Folding Table and External Monitor Setup Questions?

Hi all. So for years, I have used a 4 foot folding table as my desk where I put my 15.4' laptop on the left side but slanted to the left. I then had two 24' 1920x1200 monitors where I would put them side to side but like a reverse V if you understand what I mean. So that would be in the middle/right of the folding table. So I would move my neck left and right quite a bit since I have to look at 2 monitors but it was no big deal because there are very slight neck movements.


I then got a 32' 4k monitor to use along with just 1 of my 24' 1920x1200 monitor. I have my laptop on the left side but slanted to the left. The 32' 4k monitor is put in the middle/right part of the folding table and it is literally right on the edge of the back of the folding table. My 24' 1920x1200 monitor is on the right side of the folding table and slanted right. So most of what I'm looking at is mainly the 32' 4k monitor. However, I have to look at the 24' monitor a lot as well and when I do this, it is extremely uncomfortable because I am moving my neck to the right a lot. I also use the 15.4' laptop screen as well so basically imagine looking at 3 screens and moving your neck a lot for many hours. The thing is I have limited space so that is why I have this folding table. It is extremely cramped where my current folding table is at. I cannot put a 6 foot folding table in the spot where my current table is. But not only that... how far should I be from the 3 screens? The thing is it is extremely uncomfortable looking from one monitor to another. Now the 32' 4k monitor is a good size but it is very annoying on the neck to look from one part of the screen to the other. I got to assume this is due to my small folding table? I am definitely less than 2 feet from each of the screens so is that the issue? The problem is I can't put these monitors that far back on the table because the 4 foot folding table isn't deep enough.


My folding table looks something like this


Laptop Slanted To the Top Left Part of the Folding Table. The 32' 4k monitor is in the middle/right and the edge of the back of the folding table as I want to have it as far back as possible on the table. The 24' 1920x1200 monitor is on the top right part of the table. Also I have a wired keyboard and wireless mouse that I use in the middle/bottom end of the table.


Also, if I get a 6 foot folding table, would this solve all the issues? I believe that table is deeper so I could put all the screens farther away? Another thing I'm wondering is would a 32' 4k curved monitor be better? I feel that if I have say two 32' 4k monitors with a 6 foot folding table... then this would solve all the issues? Again, I had zero issues with two 24' 1920x1200 monitors next to each other making an upside down V with this same folding table... but using a 32' 4k monitor and a 24' 1920x1200 monitor is very uncomfortable as I'm looking and moving from one monitor to another constantly. Now has anyone here used say two 32' 4k monitors on a 6 foot table and it was good enough?



Another issue I have is this. I haven't had a computer chair in a long time. I had a few but it eventually broke after a while. I been using a chair where the seat is very comfortable... it's like a cushion on the seat. However, the back of the chair, there is literally no support at all. So whether you are sitting on it to use while on a computer or eating or just sitting down, having your back on this chair is extremely uncomfortable. The back of the chair is literally like metal bars. So for a while what I did was use a full size pillow and put it on the chair so it was comfortable for my back. However, it seems the pillow has lost its fluffiness and is so flat to where if you put it for back support, your shoulders do not even touch the pillow unless you are like laying halfway on your back... does that make sense? So is getting a new pillow going to solve the issue or it's better to get a computer chair? I recalled when I used a pillow for years, it was comfortable but that was also when it was fluffy.

I bought a glass (white glass) top dinner table from IKEA and converted it to a desk. I also attached a solid door to the back so I could attach and hide cables. A 4 seater dinner table would work if you’re lacking space.
I have 6 monitors on it, they are placed right at the back of the 6 seater dinner table. 4 are attached to a stand which wasn’t cheap unfortunatly (but they can be) one is on a shelf I bolted onto the metal frame of the table, one lives on a white shelf I bolted onto the table where the keyboard currently is (my wife currently has it, it’s a 24” drawing tablet) The computer sits on a lower shelf that I places legs on and bolted to the bottom of the table.

The distance of the monitors is a personal pref. My sight is going so I am thinking of moving them a little closer.

My chair I got from an office supply store, I sat on many. I bought the mid priced one that was comfortable, and leather. They also can be quite expensive. Some I sat on were close to AU$2000. But who wants or needs to pay that?
Egonomic cushioned lower back supports are useful.

Please excuse the mess, I’ve had a rough day. Ikea sells some great smaller desks for smaller areas. A monitor stand that can accomodate differnt sized monitors would be helpfull. Moveable monitor arms even better. For this you would need a sturdy desk, not a folding table.

If you’re sitting at your desk for long periods, a decent computer chair with propper support is imperative. Your lower back, your entire back will thank you.

Assuming you’re in the USA. I was surprised how many desks were available on Amazon USA. Some are quite good. This one below, US$49.00 has the right kind of frame to support a decent amount of weight. It also appears to have a half decent amount of desktop space. The quality would possibly be fine as long as you’re not living around salt air, reviews should be read, but it’s the frame I look out for. Distributed support.
And it’s just one of so many on the site.

Would it be possible to use a smaller table just for the laptop? I'm thinking a table that you could slide under your folding table when you're not using it.

I'm from the US but I'm not in the US at the moment. I want a folding table here to use outside the US but the thing is I want to know if a bigger folding table would work in my situation. Such as would a 6 foot folding table be good enough? Now I know it is 6 foot wide but how much inches would it need to be in terms of vertically? Does it need to be close to 2.5 feet at least? The 4 foot folding table I have, I believe it is 2 feet only when measuring it vertically. That is the standard right? The thing is I don't want to spend a lot on a computer desk. I just want a regular folding table that is wide and deep enough for my monitors.


The 4 foot folding table I have, it was fine if I put my laptop and had two 24' 1920x1200 monitors side by side... and when I mean side by side I mean like putting it next to each other and making like a reverse V if that makes sense? So when looking from one monitor to the other, you move your neck very little so there was almost no uncomfortableness at all. The thing is with this 32' 4k monitor... and using 1 of the 24' 1920x1200 monitor, it is extremely uncomfortable even if I was just looking straight at the 32' 4k monitor only. The thing is I always been less than 2 feet from my monitors. Back then I might have been only 1 feet away which I read is way too close even for a 24' monitor? The thing is I'm putting the 32' 4k monitor as far back as possible on the 4 foot table. But I'm not sure how far away should I be sitting away from the screen? The thing is if I'm too close, it seems like I can't look throughout the 32' 4k monitor and the 24' 1920x1200 that well. But I'm a bit too far away... but my terms of far away probably means still too close to most of you... it would be hard to look at everything on the 32' 4k screen. Also how can anyone even be so far from a folding table if it isn't deep enough?


Using another small table for my laptop would not have any affect on it. The thing is my laptop which is on the left side of the folding table put diagonally... sometimes isn't even 100% on the table. It is a bit on the edge. Now if I were to take the laptop and put it in another small table... I still think I have the same issue with the 32' 4k monitor and the 24' monitor. Should I post a picture of how my setup looks? The thing is I feel like even if I only had the 32' 4k monitor on my 4 foot folding table only and nothing else, it still feels uncomfortable because my folding table is not deep enough?

Something like this maybe:

The table @Flashorn has posted, I have had a lot of experience with these tables for functions. They expand to be quite solid, one would normally take it out on outings/camping trips.
The local councils in Australia (Municipal Offices) have them available when you hire out their halls. Knowing that councils don’t like liability lawsuits, you can pretty much trust that they are sturdy.

When folded, they fold in half and can be carried with the handle supplied. Good for storage. You can get them in various colours. @Flashorn has posted a decently priced one.

I have a desk and a small stand next to it. On my desk I have two 27" monitors. There is a space between the two monitors where I have a 6" Echo box on a small shelf mounted to the wall behind the desk. On the stand I have a 24" monitor. The width (right to left) is 6'. The depth (front to back is 30" and for me it's perfect. I can't say it would be perfect for you or not. We all have different taste.

Flashorn said:

Something like this maybe:

https://www.amazon.com/ANJONG-ANJ-Folding-Portable-Plastic/dp/B0BBQZ6P1P/ref=cs_sr_dp_2?keywords=6x4%2Bfolding%2Bgame%2Btable&qid=1698126954&sr=8-23&th=1

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So this is the standard 6 foot folding table right?


However, some of these 6 foot folding tables are not that deep? So lengthwise, all these are 6 feet long. But how many inches is it deep? I checked some 6 foot folding tables online and some seem to be not as deep as others? So you have to make sure it's at least say 30 inches deep? The 4 foot folding table I currrently use is 6 feet long and I believe 24 inches deep. So it needs to be minimum 30 inches deep?

Winuser said:

I have a desk and a small stand next to it. On my desk I have two 27" monitors. There is a space between the two monitors where I have a 6" Echo box on a small shelf mounted to the wall behind the desk. On the stand I have a 24" monitor. The width (right to left) is 6'. The depth (front to back is 30" and for me it's perfect. I can't say it would be perfect for you or not. We all have different taste.

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So your desk is like a 6 foot folding table then? The depth is how deep it is right? So 30 inches is standard for a 6 foot folding table? Online, there seem to be some 6 foot folding tables that are not that long depthwise? For example, this is what I can order here but the depth is much shorter? So this wouldn't work because it isn't deep enough? This one depth seem to be under 28 inches or so? There are other similar tables like this from other brands that seem to have depth 30 inches but they cost a lot more.

newmann said:

So this is the standard 6 foot folding table right?


However, some of these 6 foot folding tables are not that deep?

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Could be deeper, yes. It would help.

Standard tables are 30” wide (or deep depending how your brain registers) The other option could be that you get two.
One thiner one to sit behind the wider. Although this one doesn’t fold in half. But they could exist. Finding a folding table wider than 30” (searching from my iPad which is annoying) didn’t prove fruitful.

antspants said:

Standard tables are 30” wide (or deep depending how your brain registers)

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I was taught that the width of something is the right to left side of something when you are in front of it and the depth of something is from front to back so the table you post would be 6' wide by 30" deep. Others may see it differently.
@newmann The measurements I gave you is 6' from right to left and 30" deep from front to back when I sitting in front of my desk. The only table that I can use to compare to a folding table it the one I have that has folding legs. Some members in th US may remember the store where I bought it. It was the old Ames Department store.

Okay so the folding table when you are sitting next to it is 6 feet wide which is 72 inches wide. You say it is 30' deep from front to back. Now a standard 4 foot table is 4 feet wide which is 48 inches wide. It is around 24' deep from front to back right? So basically that extra 6 inches is what makes the 6 feet folding table large enough because you can put it back another 6 inches since you don't want the monitor too close right?


The other thing I thought was if I had another 4 foot folding table... imagine putting one in front of the other, that would make your table deep enough right? But of course you wouldn't be able to put say two 32' 4k monitors with that? I just want to at least have the current 32' 4k monitor and the 24' monitor along with the laptop and keyboard and mouse on the whole table where it doesn't feel restricted. Should I post a picture of how the setup looks now and maybe you can tell what I can possibly do? Or pretty much get a 6 feet folding table for this as that would make it much easier? Again back when I used two 24' monitors, there was no issue at all. The 32' 4k monitor is just so big. But not only that... it's hard to look at it from one corner to the other. I guess if I had a 32' 4k curved monitor, that would be easier to look at?


Also I have to assume if one wants to have a 2 monitor setup with a 32' 4k monitors only... it is much better for curved monitor as oppose to flat one right? If you had two 32' 4k monitors next to one another on a folding table, would you put it together like a reverse V? Or would you put it like side to side? The con of doing it like a reverse V would be you would never really get a good straight look at each of the monitors? But if you put it side to side, then it's hard to look at as you are stretching your neck so much? So curved monitor would help that? But when I used two 24' 1920x1200 monitors, I moved my neck a lot looking left to right but it was never uncomfortable because I had the two 24' monitors next to each other like a reverse V.


Now if I continue to use 32' 4k monitor with the 24' 1920x1200 monitor, you recommend minimum get 6 feet folding table right?


Now if I plan to get another 32' 4k monitor in the future, you would recommend a curved one? Would a curve and noncurve next to each other look awkward? But having two 32' 4k curve next to each other would be the perfect setup? So even if you aren't looking at either of these curved monitors straight forward like you would with a regular 32' 4k monitor... it would still be good?

Is it possible to bold another table dish on your current desk like I did to create more work space and monitor distance?





Regards,

Timaximus

May I suppose a different solution? I would keep my 32" monitor and use three or more virtual desktops. Unless you need to streck some graphics over two or more monitors, using multiple desktops allows you to separate the desktop icons and applications like if you had two or more monitors. Just create a second desktop and maximize an application there, then switch between the two. Those of us accessing a dual monitor setup with TeamViewer or AnyDesk are familiar with this concept. Just click on the appropriate button to switch monitors. Likewise, you can switch virtual desktops on the same monitor. Try that. It might be more convenient than you think.

newmann said:

The other thing I thought was if I had another 4 foot folding table... imagine putting one in front of the other

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If you want to do something like that you could put a 6' folding table behind the 4' folding table. Then you could put your monitors on the 6' table and your laptop on the 4' table. I was getting ready to post my reply when I decided to take another look on Amazon first and I found this. https://www.amazon.com/Best-Choice-...1&sprefix=tables+with+fol,aps,82&sr=8-55&th=1

The thing is wouldn't just buying a 6 foot folding table be more enough? That seems like way too much having a 6 foot folding table behind the current 4' folding table. Shouldn't the 32' 4k monitor and the 24' monitor and laptop and keyboard and mouse be fine on just a 6 foot folding table without any issue?


The thing is I want to look at all my monitors at a similar distance. The thing is I also want my laptop to be near where the monitors are as well. I use a trackball mouse so I want to move my mouse from monitor to monitor where the screens are all close to one another. Would people here like to look at how my setup is at the moment? Or you could already tell how it looks when I describe it....


Laptop screen diagonal left. 32' 4k monitor in the furthest back of the folding table. The 24' monitor is diagonal right.


The other thing is if I were to buy say two 32' 4k curved monitors, would that setup be much better? I don't plan to do that but if I had one 32' 4k curve as oppose to the regular 32' 4k monitor... i probably get another curve one because it seem like it would be easier to look from monitor to monitor?


But with my current setup, how many inches should be looking from the 15.6' laptop screen, 32' 4k monitor screen and the 24' 1920x1200 screen?

newmann said:

The thing is wouldn't just buying a 6 foot folding table be more enough?

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In my opinion, yes. They’re basically 6 seaters. People sit at either end to eat. 30” deep It’s pretty much only 5” away from a full sized 6 seater standard size permanent domestic dinner table, if not exactly the same in many cases.

You asked for suggestions and I gave you a few. Now I'm starting to think your not being serious and just trying to drag this thread out. I'm done. Do what you want.