I think its perfect... I actually run 1 27" iMac and 2 27" dell monitors along side it. Not to much at all 
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Is 27 inches too big?
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My last 3 IMacs have all been 27"s and I couldn't go back now. As far as eye strain goes, I don't seem to suffer from it despite long periods of time at the Mac.
I've tried the 21.5 and it's still a very nice screen, but too small for me now.
I've tried the 21.5 and it's still a very nice screen, but too small for me now.
When I bought the 21.5 inch iMac, I thought it was big. After three years, it wasn't enough for my needs(I do photo editing, graphic designing). I went to an Apple Retail store to check the 27", it was huge but I knew it would be enough for my needs. I have the late 2013 27", couldn't be happier.
If you do casual email, browsing, movie watching, the 21.5 inch plus your 23 companion would suffice. But if you do graphic works, screen space is a must.
If you do casual email, browsing, movie watching, the 21.5 inch plus your 23 companion would suffice. But if you do graphic works, screen space is a must.
Is 27 inches too big?
I have been using a 24 inch monitor for several years and find it sufficient. At the hospital they have 20 inch and 26 inch monitors. I have found the 26 inch monitors to large. Being unable to push the monitor further back on the desk, I find them too large to use for my purposes. Those who do photo editing may differ.
I have been using a 24 inch monitor for several years and find it sufficient. At the hospital they have 20 inch and 26 inch monitors. I have found the 26 inch monitors to large. Being unable to push the monitor further back on the desk, I find them too large to use for my purposes. Those who do photo editing may differ.
My wife got a 2012 BTO 27" iMac, and I was worried it was too large for her small desk, which is 39" wide and 24" deep. I did all the measurements and knew it would technically fit, but feared it would visually be an oversized monstrosity.
In actuality it looks great and the desk space is no problem, even though she also has Harman Kardon Soundsticks speakers. It is so thin and aesthetically well designed it visually blends in much better than the 27" would indicate.
The extra screen real estate and resolution is very useful.
Isn't there a formula for calculating how far away you should sit from a display based on its size? There's definitely one for TVs, so I would think there's one for PC monitors, too. My desk has the width to handle a 50" display, but it's far too shallow to put me in the optimal viewing position.
I personally find the 27" a bit big for one screen.
This last go round I bought a Mini and two 24" displays, which I find gives me more screen area and fits my work needs better (design and animation).
As has already been mentioned though, lots of different opinions
This last go round I bought a Mini and two 24" displays, which I find gives me more screen area and fits my work needs better (design and animation).
As has already been mentioned though, lots of different opinions
I personally have always preferred one large display to two separate smaller displays. Always seemed easier to spread out on one big one than decide what gets put on monitor two instead. Maybe its just me...
However, I'm trying an experiment, so we'll see how it goes. I've connected my 2010 27" iMac to my 2013 27" iMac as a second display. Its certainly a lot of freaking pixels to spread out along. And takes up a tremendous amount of desk space. It may be a bit too much.
5120x1440 is a lot of space although I'm in love with the upcoming LG 34" 3440×1440 21:9 ultrawide display (34UM95).
However, I'm trying an experiment, so we'll see how it goes. I've connected my 2010 27" iMac to my 2013 27" iMac as a second display. Its certainly a lot of freaking pixels to spread out along. And takes up a tremendous amount of desk space. It may be a bit too much.
5120x1440 is a lot of space although I'm in love with the upcoming LG 34" 3440×1440 21:9 ultrawide display (34UM95).
I personally don't think that I could ever have a monitor that is too big, however, I wish my 27" didn't take up so much of my desk. I need space to work with books and my many cans of soda.
27 is just right. had the 24, loved it. sold it and got a 21.5. even going from 24 to 21 made it seem too small. got rid of the 21 and went to 27. never gonna look back. I've hooked up to a 32" tv/monitor and from close or long distance it felt like too much travel for my eyes. 30 might be ok but then again there is no 30" iMac.
I think it just depends on application, most of my work lends itself well to two displays.
For web design, for example, I'll flip between Photoshop and Coda on one screen while keeping a browser open on the other display, I can make changes to my graphics or code then just tab over and refresh to see my change live in browser. I'll also sometimes split Photoshop and Coda on either display so I can compare and check things as needed.
For 3d work I put my main viewport with associated toolbars on one display, then the other has the graph editor, camera viewport, etc.
They are too big and also pointless for the majority of us.
I purchased the 27" version about three years ago, and then again just recently and returned them both times. It's just too damn big. Why do I need a bunch of blank space around the windows I have open?
I do think 23-24" is the sweet spot but Apple likes to take away things for no reason......like a matte display.
I purchased the 27" version about three years ago, and then again just recently and returned them both times. It's just too damn big. Why do I need a bunch of blank space around the windows I have open?
I do think 23-24" is the sweet spot but Apple likes to take away things for no reason......like a matte display.
The TV recommendations are mostly due to the fact that the resolution of the viewed image doesn't change, so the larger the screen, the larger the pixels. "Too close" means the pixels are perceptible. And on the assumption that the larger screen's brightness has been adjusted for people sitting 8 feet away in a bright room, sitting closer in a darkened room could lead to eye strain. In the days of poorly-shielded CRTs, it was a safety issue.
The primary difference between the 21.5" and 27" iMacs is that the larger screen has more pixels - simply more space upon which to spread your stuff (1920 x 1080 for the 21.5", 2560 x 1440 for the 27"). The dot pitch (Pixels Per Inch) is slightly higher on the 27" - 102 PPI (21.5") vs. 109 PPI (27"), so in theory you can get a bit closer before each pixel becomes noticeable (kind of the opposite of the big screen tv effect).
"Speak for yourself, John" - Priscilla Arnold
I do a lot of work where I need two browser windows (or one document and one browser) open side-by-side. As things stand, if I adjust the width of both windows so they fit my 21.5" iMac, I often end up having to scroll horizontally in one or the other of the windows. A wider display would reduce or eliminate the need to scroll, and would have a substantial impact on my productivity. I also tend to have a messy desktop, so the bigger the desktop, the bigger the mess... I mean, the less cluttered my desktop will seem.
Whether either of us is in the majority or minority is besides the point. I need what I need, you need what you need. We don't need strength of numbers to justify our choices/needs, and for matters like this, generalizations are, well, too general.
The 27" is 2.6" taller and 5.3" wider than the 21.5". While it certainly looms much larger in terms of how much area it occupies in our field of vision, at least it's not too large to fit on my desk.
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I've been using a 24" iMac for a year and a half and it seems a bit too big. 21" would be perfect. But since I got an iPad Air retina in December, I became addicted to retina, not only for the detail and vibrant color, but also because of the reduced eye strain. So I just bought a 15" retina Macbook Pro and will be using it full time as my desktop and selling the iMac. I will not consider another iMac until they are built with a retina or similar ultra high definition, low eyestrain display.
For those that say the 27" is to big for them and they have wasted space, you bought the wrong computer. I have a total of 12 desktops running on my 27" iMac with every single desktop filled full of stuff. In fact I used to run more but now I have required myself to limit each monitor to 4 desktops.
You buy the 27" to do work. Leisure is possible, but every 27" user I have met used it for some professional aspect in their life.
You buy the 27" to do work. Leisure is possible, but every 27" user I have met used it for some professional aspect in their life.
I didn't buy one, that's why I don't have a 27" with wasted space
There's not a right or wrong answer on this, different people find different screen setups more useful depending on their particular purpose.
No.
It might be shocking at first, but you won't get more "immersion" with anything other than a 27+ inch monitor. Even projector configurations don't come close.
It might be shocking at first, but you won't get more "immersion" with anything other than a 27+ inch monitor. Even projector configurations don't come close.
What is everyones definition of "too big"?
Physical space around the monitor like a smaller office? Sitting too too close to the screen due to space constraints?
Aside from cost and it being too big to physically fit into a space I see no downsides to the 27".
Physical space around the monitor like a smaller office? Sitting too too close to the screen due to space constraints?
Aside from cost and it being too big to physically fit into a space I see no downsides to the 27".
As you can see, everyone has a different opinion on the right size monitor. There are a few factors you might consider -
How close do you sit to the monitor.
How is the lighting in the room.
Have you gone to an Apple Store and played with the 27" iMac for more than 15 minutes at a time.
My take - for me, 24" is perfect. I have had 30" screens and found for my needs 24" is exactly the right size for seeing the entire screen, having enough real estate on the screen to work and then some. My biggest concern with respect to iMacs (I have had those too in the past) is glare. There is a big difference between the glare on a 27" screen vs the smaller iMac. One may not consider this but more glass does equal more potential for glare. My 24" screen is a non-glare screen as it doesn't have glass in front. This was a MUST* for me and pairs well with my Mac Mini (previously, it was attached to an older Mac Pro).
I suggest you explore the 27" iMac by doing some eye critical tasks for at least 15 minutes and see how it impacts you for eye fatigue etc. The 27" is a very nice computer as is the smaller iMac. Nothing is worse than buyer's remorse and that is why testing out the iMacs is worth more than any opinion by others since we all have unique circumstances and level of eye comfort.
How close do you sit to the monitor.
How is the lighting in the room.
Have you gone to an Apple Store and played with the 27" iMac for more than 15 minutes at a time.
My take - for me, 24" is perfect. I have had 30" screens and found for my needs 24" is exactly the right size for seeing the entire screen, having enough real estate on the screen to work and then some. My biggest concern with respect to iMacs (I have had those too in the past) is glare. There is a big difference between the glare on a 27" screen vs the smaller iMac. One may not consider this but more glass does equal more potential for glare. My 24" screen is a non-glare screen as it doesn't have glass in front. This was a MUST* for me and pairs well with my Mac Mini (previously, it was attached to an older Mac Pro).
I suggest you explore the 27" iMac by doing some eye critical tasks for at least 15 minutes and see how it impacts you for eye fatigue etc. The 27" is a very nice computer as is the smaller iMac. Nothing is worse than buyer's remorse and that is why testing out the iMacs is worth more than any opinion by others since we all have unique circumstances and level of eye comfort.
When I got my 27 inch iMac, I was moving to it from a 21 inch Dell monitor that I had for my PC. Initially I thought it looked huge. But within a day of using it, I was used to the size and no longer found it huge.
I'm pleased I went for the 27 inch model as the extra size I find is really useful and also the 27 inch model allows for easy installation of your own ram
I'm pleased I went for the 27 inch model as the extra size I find is really useful and also the 27 inch model allows for easy installation of your own ram