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Killerbob

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jan 25, 2008
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I am currently using two Apple Thunderbolt Displays for my Mac Pro 6,1. I am pretty happy with the setup, but of course would like to add a 4K or 5K monitor. I will keep the two ATDs, but put a new third display in the middle, as my main monitor. I am a photographer and my main apps are Photoshop, Lightroom, photo editing apps., and MS Office.

What I am looking for is a 4K or 5K IPS monitor, which has a similar surface to the two ATDs, i.e. a glossy glass surface. It has to be flat, and larger than the 27" I am used to. I guess I will be connecting it to the MP via DP/TB, and it would be nice if it is a single cable, and not two.

I will be using the same monitor setup when I upgrade to a MP7,1.

Suggestions???
 
There's not a ton of monitors that match your requirements. The LG Ultrafine 5K is glossy, 5K, 27inches, but it can't be driven at full resolution from the 6,1's TB2 ports.
 
There's not a ton of monitors that match your requirements. The LG Ultrafine 5K is glossy, 5K, 27inches, but it can't be driven at full resolution from the 6,1's TB2 ports.
I thought it was possible using a TB2 to TB3 converter? And, even if that doesn't work, that would be a 5K monitor being used as a 4K monitor, that delivered what I'd like...
 
If photography is your primary need, you should look into color corrected monitors that give you true colors that can be calibrated to your existing environment to depict accurate results. Most consumer monitors don't calibrate the same. Look into Eizo, Benq, etc.
 
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In the last days of my using a 6,1 I had a number of Apple XDRs (now hooked up to our 7,1s) already delivered.
I tested all the XDRs (and continued to use one of the XDRs) using a TB2-TB3 convertor and it worked pretty good on the MP6,1.
It's only doing 4K AFAIK if you hook it up that way.

The XDR in it's lowest position on the stand has an image where the image on the Apple Thunderbolt Display aligns perfectly at the bottom (not the case, the image). I've used that setup away from 2 ATD for a month or so waiting for the MP7,1. It was pretty solid and worked well.

While I had plenty of monitors: 3 large ones next to one another is too much of a good thing: you not only need a huge desk, but it's also way too far from the very right to the very left to be able to see them properly. Even merely using 2 XDRs side by side I catch myself mostly using the middle parts and leaving the outer areas unused most of the time.
3 27+" monitors side by side: not for me: I'd end up using the middle one only I'm afraid, even if I constantly seek more space to put things, it also needs to be in front of me. And with 3 large monitors you cannot "turn" to face them as they then are too far away from you.
I've worked in a far past with 3 19" CRTs: yes that worked great. but 3 27" or bigger: it's too much.
 
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