Software dev here, and I’m pretty confident that 4 is the ideal number, as long as you have window snapping to split them in half:

Left (inputs): half current ticket, half whatever documentation you need

Main (work): IDE, half test code, half actual code

Right (outputs): half terminal, half web page (frontend) or postman (backend)

Bottom (comms): Smaller laptop screen dedicated to slack / email

On a Mac the Expose features such as ability to customize your screen rather than have to deal with fixed real estate plus additional virtual desktops are also highly notable in that regard. There are definitely advantages of having additional physical screens over the window management approach, but also vice versa too. I would say just try it, but note that it does take quite a bit of getting used to, as too in a sense does multiple monitors especially if trying to use different windows from the same app - browser - on different ones.

Also if cost is no factor at all, instead of multiple monitors you can have large nice screen + laptop, for the ultimate portability. There too there are advantages and disadvantages both - e.g. while working on one the other will fall asleep, if the nice screen is a separate computer rather than mere monitor.

To someone wondering what to try: something will appeal to you - listen to your inner voice and let it guide you! If you are wrong, you still learn from the experience;-).

After having tried most standard configurations at various jobs and home (never a third monitor though, I prefer the ease and simplicity of a single large monitor. Everything is a few keystrokes away but I tend not to need to see all things at the same time. Sometimes, extremely rarely, it does seem too constraining, but not enough to justify the additional cost of a second monitor (not just money but setup and my attention time), and this works well enough for me. Others will similarly do what works best for them in turn.

My sister uses her second monitor maninly for Discord, but sometimes it’s art references or game guides.

I came in here late, but I just wanted to say I have three monitors, and I often use a music stand to hold up a book where my 4th monitor would be. Really helpful when your technical manual is a physical document but you’re doing work on a computer. It’s a “monitor” by any other name, and lines up with the rest of my monitors in a neat little row.

I currently run 3 and am actively trying to figure out how to get more in my space.

I want my workstation to look like Neil Peart set it up.

I started using two so I could more easily remote game with my sibling.

The second one would have their screen stream up, so it was like we were playing split screen co-op back in the day. :)

I had two but switched to one 30 inch. I almost never looked at the other monitor. :)

Big center monitor: ide, terminal

Big left monitor: browser. Jira ticket, documentation, email, etc. sometimes also notes. Http client (trying Bruno now).

Small laptop monitor: slack, sticky notes

2 27” 4k monitors. I do 98% of everything on the main monitor. The screen to the right contains a few sticky notes (I use Zhorn Stickies) and a Ticktick widget with all my tasks for the day. When I start up Obsidian, I have a saved Ivy Lee list that appears in a spot on the right side monitor as well. It’s just basically quick-glance scrap space.

I have 2x27" screens. 1 is 1080 the other 1440.

For work, I would say it’s invaluable (software developer) to have say VSCode/VS running on local machine and say an RDP session open. Or to have open Jira issues on one screen or basically the actual program code and another screen with information/testing environments. It’s far better than finding the window you need all the time with alt-tab/the task bar.

Outside work, I generally have youtube on the 1080 screen while doing other things (games/personal development etc) on the 1440 screen.

As for a third monitor. I think there’s definitely valid use cases. But, I have a big desk but another 27" screen would just take up too much space. I am tempted in the future to replace the 1080 with something higher resolution though.

My work setup has two monitors in a horizontal layout.

Left (in front of me) contains the main stuff for my task at the moment. That’s where my meeting app goes as well so I can look straight at the webcam during meetings.

Right has the supporting stuff, reference docs, IM just in case I need to be pulled away for some critical issue, etc.

At most, I can work with three monitors for increasing productivity in terms of screen real estate. More than that would be a case of diminishing returns for more physical space taken.

Two monitors one computer? Bah! Why not two monitors two computers!

One main monitor connected to my Windows machine, and a second monitor next to it connected to my work Mac. Using Synergy, one mouse and keyboard plugged into Windows controls both machines.

Then, add a Framework laptop propped up on the left running Linux, also controlled with Synergy. Three monitors, three computers! Now when people ask what OS I run it’s an easy answer: all of them at the same time lol

Used to have two. Went back to one. Professionally I feel like 2 monitors is a must ( excl. Laptop ). Or a single big ass monitor.

We’ve got ( a single ) curved screens at work. It also works because it’s wide enough.

Professionally I do believe it boosts productivity. Personally/at home not really ( for me ). It can be convenient if you play an MMO and want to look something up while still seeing the game.

I do have a spare monitor but I disconnected it as I was rarely using it.

I have two monitors plus my laptop screen. I keep my IDE open on one, my browser open on another, and my terminal open on the last one. It may not boost my productivity a lot each day, but saving maybe a minute every hour adds up.

It’s much easier to move my mouse to the left than it is to switch windows. When I’m not at home and I have to code on just my laptop, I do miss the extra monitors.

Three monitors for work and sometimes wish for a 4th. I’m doing research and pulling info from various documents into one document with commentary. A 4th would be nice so I could have email and chat on it. I’ve missed people asking me questions because I had documents in front of the chat and missed the pop-up. Sometimes you need 5 programes and then multiple documents open to understand what going on to explain it and then have to copy and paste from various documents.

For personal I liked it when I had 4 monitors. Main for web browsing and one for chats. The other two, one for playing video or music and the other to drag stuff to. The other two really shined when I would do photo editing or writing. Spreading things out over 3 monitors made things easier. Right now with my living situation I’m pretty much on a laptop so one monitor. Really makes photo editing not as fun and writing when I need to keep pulling up references stuff outright frustrating at times. I actually have more than 4 monitors at home since I kept picking them up at thrift stores, (DVI into USB adapters are nice) but didn’t find any real benefit to more than 4. But once everything settles I plan on getting my 4 monitors setup back and a Linux station for certain projects with 2 monitors and Raspberry Pi with 1 monitor.