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LG UltraFine 5K - Owners Thread

Volume control has been resolved and works incrementally as expected.
Sleep wake issues have been mitigated but they persist and are hard to predict. Displays can behave differently despite the same manufacturing month and firmware. Macbooks still crash occasionally after disconnecting.
The ambient light sensor is not used by High Sierra (or the displays's firmware). However, brightness controls work as expected (even if you use two Ultrafines, you can control the other one by holding the control key while adjusting brightness).
Image retention can be a big issue in day to day use. I first noticed it appear in the grey background of John Gruber's website. Again, some displays have it, others don't (despite same specs), so you are going to have to test it and perhaps get a replacement (https://marco.org/rmbp-irtest.html might help).

Using a Macbook in clamshell mode with two or three of them attached is a perfect setup. It is a joy to just connect a single cable (per display) to the Macbook and have it charge, wired to network and peripherals, have speakers and even a webcam for facetime. The display has no buttons and automatically starts or shuts down when (dis)connected. The colors are stunning. The design is extremely slick (no buttons) and better than 90 % of cheap displays but just not as great as Apple would have done it. Most would say it is actually very boring but great for professional use with the matte black bezels.
However, you are going to freak out the first time your Macbook crashes after disconnecting it (must be a High Sierra issue). Also, you are going to freak out when you unbox the display and notice image retention (which might happen). However, it is going to be hard to find a display that matches the beautiful colors (iMac 5K is fantastic, too).
Expect a lot of great alternatives this year and check all the CES announcements.
Please note that you can only run the display with a Macbook (2016 or later) which might turn out to be a source of frustration at times (older Macs will work with a Thunderbolt 2 adapter but basically no PC laptop will be able to connect).
Can I point you to a better alternative? No. The colors are just gorgeous and you are not going back after you got used to it.
 
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steve60549 said:
Volume control has been resolved and works incrementally as expected.
Sleep wake issues have been mitigated but they persist and are hard to predict. Displays can behave differently despite the same manufacturing month and firmware. Macbooks still crash occasionally after disconnecting.
The ambient light sensor is not used by High Sierra (or the displays's firmware). However, brightness controls work as expected (even if you use two Ultrafines, you can control the other one by holding the control key while adjusting brightness).
Image retention can be a big issue in day to day use. I first noticed it appear in the grey background of John Gruber's website. Again, some displays have it, others don't (despite same specs), so you are going to have to test it and perhaps get a replacement (https://marco.org/rmbp-irtest.html might help).

Using a Macbook in clamshell mode with two or three of them attached is a perfect setup. It is a joy to just connect a single cable (per display) to the Macbook and have it charge, wired to network and peripherals, have speakers and even a webcam for facetime. The display has no buttons and automatically starts or shuts down when (dis)connected. The colors are stunning. The design is extremely slick (no buttons) and better than 90 % of cheap displays but just not as great as Apple would have done it. Most would say it is actually very boring but great for professional use with the matte black bezels.
However, you are going to freak out the first time your Macbook crashes after disconnecting it (must be a High Sierra issue). Also, you are going to freak out when you unbox the display and notice image retention (which might happen). However, it is going to be hard to find a display that matches the beautiful colors (iMac 5K is fantastic, too).
Expect a lot of great alternatives this year and check all the CES announcements.
Please note that you can only run the display with a Macbook (2016 or later) which might turn out to be a source of frustration at times (older Macs will work with a Thunderbolt 2 adapter but basically no PC laptop will be able to connect).
Can I point you to a better alternative? No. The colors are just gorgeous and you are not going back after you got used to it.
Click to expand...


Thank you for the very thorough answer!

You covered all of my concerns and beyond.

How often does your MacBook crash when disconnecting? Like 1 out of 10 disconnects or more frequent than that?

The image retention occurs on my iMac 5k display as well unfortunately, but appears to go away with use.
 
It is still a gamble. For my setup with two 5Ks, I would guess it crashes one out of five times (~20 %) for no apparent reason after disconnecting from the displays. When waking up from sleep, sometimes only one switches on or the left-right arrangement gets messed up. Suggestion: Do not have the Macbook sleep at night but just run a screen saver so you do not encounter any issues in the morning.
I run another setup with a single Ultrafine 4K and I have not experienced any crashes for weeks (even when connecting different Macbooks to it). My guess would be, High Sierra has less trouble managing one external display than two external displays.
Some of us have been enjoying the 5Ks (and their glitches) for about a year now. With absolutely no timeline for a new Apple display on the horizon, I would not wait for something better but enjoy the display throughout 2018. The Ultrafines are the best choice if you are looking for full integration. You are going to find a lot of 5K displays in 2018 that could provide a design which you prefer at a more attractive price point. (As you got used to the iMacs's colors, you are already spoiled, though.) However, the question remains whether the sleep wake issues and the random crashes are a High Sierra or combined High Sierra and Macbook issue which you are going to encounter with other 5K displays, too.
 
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When disconnecting the screens this is my method -

If continuing to use just open the laptop, then disconnect one at a time being patient... if you rush it then thats where problems occur...

If just turning off then shut down normally then pull the wires...

When the computer is in sleep to get it back to life then just click the trackpad2 in my case then wait till the screens settle then enter password... this seems to have the best success if I rush then I can get some funny red screens, yellow screens or black screens that need reset... I have recently been not putting HDs to sleep but just the screens to sleep during the day on advice from another member here using hot corner....
 
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scott_donald said:
When disconnecting the screens this is my method -

If continuing to use just open the laptop, then disconnect one at a time being patient... if you rush it then thats where problems occur...

If just turning off then shut down normally then pull the wires...

When the computer is in sleep to get it back to life then just click the trackpad2 in my case then wait till the screens settle then enter password... this seems to have the best success if I rush then I can get some funny red screens, yellow screens or black screens that need reset... I have recently been not putting HDs to sleep but just the screens to sleep during the day on advice from another member here using hot corner....
Click to expand...

Thank you for the tips.

Is it primarily clamshell mode that causes all of the issues? My plan was to use the LG with the MacBook Pro lid open
 
Well I’ve only had the monitor for 2 days and what I can say is I’ve had none of these issues, clamshell mode or display open. Also, The screen looks great! I do have a bit of light leakage though, but it’s about the same as my MacBook Pro (mid 2017 15” Radeon Pro 560), so I’m not going to worry about a replacement.

Additionally, I have a satechi USB-C hub connected to the back of the monitor with a 1gbs Ethernet cable running back to my switch. When conducting LAN speed test my read and write speed is half of when I have the same hub connected to the MacBook Pro. So I’m not seeing anywhere near the 5gbps from the USBc ports at the back of the monitor
 
jdmagoo1 said:
Well I’ve only had the monitor for 2 days and what I can say is I’ve had none of these issues, clamshell mode or display open. Also, The screen looks great! I do have a bit of light leakage though, but it’s about the same as my MacBook Pro (mid 2017 15” Radeon Pro 560), so I’m not going to worry about a replacement.

Additionally, I have a satechi USB-C hub connected to the back of the monitor with a 1gbs Ethernet cable running back to my switch. When conducting LAN speed test my read and write speed is half of when I have the same hub connected to the MacBook Pro. So I’m not seeing anywhere near the 5gbps from the USBc ports at the back of the monitor
Click to expand...

to me it seems that 2 monitors seem to have much more problems than one...

Next week when the next version of OSX comes out I will do a fresh install and see if that helps at all...

but I have used mine on and off all day now(12 hours) and not a single problem...
 
scott_donald said:
to me it seems that 2 monitors seem to have much more problems than one...

Next week when the next version of OSX comes out I will do a fresh install and see if that helps at all...

but I have used mine on and off all day now(12 hours) and not a single problem...
Click to expand...

I just got my MBP back from repair last Friday and it still hangs (service sheet stated a new logic board was installed). For me, the issue only occurs when it's in clamshell mode, with 2 5Ks plugged in, and after it goes into a deep sleep. Even after a clean install with no other apps loaded.
 
shareef777 said:
I just got my MBP back from repair last Friday and it still hangs (service sheet stated a new logic board was installed). For me, the issue only occurs when it's in clamshell mode, with 2 5Ks plugged in, and after it goes into a deep sleep. Even after a clean install with no other apps loaded.
Click to expand...

I am similar when I do have a problem...

just done a fresh install of 10.13.3 so see what tomorrow brings...
 
What sort of light leakage is considered normal? The more I see it in my display the more it annoys me
 
You can hook up the Mac Pro to an Ultrafine 5K using a Thunderbolt 2 adapter, however, you won't get 5K resolution as the Mac Pro would require two cables for this while the Ultrafine only supports one cable. For 2018, it seems a Macbook Pro 15 will be the best option to run two Ultrafines 5K.

(Please correct me if I am wrong. I only tried hooking up the Mac Pro once and the Ultrafine 5K was super blurry with 4K resolution. Perhaps there is a different solution that I am not aware of.)
 
steve60549 said:
You can hook up the Mac Pro to an Ultrafine 5K using a Thunderbolt 2 adapter, however, you won't get 5K resolution as the Mac Pro would require two cables for this while the Ultrafine only supports one cable. For 2018, it seems a Macbook Pro 15 will be the best option to run two Ultrafines 5K.

(Please correct me if I am wrong. I only tried hooking up the Mac Pro once and the Ultrafine 5K was super blurry with 4K resolution. Perhaps there is a different solution that I am not aware of.)
Click to expand...

Yep, I know it would only run at 4K but was hoping it'd be like a rMBP with scaling on. Liveable but not ideal... If not I'll just get something else. I have one on the way and wasn't sure whether to get another...
 
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Sorry, I am getting confused with all the abbreviations. rMP = retina Macbook Pro? The current Macbooks' scaling is so advanced that Apple even ships them with scaling on by default. Running the 2013 Mac Pro with an Ultrafine 5K is far from it. It just misses the point of the Ultrafine. It is great if you are looking for full integration with your Macbooks but I really see no advantage in running them with pretty much anything else. I would guess you could get two decent 27" 4K displays at the cost of a single Ultrafine 5K right now. This would probably get you through 2018. It will all be over in 2019 when Apple ships their modular Mac Pro with the next Apple Display.
 
Sorry, yes that was a typo of the fairly stand abbreviation, rMBP. Seems to be the lingo around here :)

I have the rMBP 2012 using scaling and it looks fine. I really doubt the tech has changed from 2012 to 2016 from looking at them in store. From what I gather the change was made as the GPUs became more powerful so performance degradation was no longer an issue rather than being more advanced. I certainly couldn't tell a difference. The true retina resolution is a joke, everything is huge.

I've heard mixed reports about the 5K with the 2013 Mac Pro, hence posting and asking for real feedback from those using it day to day.

Yes, I could get a 4K but a 27" 4K isn't really ideal. I'd like it to be at least semi future proof.
 
jimthing said:
Contact AppleDontCare to notify them of the issue. Also contact LG, and complain. Tell us what they both had to say.

The iMac Pro should work with two additional 5K's without any problem whatsoever. It's very much more powerful than any MBP which can handle two 5K's.
Click to expand...

So,

I've contacted Apple and they said to contact LG. I've contacted LG and took a monitor to their service center. After a week I've got a message that my order is completed so I drove there again and... they refused to make a guarantee repair because product doesn't come from their distribution. I've just got a confirmation paper. LG didn't even inspect the issue, probably it's broken motherboard.

I've contacted Apple and they're going to send me a new one as soon as they get package. That's nice.
 
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Well, I received my THIRD LG UltraFine 5k unit.
The previous two were sent back because of light bleed.

This third unit has the least light bleed of the three, and would actually be acceptable, except one thing.. a dead pixel right in the middle of my screen.

This is brutal, I'm unsure if I even want to order a fourth or just give up. The quality issues from manufacturing are really disheartening
 
patagonia00 said:
Well, I received my THIRD LG UltraFine 5k unit.
The previous two were sent back because of light bleed.

This third unit has the least light bleed of the three, and would actually be acceptable, except one thing.. a dead pixel right in the middle of my screen.

This is brutal, I'm unsure if I even want to order a fourth or just give up. The quality issues from manufacturing are really disheartening
Click to expand...

Are you able to post pictures of the light bleed from the previous monitors? Also a photo of the light bleed you have now from the third monitor?

Many Thanks
 
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I've learned to live with the light bleed, it's the only way if you value your peace of mind and sanity. The Ultrafine 5K is the best display in the world right now, better than even the iMac's display. It's a display for day use though, very bright but the drawback is poor blacks and backlight bleed. You don't notice those during the day though.

At night I switch to my Samsung 34'' QLED ultrawide for watching movies, content consumption etc. It has deep blacks and zero backlight bleed. It's not very bright though and it would lose out to the LG big time in a direct comparison during the day - but at night the brightness is perfect and the colours pop out pretty good (after increasing the colour vibrancy in the nvidia control panel from the default 50% to 75%). It's also not IPS so not good for colour accuracy and while it doesn't have IPS glow it has some degree of colour shift/bad viewing angles.

TL;DR - no display is perfect, each has pros and cons. It depends on the environment and what you use it for. The LG is great for work during the day, the Samsung is good for content consumption during the night.
 
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PSA: You can use OPTICAL Thunderbolt 1/2 cables with Apple adapters on each end!

I just tried my 10 metre Corning optical Thunderbolt TB1/2 cable, in between two of those bidirectional Apple TB3-TB1/2 adapters, from my 15" 2016 MBP to LG 5K display; one on each end.
It works absolutely fine at 5K (no drop to 4K or anything) – instantly, and without glitches! Which is a useful functionality to have.

No charging or any power to the 15" 2016 MBP obviously, given the cable is optical and has no copper inside for carrying power to charge, like the 2m active cables supplied with the display.

Unfortunately, I haven't got any TB3 storage device (or anything else for that matter) to try, so I'd love to know if the same connection would allow full TB3 speeds or just TB2 speeds over this type of optical TB1/2 cable connection? At a guess, I'd presume it'd only allow TB2's at a maximum, as the connection type is still TB2's 20Gbit maximum through the Mini-DP style connections on the cable.
I'd also think you'd need a storage device capable of going above 20Gbit speeds (~2.5 GBytes/sec ?) to max-out the connection, to know the true answer.

...just an interesting technical aside, in case anyone wondered. ;-)
 
I couldn't see any obvious light bleed with mine (a refurbished unit) or any WiFi related issues. In fact I really wanted to keep it but it just didn't look great at 4K so I'm selling it on (on eBay and Gumtree for anyone in Australia). I was hoping I could live with it but my OCD can't handle the half pixels etc. I've gone back to two Apple 27" displays instead for now.
 
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