In the past, you didn’t have a choice of what orientation of a computer monitor to pick. If you buy a PC, you are stuck with a horizontal display whether you like it or not. These days, you have an option to stick to a monitor with the traditional horizontal orientation or opt for vertical orientation

Is a vertical monitor right for you? Learn about the pros and cons of vertical monitors before making a decision.

Pros of Vertical Monitors

Vertical monitors are such pretty additions to a computer set-up. Aside from giving your workstation personality, you can also benefit from the following advantages of vertical monitors: 

• Offers natural eye movement. Unlike horizontal displays that require you to move your head from left to right when reading blocks of text, a vertical monitor allows your eye to move naturally. If you come from using a horizontal monitor for years, then try out a vertical monitor, there’s a chance you can feel your eyes and neck become less strained as the day goes by. 
• Ability to multitask more effectively. Regardless of your profession, whether you’re an accountant or a college student, having a vertical monitor gives you more space to multitask, especially if your monitor is sized 28 inches and beyond. The possibility of using the bottom screen for work-related activities, then the upper screen for zoom meetings is there (and could make virtual offices more efficient than it is today).
• Be ready for the future of vertical videos. The future of vertical videos is here. Many people are adapting to how to watch videos, play games online, scroll on Pinterest and Instagram, mainly because content creators are making content with vertical orientation. This has a lot to do with how people access the internet and perform online activities through their smartphones and other portable gadgets. Uploading videos taken by their phones, for example, are by default in a vertical orientation. 
• Read or write more lines of code and text. If you are a programmer, writer, editor, lawyer, and other professionals who read or write chunks of text daily, a vertical monitor could benefit you at work significantly. Instead of “turning the page” multiple times, you’re able to continue reading or writing for a longer time. 
• Serves as a useful second monitor for streamers and gamers. If you looked at Twitch and other streaming sites, many of the online gamers there use both a horizontal and vertical monitor. The reason for this is that most games are still developed in the horizontal orientation, but since these gamers entertain people live, they need the horizontal monitor for playing the actual game and the vertical display to answer questions, chat with followers on Discord, and do other activities without minimizing the game. 

You May Also Read: Gaming PC vs Gaming Laptop: Which Is Better?

Cons of Vertical Monitors

There are two disadvantages of vertical monitors. 

First, the vertical screens have fewer adjusting angles compared to their traditional horizontal counterparts. As such, you might regularly catch glare from light sources and could essentially distract you from your work. Must check out Best Monitor For Eye Strain.

Another related disadvantage is that vertical monitors limit your field of vision. If you use the monitor to watch movies and videos, you might get frustrated by the limitations since the display might not capture the entire scene as it was originally intended. 

Note that NOT all vertical monitors come with the ability to change orientations, but if you search for one that does, you’ll be able to use the display either horizontally or vertically depending on what you’re currently doing. 

For example, if you’re playing retro games like Tetris, Pinball, or Alien Invader on your computer during weekends, tilting it vertically could make the games look so much better. Once you’re “back to work” on Monday, you could just tilt it back horizontally. 

The downside to dual-orientation monitors is that they can be expensive, so if you’re on a tight budget, this option may not be ideal. 

Is a Vertical Monitor Worth it?

Vertical monitors are great for some activities, but not-so-great with others. As such, you have to understand that these types of monitors are not for everybody. 

People who read and write a lot of text on the computer would greatly benefit from vertical monitors. If your job involves creating content (videos or images), using a vertical monitor now gives you an edge once vertical content becomes the norm. 

Anyone involved in film development or graphic design cannot use vertical monitors as their main display, simply because horizontal orientation is used in these markets as a standard. Of course, if you plan to use a vertical monitor to expand your workspace, then that’s a different story and I say go for it.

I do recommend vertical monitors if you’re using them as a second monitor. Doing so doubles the space you can use for work and play.