> I want to comfortably see the entire screen without effort at less than 12 inches away.

I wouldn’t use a display from this close. It’s better for my eyes to have a larger display a little further away. I’m closer to 30” with a 32” and another desk with a 38”

> but for people who read, code, do productive stuff, it's too much screen, too much pixels.

I do all of those things and find the opposite. So it would seem it’s more down to individual preference.

> WQHD res seems just about right.

I would dislike this. Especially for text and even more at closer distances.