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LG UltraFine 5K - Owners Thread
- Thread starter iBrooker
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First let me preface by confirming that regular monitors don't make the MBP temp spike the way the 5k does.
After much experimentation I found having the monitor connected to the left side results in an overall considerable reduction in temp (tested while idle).
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Clamshell mode (room temp: 75F / 24C)
Plugged into the right side:
Airflow right: 120F
Left TB Proximity: 88F
Right TB Proximity: 141F
Airport: 116F
Plugged into the left side:
Airflow left: 95F
Left TB Proximity: 135F
Right TB Proximity: 88F
Airport: 107F
*I don't recall the #, but when plugged into the right side the SSD temp was drastically higher than plugged in left side.
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CPU (Die temp, not core or proximity): 43.3C
GPU (Die): 45.6C
Left Thunderbolt proximity (5k on left): 56.7C
I've noticed that animations of any kind spike the temperature. If I take idle measurements with an animated gif visible in Messenger, CPU & GPU temps increase.
Fans become audible when doing something in Windows via Parallels far more often when connected to the 5k. A very graphically simple game 'Pit People' in Parallels without the monitor, fans never become audible. Connected to the 5k fans hit 6,000+ rpm quickly.
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So I may have found something interesting. There may be RF issues between the monitor and bluetooth accessories.
The LG5K has video switching issues of which Apple is aware. The 10.12.3 update supposedly addressed some of them but I have a case still open to address a number of items. One of which is the need to unplug and re-plug any usb-c dongle off the back of the LG5K, when connecting the MBP to the LG5K. I had a usb keyboard and mouse that did not work when I connected the MBP via the supplied LG5K usb-c cable. Cycle the connection off the back of the monitor and they then worked.
Apple sent me a bluetooth keyboard and numeric pad as a "consolation", only to find out they were essentially unusable. They would regularly disconnect then reconnect, seemingly at random. Same behavior with two different bluetooth mice.
Then I read somewhere that the LG5K did not like to be within 6 or so feet from an active router. So I got to thinking and moved the MBP (in closed clamshell mode) as far away from the LG5K as possible, and..... the bluetooth mouse & keyboard now work just fine. So is the LG5K interfering with the bluetooth connection? Perhaps. I've fed this to Apple engineering and am waiting to hear back.
The LG5K has video switching issues of which Apple is aware. The 10.12.3 update supposedly addressed some of them but I have a case still open to address a number of items. One of which is the need to unplug and re-plug any usb-c dongle off the back of the LG5K, when connecting the MBP to the LG5K. I had a usb keyboard and mouse that did not work when I connected the MBP via the supplied LG5K usb-c cable. Cycle the connection off the back of the monitor and they then worked.
Apple sent me a bluetooth keyboard and numeric pad as a "consolation", only to find out they were essentially unusable. They would regularly disconnect then reconnect, seemingly at random. Same behavior with two different bluetooth mice.
Then I read somewhere that the LG5K did not like to be within 6 or so feet from an active router. So I got to thinking and moved the MBP (in closed clamshell mode) as far away from the LG5K as possible, and..... the bluetooth mouse & keyboard now work just fine. So is the LG5K interfering with the bluetooth connection? Perhaps. I've fed this to Apple engineering and am waiting to hear back.
I'm getting intermittent issues like this too. Everything will be fine for several days and then I can't get the monitor to turn on when I plug back in. I can't clearly identify any common factors except that it seems to happen more often when I've been switching back and forth between using it as a laptop away from the monitor and then plugged back in again.
Power cycling by unplugging adapters from the ports on the monitor doesn't always work for me and a few times I've had to power cycle this way several times. When this doesn't work, I open up my MBP to get the MBP to turn on in clamshell mode while still plugged in. Usually this'll do the trick if nothing else will, but I'll then have to power cycle again.
When I can't get the power cycling to work, I've noticed that my peripherals aren't getting powered by my 5K Ultrafine. Some of my peripherals light up so I know when they're getting power and the lights just remain off.
Wow, I never would have thought to do this. I typically plug my monitor into the right side and have a USB3 drive plugged in through the left. I'm going to start plugging in both on the left to see if it makes a difference with my assortment of issues. I have problems with the laptop randomly coming on for no apparent reason at all. That's my biggest annoyance. I tried unplugging my cable and leaving the MBP in clamshell mode, but I woke up this morning to a dead MBP with the battery at zero. It turned itself on and stayed on sometime in the night.
LG is redesigning the display and units produced after Feb 1st won't have the interference issues.
http://www.recode.net/2017/2/3/14496056/lg-redesigned-5k-monitor-glitch
http://www.recode.net/2017/2/3/14496056/lg-redesigned-5k-monitor-glitch
Thanks for the link. That's what I needed to get Apple to agree to take back the LG 5K. I filed a case 3 days after I got the monitor and had been working with Apple engineering regarding the video switching issue, the usb-c peripheral connections and the bluetooth interference.
Arrived at the same conclusion about RF interference on my own but the article made it clear to me that the monitor had to go back. I'll order another right before the price hike, but it's clear to me this product was rushed and corners were cut to meet deadlines (or reduce the past due dates).
I hate to say this but the experience is putting me on the fence with Apple as a family of products. I shouldn't have to resort to personal contacts and pulling favors, to get a simple return on something that clearly was "broken" within days of unboxing the product. This monitor is at a premium price point, so the excuse that Apple support gave me about "contact LG" is unacceptable, imo. I purchased it through Apple, they told me not to return it within the 14 day return window but to work with Engineering, which I did in good faith. Then to turn around a say "sorry but you're outside the 14 day return window", is terrible customer service.
What the heck is going on with Apple? I get that they've become a phone sales company, but don't they understand that it's the whole Apple infrastructure that keeps up the brand loyalty? If they want to outsource monitors, I get it. But the old mantra "it just works" needs to be front and center. I see that slipping away.
My question is about third party calibration/colorimeters and if people are having success with them. I found my color to be awful right out of the box, although mine was bluish-white & too saturated. I tried the built-in calibration with only limited improvement. I called LG Friday and they said their testing is not complete on whether third party calibration software will work with this monitor (?). So an x-rite system seems to work well with this monitor?
Thanks.
Did you do the option key click one to get the advanced options? I did that and it came out pretty decent. The advanced one gives you some gamma options that the normal one does not.
I was not aware of that option, thanks. I'll try it. (But just got up and half of my USB hub is not showing up, including my backup external drive which gave me 5 error messages. One thing after another...)
Ah! That's how to get that option back! I was wondering where that went!
Sorry, but I do not see how the Option key click works... can you elaborate? Thx
Sure thing... go to this screen and while holding down the option key on your keyboard mouse click Calibrate and it will open the calibration wizard with some advanced options.
Press and hold 'option' down while clicking the calibrate button. You get a 'Native Gamma' and 'Target Gamma' option you don't get otherwise.
These monitors are great. I got two for my office in hopes it would be on par with my 27" 5K iMac at home office. I think they're great and having two makes for a big productivity boost. Aesthetically, they look much better in person and without the iMac chin, the bezel is less distracting than the iMac. The screen quality is nearly identical to the iMac. Side by side, the color is slightly richer/more saturated on the LG's. If it's the same panel, that may be due to difference in the gloss.
Even though they don't match the Mac design, I will say the build quality is better than any other monitors that I've tried. You can see the quality in person and it completely changed my opinion on these. I had the Dell 27" 4K hooked up first, the color was terrible and the monitor looked cheap. Then tried dual HP 27" 4K Envy USB-C, color was better than the Dell, but it didn't have arm that could raise and they were glitchy with USB-C. So, I finally decided to go for these and I'm very happy with the decision. The upgrade is definitely worth it. I liked them so much, that I actually prefer them over the iMac and got two for home. I had to upgrade my office a bit to make room, but it was definitely worth it.
Even though they don't match the Mac design, I will say the build quality is better than any other monitors that I've tried. You can see the quality in person and it completely changed my opinion on these. I had the Dell 27" 4K hooked up first, the color was terrible and the monitor looked cheap. Then tried dual HP 27" 4K Envy USB-C, color was better than the Dell, but it didn't have arm that could raise and they were glitchy with USB-C. So, I finally decided to go for these and I'm very happy with the decision. The upgrade is definitely worth it. I liked them so much, that I actually prefer them over the iMac and got two for home. I had to upgrade my office a bit to make room, but it was definitely worth it.
I agree - LG design has grown on me, since I have the display setup in my office. Apple's glossy all-aluminum design has gotten long in the tooth, and LG brings a welcome change. I like the utilitarian simplicity and minimalism of LG design language - it fades into the background and gets out of the way.
It's a great display.
Everyone complains about the fivehead, but they don't seem to notice that the bezels around the MBP is also like that. Top top bezel is about twice the width of the side bezels.
Thanks. The first thing you're asked to do once you start the process is to set the display's contrast to the highest setting... can you even adjust the contrast of this 5k display? if so, how? Thx
I wondered the same thing about contrast. Called Apple support, they told me to call LG.
I tried the new 15" MBP with the Lg 5K - connecting to my AP extreme (which is not even in the same building) virtually blew up the machine..even lost an external drive during one of the events.
Rig was gorgeous but the whole shebang was returned to Apple so's they can iron out the bugs while I patiently wait for an update. Clearly, rushed to market.
Rig was gorgeous but the whole shebang was returned to Apple so's they can iron out the bugs while I patiently wait for an update. Clearly, rushed to market.
Wow. That sounds like an extreme case. I have one of the 2013 model Time Capsule Airport towers and also the previous generation Time Capsule about 8 feet away and I haven't had any issues that appear to be caused by RF interference.
I found that if I had any external usb drive (thumb / spinning) attached to either the MBP directly or through the back of the display, through dongles of course; the setup would go nuts once I connected to the APx (newest version).
Nuts = screen flashing on/off and just overall system panic.
If I removed any and all usb drives before connecting, it would appear to connect fine. However, the moment I would begin to scroll my mouse pointer - LG screen would go black and dysfunctional no matter what I did.
Setup as follows: LG Display, Clamshell, BT trackpad, BT keyboard.
While not connected to the display, functionality with the APx was fine.
Loved everything about the setup, including the TB on the new MBP, but, just too buggy for me so off it went.
Display is simply stunning but for the bugs that need to be worked out.
Some have complained, "not industrial enough"...pffft..that's hilarious - it looked great on the desk in my machine shop amongst CnC equipment, lathes, mills, and such..one single connection for everything is about as good as it's going to get save 100% wireless. VERY nice setup!
*Edit to add ~ this problem I was having had nothing to do w/any equipment surrounding it as the issue was persistent whether machine spindles were turning or whether all was silent in the shop.
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The replacement LG screen is working fine, small blinking pixel in the bottom (dock area) so it's not a huge concern but all of them have had dead pixels. aside from that its still very choppy and laggy feeling when doing any adjustments or sometimes using the cursor. feels like its not redrawing correctly.
Generally for Apple displays brightness/contrast have been interchangeable, so the first thing with calibrating the LG is to turn the brightness up to full max, then follow the steps in the calibration guide.
[doublepost=1486316642][/doublepost]Curious if anyone switched from a 5K iMac to a MBP + 1x or 2x LG 5K's? and how your workflow is going? any noticeable change in speed or productivity with a slightly less power mobile CPU
Generally for Apple displays brightness/contrast have been interchangeable, so the first thing with calibrating the LG is to turn the brightness up to full max, then follow the steps in the calibration guide.
[doublepost=1486316642][/doublepost]Curious if anyone switched from a 5K iMac to a MBP + 1x or 2x LG 5K's? and how your workflow is going? any noticeable change in speed or productivity with a slightly less power mobile CPU
I haven't noticed any dead pixels in mine. If there are any, they're really hard to find.
Performance is fine for me with one exception. Capture One Pro (photo software) is very slow, but I'm sure that's all on the software.