Need more information: Why do you want all laptops? Why do you think you need multiple computers at all?
this post was submitted on 29 Sep 2024
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More than 1 job (requires a laptop each), and 1 for school/leisure.
Windows 11 has taken a feature from Linux distros called "Task View" where you can create additional "desktops". You could do something similar with that and forego the additional laptop/desktops.
This might be a little unorthodox, but this is an option to reduce hardware costs and maximize desktops.
- 1x PC
- 4x Monitors (or more if you want to buy another video card)
- 1x server to be used as a Proxmox Virtualization Environment server to host as many desktop OS's as you want.
you can split your four-monitor workstations' screen real estate any way you like. keep using the same mouse and keyboard and just tab through the virtual workstations that you need to work on.
Proxmox is free for personal use. You can run it on a dedicated desktop workstation connected to your network. you are limited to the resources in your hardware. RAM, CPU, Storage. you'll be slicing that up between the number of Virtual Machines that you create, so think about what you will be wanting. For example, if your specs are one desktop with 8G of ram and 128G of disk space. multiply that time the number of workstations you want, add the basic requirements of Proxmox as a server, and you have a good idea of what you are going to need.
If you want tons of resources you could buy a decommissioned server off of ebay. something akin to a Dell R720 or better. They can be upgraded to quite a bit of RAM and storage space. I think mine has something like 2 physical CPU's @ 32 cores, 256G of RAM, and 3.2T of disk space (RAID10). I paid around $500 for mine a few years ago. and a few dollars more to max out the RAM, and a few dollars more to add some sold state drives in the drive bays. The entire system came in under the cost of a mid-range gaming pc. or a little under the price of one NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080.
I haven't used this in many years so I can't vouch for the current state, but I've used synergy to share the same mouse and keyboard across multiple computers. I think this should enable your 4 monitor dream - 2 externals and two laptops.
You'll also likely run into a situation where a single laptop can't drive 4 monitors - keep that in mind.
EDIT: I don't know why you're targeting 3 laptops in the future, but I would heavily suggest looking at framework laptops. They're upgradeable, modular laptops where you can buy new motherboards to upgrade. Once you do upgrade, you can actually use the old Mobo as a desktop machine.
Synergy can be pretty good. I think it syncs clipboards and stuff like that, doesn't it?
The website suggests it does. I just remember it served me well when I needed it.
Rather than 4x monitors, how about bigger and higher resolution monitors? I have 2x 27" 1440 monitors. They're fine to read at 100% scaling, which gives me tons of space to put things. I often run four columns of windows side by side - two columns per monitor. Going back to 1080 in the office is a big downgrade. You could do a similar pattern with ultra wide and/or higher resolution.
Monitors with a built in KVM are tons cheaper in total, especially if you care about high refresh rates. I share my M27Qs and a mouse/keyboard between my personal computer and work laptop this way.
I'm not sure that I get the need for three laptops, but you do you.
I have looked into KVM switches and the only one that I can find for 4 monitors and 2 computers is upwards of $800.
Is there a reason you're set on having a single kvm? I'm WFH and have both my laptop and PC hooked up to a single set of I/O, and I bought a kvm per monitor. Sure, you have to hit extra buttons to swap around, but I like the flexibility of having a different system on each monitor and the extra on-desk USB ports it gives me.