Now that the studio display is out, are there any competing 5k monitors on the horizon? I currently use a 1440p monitor and would like to get a 5k monitor so it's scaled properly but the big barrier stopping me getting the Apple studio display or the LG Ultrafine 5k is that I need to use it with my Mac mini and my work MacBook Pro when I'm working from home. One input source on those screen just doesn't work for me but It doesn't look like any viable alternatives exist.
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Any upcoming 5k monitors?
- Thread starter thedon1
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There are three 40" displays coming out, using the same LG IPS panel, at 5k2k resolution. 60Hz refresh rate, 5ms G2G response time (fast mode), 1000: 1 contrast ratio, 300 cd/m2 brightness, 178/178 viewing angles and a 1.07b colour depth. A wide colour gamut is supported by the backlight with a quoted 98% DCI-P3 coverage (and 100% sRGB). So quite low end, other than the resolution.
The 5k market is moving reeeeeaaaalllllly slowly apparently. There's a reason Apples display uses a 5 year old panel.
If you want all the bells and whistles, you have to go 4k or Ultrawide at 1440p - Or Apples 6k3k panel. And I am not even aware of any panel developers having planned something that might push the 5k field.
The 5k market is moving reeeeeaaaalllllly slowly apparently. There's a reason Apples display uses a 5 year old panel.
If you want all the bells and whistles, you have to go 4k or Ultrawide at 1440p - Or Apples 6k3k panel. And I am not even aware of any panel developers having planned something that might push the 5k field.
The display I'd like to see would be 32" form factor with 5k native resolution.
But has yet to be made, and I don't think one will ever be made...
But has yet to be made, and I don't think one will ever be made...
There are not and there likely will not be. A few years ago Dell released one but it was not successful and they later discontinued it. Windows does not require integer scaling, so the benefits of 5k over 4k are not significant there. MacOS does not seem to have a large market for external monitors. Those two things together are going to keep manufacturers from developing 5k. As a result, not only will Apple remain the only game in town, they will also have trouble developing new panels with modern features. Maybe they can convince manufacturers that a market exists at 32" and 6k, but I wouldn't bet on it. 8k or ultrawide seems to be the next steps for monitors.
Apple went to integer scaling and ditched things like font smoothing in the process. It means that macOS requires less resources to produce very nice results on the monitor, but they charged up that hill alone.
Apple went to integer scaling and ditched things like font smoothing in the process. It means that macOS requires less resources to produce very nice results on the monitor, but they charged up that hill alone.
It’s possible that LG updates their 5K monitor since they apparently have decided to continue it and no longer are the exclusive Mac 5K monitor so presumably will want to make it appeal to PC users who will want multiple inputs. It’s also possible that at some point another niche monitor maker decides to build a monitor off of the panel as has happened in the past. Eve Devices has demonstrated that there is unserved demand for new monitors. Sadly their attempts at delivering their current 4K monitors have gone so off the rails that I doubt they would even try to take on doing a 5K monitor for another two years and even if they did, very few people would trust them with their money. At this point, I think the most likely thing would be someone releasing a USB4/TB4 switchbox and solving the multiple inputs problem and people just go with Apple and LG for 5K.
I'm hopeful on this, but not holding my breath.
I don't know if they think it would pencil out to re-engineer the guts to do different inputs -- but I wish they would.
We now have the connection and transmission technologies to easily do 5k/60hz (and higher in fact) with single cables - using DSC in some edge cases of high resolution combined with high refresh rate.
My dream monitor
Perfect 2x macOS scaling at 1440p effective resolution that is physically larger and easier on my eyes
(compared to 27" 1440p, which I find uncomfortably small)
On the ATP podcast they mentioned this switch can be used with one Studio Display and two computers, provided you use don't use Apple's supplied cable and instead buy an additional 8k USB cable (I believe they said the switch comes with one cable that works but you need a second since Apple's doesn't work): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B092VHC166
And some people on this forum have said they're using these adapters to quickly switch the cable between two computers instead of using a switch: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09S9V9LPS
The Amazon page say it is not compatible with "Macbook Pro or Mac Series Devices and LG Monitor." Amazon has good returns, so probably still worth trying it out.