I started using Windows 11 recently, and while in general I consider it a good step in the right direction, display management seems just as bad as in macOS. Just as bad, but not bad in the same way. Neither OS does a good job at it. Here's the main problem.
I have an RTX 4060 Ti with 16 GB of VRAM. My monitors are two Samsung LF32TU87 and one Dell P2715Q. All three are connected using the Display Port connectors and occasionally I also connect my TV set to the HDMI connector.
These days I have the two Samsungs set to the DP input, so they're showing Windows 11. The Dell, while connected to the PC, is usually set to the HDMI input, which is my Mac Studio. So this is an example of a constant source of frustration that I normally didn't have with the Mac Studio, although I had other multi display nightmares with it as well.
Last night I left DaVinci Resolve rendering a long timeline with tons of effects, one that would take over an hour to render even on a fast PC like this. I turned off all monitors, watched a movie and went to bed. This morning I sit at my desk, I turn on the Dell monitor to do something in the Mac, and then I turn on the two Samsung monitors.
In the taskbar, I see that Resolve is still open, but the usual Windows key + left or right arrow keys doesn't bring it back to my main monitor. So I switch the input in the Dell monitor to the DP input, and I see that Resolve had an error message, which is why the Win key and arrows were not working. But normally, the shortcut would've worked.
Regardless of that, it's very annoying that when I turn on the Samsung monitors, one of which is set as the main monitor, Windows doesn't recognize that and keeps in the Dell monitor the apps that were in the main monitor before I turned them off. That is something that happens all the time.
Another annoyance is that sometimes I turn off the secondary Samsung monitor because I don't need it, and I turn on the TV set to watch something in the background, or to launch Apple Music and listen to some music. So suddenly I see that annoying scale down and then up the desktop, and I see that all my desktop icons are gone. That means that Windows decided that now the TV set is the main monitor, when I never set it to be the main monitor. So I have to launch the Settings app and bring things back to normal. But I'm fed up with wasting time doing the same thing over and over. I don't know why Microsoft can't give the user the option to keep the display roles set in stone. If you choose a monitor to be the main display, then it has to stay that way, unless you want to change it for some reason.
There's a setting in the display settings called "Remember window locations based on monitor connection". Well, I have left that off for a week and then on for the following week. It doesn't make a difference. At least when it comes to this.
Is there any other setting or maybe an app that can make this easier to deal with?
I have an RTX 4060 Ti with 16 GB of VRAM. My monitors are two Samsung LF32TU87 and one Dell P2715Q. All three are connected using the Display Port connectors and occasionally I also connect my TV set to the HDMI connector.
These days I have the two Samsungs set to the DP input, so they're showing Windows 11. The Dell, while connected to the PC, is usually set to the HDMI input, which is my Mac Studio. So this is an example of a constant source of frustration that I normally didn't have with the Mac Studio, although I had other multi display nightmares with it as well.
Last night I left DaVinci Resolve rendering a long timeline with tons of effects, one that would take over an hour to render even on a fast PC like this. I turned off all monitors, watched a movie and went to bed. This morning I sit at my desk, I turn on the Dell monitor to do something in the Mac, and then I turn on the two Samsung monitors.
In the taskbar, I see that Resolve is still open, but the usual Windows key + left or right arrow keys doesn't bring it back to my main monitor. So I switch the input in the Dell monitor to the DP input, and I see that Resolve had an error message, which is why the Win key and arrows were not working. But normally, the shortcut would've worked.
Regardless of that, it's very annoying that when I turn on the Samsung monitors, one of which is set as the main monitor, Windows doesn't recognize that and keeps in the Dell monitor the apps that were in the main monitor before I turned them off. That is something that happens all the time.
Another annoyance is that sometimes I turn off the secondary Samsung monitor because I don't need it, and I turn on the TV set to watch something in the background, or to launch Apple Music and listen to some music. So suddenly I see that annoying scale down and then up the desktop, and I see that all my desktop icons are gone. That means that Windows decided that now the TV set is the main monitor, when I never set it to be the main monitor. So I have to launch the Settings app and bring things back to normal. But I'm fed up with wasting time doing the same thing over and over. I don't know why Microsoft can't give the user the option to keep the display roles set in stone. If you choose a monitor to be the main display, then it has to stay that way, unless you want to change it for some reason.
There's a setting in the display settings called "Remember window locations based on monitor connection". Well, I have left that off for a week and then on for the following week. It doesn't make a difference. At least when it comes to this.
Is there any other setting or maybe an app that can make this easier to deal with?
- Windows Build/Version
- 11 Pro 24H2 Build 26100.2894
My Computer
System One
-
- OS
- Windows 11 Pro
- Computer type
- PC/Desktop
- Manufacturer/Model
- Alvarez Machines Inc.
- CPU
- Intel® Core™ i9-14900KF New Gaming Desktop Processor 24
- Motherboard
- Asus ROG STRIX Z790-E GAMING WIFI II
- Memory
- CORSAIR VENGEANCE DDR5 RAM 192GB (4x48GB) 5200MHz CL38 Intel XMP iCUE Compatible Computer Memory - Black (CMK192GX5M4B5200C38)
- Graphics Card(s)
- Asus Dual GeForce RTX™ 4060 Ti EVO OC Edition 16GB GDDR6
- Sound Card
- Behringer USB audio interface
- Monitor(s) Displays
- Two Samsung LF32TU87
- Screen Resolution
- 2160p
- Hard Drives
- 1 Samsung 990 Pro, 3 Samsung 990 Evo Plus
- PSU
- Thermaltake GF1 (2024) Fully Modular ATX 850W Power Supply - 80 Plus Gold - Ultra Quiet - Zero RPM, PS-TPD-0850FNFAGU-P
- Case
- Phanteks Enthoo Pro PH-ES614PC_BK
- Cooling
- Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 EVO CPU Cooler
- Keyboard
- Logitech K270 combo
- Mouse
- Logitech K270 combo
- Internet Speed
- 500 Mbps
- Browser
- Firefox
- Antivirus
- Windows