Using a TV for a laptop second monitor?

[Chew Toy McCoy]

First let me say I am not a gamer and never will be. I’ve tried. I used to set a timer when playing games, not to make sure I wouldn’t waste the day playing a video game but to force myself to play at least an hour. Many times I couldn’t even make an hour. I either can’t make it past some infuriating challenge or my mind starts wondering and I want to do something else. Sooooo..gaming isn’t a consideration here.

In looking to get a monitor to hookup to my M2 MBA I discovered for less than the price of a well rated 1080P 32” monitor I could get a well rated 4k 42” TV. What are the potential downsides to this? I would mainly be using it for normal every-man computer usage and some music production. I don't need some mind blowing visual perfection. Just want more viewable area than what you get on a 15" laptop screen. Are there any standout differences between 1080p and 4K?

 

[ArgoDuck]

What would your viewing distance be? I once used a pair of 43" 4K monitors for a while, and they were simply too large - meaning, I had to turn my head a lot and it was difficult to take in the full view or the all important ‘big picture’ in my type of work. Replacing them with a 40” 5K2 and 32" 4K - both curved - has worked out much better for me.

That said, a single 42" 4K might work out fine…

 

[Nycturne]

I know of only one person who used a 42" regularly, and they wall mounted it behind the desk so it wasn’t so dominating their field of view.

For having it near the back of the desk, 32" is about as big as I can go before it dominates my field of view too much. At least for 16:9. A 38" ultrawide is a nice sweet spot if you just want to maximize space for productivity, IMO.

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

Thanks for the responses. I can imagine how a 42" might be a bit much. I just got a new desk that is only 20" deep. So even if I wall mount it will probably be too much too close.