Considering a 32-inch monitor

In Newsprint's recent Sunday Edition, Josh writes:

The last major aspect hanging over my head is also the most expensive one: a 32-inch 6K display. You see, I’ve tried everything now. I’ve tried two 27-inch displays side-by-side. I’ve tried two 24-inch displays side-by-side. I’ve tried Mac Virtual Display via Vision Pro. I’ve tried a single, small 14-inch MacBook Pro Display. I’ve tried a single 27-inch display.

I could wax poetic about each setup (I have many soapboxes I could stand on and shout from) but I haven’t been 100% happy with any of these options. I want to try a single 32-inch 6K display. I want enough space for three windows side-by-side — enough room for a tax return, a PDF, and an Excel sheet. I want the simplicity and focus of a single display setup. I would like to remove things from my desk.

And, of course, the 32-inch 6K display we all want stands just slightly outside the current budget. I’m not the only person wanting a Pro Display XDR for their setup. It’s a big, beautiful — incredibly beautiful — display, far beyond my needs, and certainly within my wants.

Although I have used a single 27-inch monitor for the longest time, last year, I considered upgrading to a 32-inch monitor. The Apple XDR was out of my price range, but I found a refurbished Dell 32inch 6k Monitor for an incredible deal with a 14-day returns policy.

It looked ugly in pictures, but in person, it was even uglier. I know beauty is in the beholder's eye, but as someone who has been using the Apple Studio Display since launch, I just couldn't get over its looks. After all, I am looking at it for eight hours a day.

If one can ignore the looks, the 32-inch 6K monitor is wonderful. It felt so much bigger and provided more room. I work predominantly with PDFs, word documents, spreadsheets and a browser. It felt cramped on the 27 inch but on the 32-inch; it felt just right.

My monitor in the office is a Dell 4K, 34-inch monitor, and that works wonderfully too. I am just being extremely picky, the work I do, 4K resolution is fine.

In my home study, it is important to me that it looks nice. Maybe 2026 will be the year that I get a 6K monitor.

Because I use both macOS and Windows, I am looking for a monitor that supports both and can have both connected via thunderbolt allowing me to switch between them seamlessly. As far as I know, there is no monitor currently on sale that allows two laptops to be connected and charged by a single monitor.

Also, even if one only has a work MacBook and a personal one, it still isn't possible to have both connected and charged with a single monitor. Perhaps I am being too picky, but having one cable from the laptop has spoilt me.

The search continues.

Note: in 2026, I am also hoping to be mindful of my purchases. Yes, I could buy a 32 inch monitor today, but my 27-inch monitor has been sufficient, as evident by the work I have done in the past. It is easy to fall into the mindset that the next purchase will improve/enhance my work further. However, most times, the work you do depends on you and you only.