The working from home thread: tips and advice

do all good monitors require more than USB-C for power? i have accepted a new job and feel that NOW is the time to revise my WFH station. i have been relying on a portable 2nd monitor since the start of the pandemic (which works excellently) but will now demote that just to travelling duties

Not sure what you mean... the monitor gets power from the wall, and then powers the laptop via usb-c. Not the other way around?

there is that way round (which i have in the proper office; via some sort of powerbank)

but what i mean is a 2nd screen/monitor which only requires one cable (usb-c) to get power AND picture from the laptop. I just want to minimise clutter round the desk and single cable would be ideal for that (with monitor mounted to the wall infront of me)

I think you’ve got it the wrong way round. You should get a monitor with USB Power Delivery.

You plug the monitor into the mains and the USB C powers the laptop and provides video signal. You can also get monitors with speakers and USB ports so it can act as sound and peripheral hub.

Any monitor that is USB powered will be shit.

Any monitor that is USB powered will be shit.

this was my fear. do i need some sort of extra power bank for a monitor that delivers power to the laptop too? or is that contained within the screen

edit: quick google reveals that yes it can be contained within the screen - which looks great..... where this plan falls over is if i am given a laptop without usb-c... surely not though?

My monitor is standard kettle lead into the monitor for power. Webcam, mouse, keyboard, etc plug into the USB hub in the monitor. One USB C cable goes into the laptop from the monitor to provide power, picture and USB to the laptop.

Obviously you pay extra for a monitor that does this but it is very neat.

Yes - the likelihood is that most if not all modern laptops are now powered by USB C.

If you don't end up with one, then you can still use the monitor but you'll need a power brick and a display cable. Super unlikely though.

What's your monitor budget? What sort of work are you doing?

What do you mean by power bank? Some kind of battery thing?

I think you just have to tolerate two cables (one to power monitor, one to connect to the laptop). Or get a wireless monitor or something but really just having two cables is going to make your life vastly easier

All this crap is handled by the single USB-c cable

2 1440p monitors, ethernet, headphones, microphone, any other USB devices. And power delivery to the laptop.

(Embrace clutter IMO)

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What's your monitor budget? What sort of work are you doing?

strategy consulting - basically a tonne of powerpoint. i dont think at has to be too fancy for that role; £200-300?

just have to tolerate two cables (one to power monitor, one to connect to the laptop)

yeah i am fine with that. currently i have 1x that powers laptop, then a usb-c cable from laptop to my 2nd portable screen. i am really limited on space so want the 2nd screen mounted onto the wall with ease of adjustability + cables neatly tucking away too

What do you mean by power bank? Some kind of battery thing?

what i think it is actually called is a usb-c hub?

You're probably looking around £350 for the cheapest USB PD monitors.

This is a good deal.

thanks. might hold out until black friday

That's the monitor I have...well its at my home, so don't currently have it :'(

please no. standard issue at big4

Mine is a Lenovo P24h-20, think I got it for under £200. (I needed ethernet and DisplayPort daisy chaining for the second monitor though)

You could get the Lenovo Q27h-10 for £230 on lenovo.com, which is 27"/QHD/75Hz

^ that is really good value with the savings. Includes speakers and 80W PD.

Stand looks well shit but you can VESA mount.

Stand looks well shit

Mine has that stand.

Initially I procrasted over buying it due to the stands lack of adjustment, but in actuality its fine. It only tilts, but the screen is big enough for the hight to be irrelevant. Also looks quite nice.

Interesting in the office I'm always fucking about with the height of the screens on the fancy gas stands, but with a fixed one I've never worried about it.

You could get the Lenovo Q27h-10 for £230 on lenovo.com, which is 27"/QHD/75Hz

that looks really smart for the price. thank you

Bit of a fail, but I've now realised that it's the same as mine except mine is the cheaper non-usb-c version.

Similar work to you, but more xls, less ppt. and I like it. At that size given my work it was suggested that I didn't need HD, and I definitely don't. I got it on prime day for £170 - but the usb-c cost more.

Anyone do any wfh from friends houses? I'm going crazy at home alone with dog all the time, thinking of having a pal over for half a day or something

Yes, I do it once a week. I go to my cousin's place and I use his 'study'. He has a screen and a mesh set up so all works fine. He also has a couple of armchairs that make the chat quite condusive.

The advantage is it means we see each other without children involved.
I also do it on days when I have a light call schedule. It allows us to distract each other.

The other option is this - ideal for sharing a kitchen table and laptop to laptop company
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/oct/20/nell-frizzell-work-from-home-office-buddy

i have a pair of female friends who do this. it would drive me insane but each to their own