Rather then having two screens try the following setup.

An ultra wide monitor like:

https://www.lg.com/us/monitors/lg-29UM68-P-ultrawide-monitor

Then you have your code screen + browser/test/shell in split screen. it’s like having two full screens due to being ultra wide.

When I am away from my screen I can feel the drop in productivity having to shift between virtual desktops.

If you have a laptop you also get a 3rd screen that you could use for something else like docs.

Having got used to 2560x1440, anything much less than that seems pretty cramped. I'm currently using a (now pretty old) Dell U2711, and it's... adequate.

The best I've used to date is one of the more recent 27" iMacs. Stunningly crisp. Depending on exactly what happens work-wise over the next few months (currently unsure whether I'm going to need mobility or not), my next purchase will either be a new iMac or a laptop that can drive a 5K display...

I'm using a fairly inexpensive BENQ "gaming" monitor that has a "Low Blue Light" feature that I've grown to really like a lot.

The Low Blue Light feature took a bit to get used to. I turned in on when I first got it but didn't keep it on because it changes the way colors are displayed quite a bit. But after using it a bit I decided to give it another shot for a week straight to see if I could get used to it.

At the end of the week I turned it off again and could immediately feel increase in eye strain. I ended up adjusting the other two monitors I have on my desk to reduce the blue light on them as well and it would be really hard to go back to the default settings now.

https://www.benq.eu/Microsite/eye-care-monitors/lbl.html

Is the hardware implementation of the Low Blue Light feature feels different than turning on Night Mode/f.lux?

I think its just constant low blue. Plus they guarantee its flicker free at low dim levels.

I can't say I've found a favorite, but I've been using a NEC 2490WUXi2 (24" 1920x1200) for a while. Would find it difficult to go with less. Would prefer the same thing, but with twice the width and maybe a color e-ink or OLED for display tech to be even smoother (though I have no real experience with such).

[0]: https://www.necdisplay.com/p/LCD2490WUXI2-BK

I can't praise the Dell P2415Q highly enough.

(https://amzn.to/2N7UtrC)

It's a 24" 4K monitor, so the ppi is really high.

I have one in portrait mode running at 1080 x 1920, which makes for super-sharp text that's large enough for me to read comfortably, and another in landscape mode at 2560 x 1440 for documentation, live-updating UI when I'm developing UIs, etc.

It's just an all-around fantastic monitor for your eyes.

I wish they'd update these. I ended up getting 27" 4K monitors even though I wanted 24" because I didn't want to buy 3-4 year old models.

That's a valid concern, although for programming purposes I don't think there's anything of any importance missing from these slightly older models. I just bought mine about three months ago, after much research; I couldn't determine any reason why a newer model would be better.

My favorite for programming: Dell U2515H. [0]

Just the right resolution, ergonomics and pricing. I have 2 of these attached to my iMac 5K. I am 3D graphics programmer FWIW.

[0] https://www.amazon.com/Dell-UltraSharp-U2515H-25-Inch-LED-Li...

Retina iMac 5K. Textual code is beautiful, no jaggies, no need for anti-aliasing.

It also has good color of course, but that isn't what I care about.

Any 4k 40+ inch (ideally OLED too) TV would work for me.

Split into what amounts to 4 FHD monitors, profit.

How far do you sit from the TV? Does the input lag and/or the brightness/contrast bothers you?

I have 2 x Dell P2715Q 4k monitors