentioned previously.

Dell just released the P4317Q if you want a monitor instead of a TV.

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&cs=04&l=en&sku=210-AHSQ


A GTX 950 will do. (you need HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.2 for 4K 60Hz)