Why Designers and Videographers Choose Different Monitors (and Why One Screen Isn’t Always Enough)
Introduction
If you’ve ever walked into a designer’s or videographer’s studio, chances are you’ve seen at least two monitors glowing side by side, and sometimes a massive curved one that looks like a spaceship command center.
This isn’t just about showing off. The type and number of monitors creatives use can dramatically change how efficiently they work, how accurate their colors look, and even how inspired they feel during long editing sessions.
Whether it’s a Samsung Odyssey 32″ ultrawide, a dual-screen setup, or a vertical reference monitor, every creative has a reason for their screen choices. Let’s explore why designers, video editors, and digital artists care so much about their displays, and why having the right monitor setup is one of the smartest investments in creative work.
1. Why Designers Love Dual Monitors
For designers, multitasking isn’t optional, it’s the entire job. You might be sketching concepts in Affinity Designer or Photoshop while referencing a client’s website, design brief, or brand guide. Constantly switching between windows slows you down and interrupts creative flow.
That’s where dual monitors shine:
💡 Left screen: Your design workspace (Affinity, Photoshop, Illustrator).
📄 Right screen: References, color palettes, client chat, or previews.
The separation creates mental clarity. One screen for “creation,” the other for “context.”
You can zoom in on details on one display while keeping an overview or moodboard open on the other.
Bonus: When working with web design or responsive layouts, having a second screen makes it easy to view a site at different resolutions simultaneously, mobile vs. desktop previews side by side.
Pro tip: Many designers use one color-calibrated main monitor for accuracy, and a secondary standard display for general browsing or layout reference.
2. Why Videographers Prefer Ultrawide and Mixed Aspect Ratios
If you’re working in video, the rules change. Videographers and editors live by timelines — long, horizontal workflows where more screen width equals more control.
That’s why many video editors love ultrawide or curved monitors like the Samsung Odyssey 32″.
🕹️ More timeline space: You can stretch your editing timeline across the width of the screen without scrolling endlessly.
🎞️ Better color representation: Modern ultrawides offer high contrast and deep blacks, essential for grading footage.
📽️ Aspect ratio awareness: Some editors use monitors that match the final delivery ratio — for example, a 21:9 display for cinematic projects.
Videographers also often use dual setups with different proportions:
A wide monitor for editing and timeline work.
A vertical or standard 16:9 screen for previewing final renders.
This allows them to see exactly how a video will look on a client’s laptop, TV, or phone, without constantly switching window modes.
3. The Samsung Odyssey Example: Curved Comfort Meets Clarity
Your Samsung Odyssey 32″ represents what modern design and editing displays are all about — combining immersion, comfort, and performance.
Here’s why creatives love that kind of setup:
🌀 Curved viewing comfort: The 1000R curve reduces eye strain and keeps the entire screen within your natural field of view. Perfect for long design sessions or video timelines.
🎨 Color accuracy: Samsung’s VA or QD-OLED panels offer excellent contrast and color depth, ideal for mood-based design or cinematic editing.
🚀 Resolution & refresh rate: 4K or high-refresh monitors aren’t just for gaming — they make scrolling and timeline scrubbing silky smooth.
🧠 Workflow immersion: The curve literally wraps around your vision, keeping distractions out and focus in.
For creatives who often spend 8–10 hours in front of a screen, ergonomics and visual comfort make a world of difference.
4. Designers vs. Videographers: What’s Different
Let’s break down the core differences in monitor priorities between designers and videographers:
Feature / Priority | Designers | Videographers |
---|---|---|
Color Accuracy | 🎯 Critical — must match print/web colors exactly | ✅ Important — for grading, but with more contrast focus |
Aspect Ratio | Usually 16:9 or vertical second display for layouts | 21:9 or wider for timeline visibility |
Resolution | 4K preferred for clarity, but 2K is often enough | 4K minimum for previewing footage accurately |
Panel Type | IPS (best color consistency and viewing angles) | VA or OLED (deeper blacks and contrast) |
Number of Monitors | 2–3 screens for multitasking | 1 ultrawide + 1 preview monitor |
Color Calibration | Essential for print/web consistency | Often adjusted for grading environments |
Refresh Rate | Not critical (60Hz fine) | Useful (120Hz+) for playback smoothness |
Each creative discipline has its priorities, and no single setup fits all.
5. The Rise of Vertical and Portable Monitors
It’s not all about size and curves. Designers and developers are increasingly adopting vertical monitors and portable second screens.
Vertical monitors: Great for reading long documents, viewing full-page web layouts, or coding. Perfect as a secondary display.
Portable USB-C monitors: Ideal for freelancers or digital nomads who work from cafés or co-working spaces. You can pack a light 15-inch second screen and instantly double your workspace.
For UI/UX designers especially, being able to preview an entire mobile screen design vertically, while editing on the main display, is a huge advantage.
6. The Color Factor: Why Not All Screens Show the Same Thing
You’ve probably sent a design to a client who said, “It looks different on my monitor.”
That’s not your fault — it’s science.
Monitors vary wildly in color gamut (the range of colors they can display).
sRGB: Standard for web and most displays.
Adobe RGB / DCI-P3: Wider color ranges for print and film.
Professional monitors are factory-calibrated to meet these color standards.
Consumer monitors — or laptop displays — often oversaturate or misinterpret tones.
That’s why designers and video editors invest in high-end screens: what you see is what the client gets.
7. So, Should You Go Dual, Ultrawide, or Curved?
It depends on your work style:
If you design websites, layouts, or graphics:
Dual monitors make sense. You can work on one and preview on the other.If you edit video or motion graphics:
Go ultrawide or curved for maximum timeline visibility and immersion.If you do both (like many creatives today):
Combine the two — a main curved ultrawide and a vertical or smaller second display for reference or multitasking.
This hybrid setup gives you the best of both worlds: immersive focus and multitasking power.
Conclusion
Creative work lives and breathes through visual precision — and your monitor setup defines how you experience every pixel.
For designers, dual screens mean efficiency.
For videographers, ultrawides mean immersion.
And for hybrid creatives, like many today, it’s about balance — clarity, comfort, and color accuracy all working together.
Your Samsung Odyssey 32″ is more than a monitor — it’s your workspace, your window into creativity, and your canvas for ideas.
So whether you’re color grading a film or aligning typography, remember: your monitor isn’t just showing the work — it’s shaping it.
LG UltraFine Color Accuracy Guide
→ Use in the color accuracy section:
“As LG’s monitor color accuracy guide explains, professionals rely on displays that achieve at least 99% sRGB or DCI-P3 coverage to ensure color consistency across media.”Samsung Odyssey Monitor Series Overview
→ Use in the Odyssey paragraph:
“The Samsung Odyssey series combines high refresh rates, 4K clarity, and deep curvature, making it a top pick for creatives seeking both immersion and performance.”
Contact Us for any questions or interest in more similar topics Expore our Blog.