… if you know how to use virtual desktops and shortcuts. You can’t look at two screens at a time, anyways.
One use case I can understand is having a 2nd monitor for checking stock prices or checking for a certain event. Other than that, I don’t see how it contributes to “productivity” while working or coding for example.
P.S: Tiling WM users may understand this post more
Because lots of productivity tasks, including coding, involve looking at a reference material while creating the output. I’m frequently looking at a database structure on one window, an API document on another, and coding in an IDE.
You don’t necessarily need two screens, but it helps to have enough real estate to view two or more applications at once. Personally I use a 50" 4k TV and tile things in halves or quarters - which is the equivalent of having four 1080 monitors.