Make a cardboard screen.
Mark out 61 × 36 cm for the 27″ or 71 × 41 cm for the 32″. Put it where the display would sit, then sit normally. Your comfort is the deciding test; desk depth alone cannot settle it.
Room for a
better screen.
A sharper working day. A little more room.
Let’s find the screen that fits both of you.
Your starting point: 24″ Full HD · 100 × 50 cm desk
Try it on your desk
Front view, to scale against desk width. Outline shows your current screen. Stand is schematic.
How much screen?
The strongest starting point.
A clear step up in sharpness without filling your desk. Our default for coding on a shallow workspace.
- Monitor width
- 61.2 cm
- Depth with stand
- 20.0 cm
More pixels. Not just more inches.
27″ 4K has about 77% more pixels per inch than your current 24″ Full HD screen. That is the upgrade you’ll notice in text. A wider monitor offers more physical room, but not the same clarity.
The shortlist
Three sensible routes. One very real trade-off.
Scroll the table sideways to compare all three screens.
| What matters | 27″ 4KDell S2725QC | 32″ 4KDell S3225QS | 34″ ultrawideDell S3425DW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dell UK priceChecked 7 Oct 2026 | £329 | £339 | £354 |
| Best reason to buy | Sharp text, easier fit | Larger text and canvas | Wide side-by-side windows |
| The compromise | Less physical space | Can feel close on a 50 cm desk | Less sharp than either 4K |
| Resolution / density | 3840 × 2160163 ppi | 3840 × 2160140 ppi · 31.5″ actual | 3440 × 1440109 ppi |
| Panel / refresh rate | IPS / up to 120 Hz | VA / up to 120 Hz | Curved VA / up to 120 Hz |
| Width × stand depth | 61.2 × 20.0 cm | 71.2 × 22.2 cm | 80.7 × 22.2 cm |
| From bed, 4.5 m away | Small | A little larger, still small | 16:9 video ≈ a 27″ screen |
| Check the product | S2725QC at Dell | S3225QS at Dell | S3425DW at Dell |
Prices include VAT and are a dated Dell snapshot, not a live feed or a lowest-price claim. Confirm delivery and checkout totals. Compare 27″ retailer offers.
The less-expensive route
A used Dell S2721QS or P2721Q keeps the 27″ 4K fundamentals, at 60 Hz. Around £150 was the target in your earlier discussion; it is not a verified current offer.
Check condition, returns, stand and cables. Compare the total with today’s new price.
Look for used 27″ 4K optionsBefore it comes home
Two checks are worth more than another hour of specs.
Check the Mac and the dock.
120 Hz is the monitor’s capability, not a promise for your Intel MacBook or dock. Verify the exact Mac model, dock, cable and port. Both 4K options have the same native pixel count; macOS scaling changes usable workspace.
Why not buy primarily for movies?
At 4.5 m, a 27″ display spans about 7.6° horizontally, and the 31.5″ panel about 8.9°. The 32″ is larger, but neither fills much of your view. A 34″ ultrawide has about the height of a 27″ 16:9 screen, so ordinary widescreen TV leaves bars on the sides.
What about premium 5K2K or other older models?
A 5120 × 2160 ultrawide can combine width and sharpness, but the earlier conversation ruled out its cost for this usage. Older stock is only a good deal when its delivered price and condition beat a current model; do not assume an older generation is cheaper.
Where do you both land?
Choose independently, then compare your reasons.
A little space to think.
Add both choices to see where you agree.
Saved in this browser. A shared link contains a snapshot of both choices and notes; anyone with it can read them. It does not sync later changes.