LG UltraFine 5K - Owners Thread

[joevt]

Thunderbolt has two display streams (DisplayPort channel). The 5K monitor needs 2 to display 5K. With only one stream it displays 4K. The ViewSonic is taking the other stream.

This. The MacBook Pro has two Thunderbolt controllers, one for each side of the laptop. Each side can have two displays. The LG UltraFine 5K counts as two displays when connected as Thunderbolt. Therefore the ViewSonic needs to be connected to the other side of the laptop. I would probably connect the 5K by itself. It uses ≈29 Gbps leaving only ≈11 Gbps for Thunderbolt data transmit bandwidth.
The Viewsonic is < 5 Gbps which is not enough to affect Thunderbolt data transmit bandwidth.
In either case, Thunderbolt data receive bandwidth is not affected noticeably by a display.

Another option is to use SwitchResX to create a 5K 39Hz timing then it can do 5K with a single DisplayPort connection.

 

[MarcusMarcus]

This. The MacBook Pro has two Thunderbolt controllers, one for each side of the laptop. Each side can have two displays. The LG UltraFine 5K counts as two displays when connected as Thunderbolt. Therefore the ViewSonic needs to be connected to the other side of the laptop. I would probably connect the 5K by itself. It uses ≈29 Gbps leaving only ≈11 Gbps for Thunderbolt data transmit bandwidth.
The Viewsonic is < 5 Gbps which is not enough to affect Thunderbolt data transmit bandwidth.
In either case, Thunderbolt data receive bandwidth is not affected noticeably by a display.

Another option is to use SwitchResX to create a 5K 39Hz timing then it can do 5K with a single DisplayPort connection.

Thanks for the explanation, @joevt and @saulinpa, that all makes sense. I hot-swap the CalDigit between that MacBook Pro (personal use) and a 13" 2017 MacBook Pro (work use) with only two TB3 ports on the one side, so for that use-case, there isn't another side of the laptop, sadly. I guess my choices are either cope with the scaled 4K (hard to do having got used to super-sharp 5K!), create a 5K 39Hz timing (and hope it doesn't give me a migraine ), or simply just turn the ViewSonic off when I don't need it.

Thanks again 👍

 

[joevt]

5K 39Hz

Let us know if you try the 5K 39Hz mode. Only one person has reported doing that. I would like to have a sample size greater than 1.
Otherwise you can get one of the BlackMagic or Sonnet eGPUs that have two Thunderbolt ports.
Or you can try a Thunderbolt 3 add-in card in a PCIe expansion box or a PC (but you'll be missing the USB features of the display if it works at all).

 

[AppleSmack]

Let us know if you try the 5K 39Hz mode. Only one person has reported doing that. I would like to have a sample size greater than 1.
Otherwise you can get one of the BlackMagic or Sonnet eGPUs that have two Thunderbolt ports.
Or you can try a Thunderbolt 3 add-in card in a PCIe expansion box or a PC (but you'll be missing the USB features of the display if it works at all).

I just want to say... I'm in awe of the depth of your technical knowledge and advice throughout this very long thread! What's your background? (Feel free to answer that or not)

 

[s.g.w]

Was pleasantly surprise to have my MacBook Air M1 run the LG 5K monitor on "default for display" settings ( so I can read the text ) - and still use screen mirroring to an Apple TV - and 4K screen using "default for display". ( 2K I guess )

Have all 3 screens showing different content. Works well.

Haven't read all the 97 pages here - but was wondering if anyone else has tried this and what they think?

 

[mark-in-mk]

Not sure if there's been a fix to the vertical lines issue, but after it happening every day or 2 for months and months, it hasn't happened since I updated my OS to 11.5.
I hope I'm not tempting fate.

 

[BobHinden]

Not sure if there's been a fix to the vertical lines issue, but after it happening every day or 2 for months and months, it hasn't happened since I updated my OS to 11.5.
I hope I'm not tempting fate.

Right, it appears that 11.5.1 fixed the "pixel shifting" problem.

 

[s.g.w]

It seems to be behaving on mine after upgrading also.


Trying not to tempt fate.

 

[dukee101]

Heh, now that you all mention it, I just realized that I haven't encountered the vertical lines / pixel shifting problem in many weeks as well. Awesome!

 

[jterp7]

Anyone else use the usb-c to 3.5mm to simply the cable connections to their mac/macbook?

I feel like volume control is a bit strange doing it this way and noticing strange distortion i didnt notice before.

Edit: it occurred to me i should clarify how its setup
3.5mm from audioengine 5s to the converter on the ultrafine 5k

 

[saulinpa]

Anyone else use the usb-c to 3.5mm to simply the cable connections to their mac/macbook?

I feel like volume control is a bit strange doing it this way and noticing strange distortion i didnt notice before.

Edit: it occurred to me i should clarify how its setup
3.5mm from audioengine 5s to the converter on the ultrafine 5k

Apple's USB-C to 3.5mm dongle is a cheap DAC. Basically you get what you pay for. There are lots of complaints about it if you look at reviews. You've got good speakers. Get a good DAC.

 

[jterp7]

Apple's USB-C to 3.5mm dongle is a cheap DAC. Basically you get what you pay for. There are lots of complaints about it if you look at reviews. You've got good speakers. Get a good DAC.

Already going down the head fi rabbit hole….they seem to like ibasso.

other strange issues with the apple one, whenever a short sound effect is played or audio is playing then paused u hear a soft pop.

 

[ls8383s]

I have been suffering from the issue where the LG monitor does not wake up on my Macbook Pro for a long time. I've read numerous other comments in this thread and elsewhere from people having a similar problem. Mac updates did not fix anything for me but a while back I bought a SECOND LG 5k monitor because I'm a sucker for pain and figured I would return it if it exhibited the same behavior.

This leaves me in an interesting position because I have two of the exact same monitor and ONE has the problem where it does not come back on when the computer comes out of sleep/when it's been left alone and turns off for a while and one does. Using the screen manager software I determined that the one which works properly is using software version 3.06 of the software whereas the one which has this problem uses version 3.04.

I also determined that when you push "update" in the screen manager software, it tries to reach out to a URL which now doesn't work, and in response to not getting anything back, says that the software on the monitor is up to date. This means that on my monitor which has an older version of the software, I can push update and it says everything is up to date - but on my newer monitor, I can plainly see it has a later version of the software.

What you must do is get a file version of the update, and use that method to update the software. So now my request to everyone here: Does anyone have a downloaded version of the 3.06 software? I found other links to someone who posted the 3.04 version link and it still works, i was able to download it, but it's the same version that's on the monitor already. If anyone has the link specifically for version (3.06,1.13,5237,3.04,0.1e) or higher I believe I can install that on the monitor and confirm that this problem is caused by the monitor software.

 

[AeroUK]

Is this pixel shifting fixed on these now? I would like to buy one if Apple release an M1X MBP.

 

[dukee101]

Is this pixel shifting fixed on these now? I would like to buy one if Apple release an M1X MBP.

Yes, it's been fixed as of Big Sur 11.5.1. Thank the universe!

 

[AeroUK]

FINALLY! So maybe I should order one and retire my iMac for either my MBP M1 or the new MBP M1X/MacMini M1X. Hmm... I wonder if Apple are going to release their own display next week.

 

[mark-in-mk]

Is this pixel shifting fixed on these now? I would like to buy one if Apple release an M1X MBP.

I haven't had it since my last post, so I'd cautiously say its fixed

 

[AeroUK]

Also what is the latest firmware for the 5k display and how do you update to it? Thanks

 

[BobHinden]

Yes, it's been fixed as of Big Sur 11.5.1. Thank the universe!

I have not had it reoccur since this update.

 

[Weaselboy]

Also what is the latest firmware for the 5k display and how do you update to it? Thanks

Install the LG Screen Manager app to update.

Here is what I am showing as the latest.

 

[AeroUK]

Thank you, I just ordered one and it is arriving tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

 

[sweathawg]

Apologies in advance if I missed something in this long thread but I've been having a slightly different issue than the general flickering or pixel shift with my M1 Mini.

My situation is pretty simple. One Apple TB cable to the LG 5k (gen 1) and one to a TB Promise array. At first I had what I guess was a sleep or interruption issue that sounds like it was interference related. Got that figured out. The problem I have now, is the LG stays black on reboot. For a while I was able to get it up by "fiddling" with the cable which made me think it was a bad connection. However, I don't have the same issue when using my 2019 MBP. Similarly, the Array doesn't want to wake up if I shut down power then start back up. I have to unplug the TB cable, eject all the drives, then plug in the TB cable and one by one plug in the drives. This always makes me nervous, not sure why but seems sketchy.


Anyway, I took it to Simply Mac. They confirmed the TB ports showed some intermittent behavior. They replaced the logic board and I just got it back. No change.

I'm adding this to the thread as general info in case anyone has had any luck figuring it out. I'm headed to the GB tomorrow to see what Apple says.

In the meantime, has anyone tried any DIY shielding for the Gen 1?

Also, what resolution should the M1 show in the top scaled option? Mine seemed to change without any input on my part. Occasionally it would go show 5k as an option but not always. Super frustrating.

 

[ThirteenXIII]

anyone having any of the following issues with their LG UltraFine 5K and M1 MacBook Pro?

My specs: LG ultrafine 5k + M1 MacBook Pro 13-inch 8gb ram/256gb storage

Issues:
• sometimes freezes when unplugging the display and have to force restart
• paired a Magic Mouse 2 and some settings such as swipe between pages automatically uncheck itself when connected to the display, seems to work fine without the display enabled
• when 'play feedback when volume is changed' is checked and the display is connected it uncheck itself in the background and even enabling it, the function is not working. unplugged it seems fine or holding shift and adjusting the volume the feedback is audible.

 

[MrGunny94]

Anyone who is getting the M1X Macs will be able to buy it and do a couple of test for the rest of us? I still haven't pushed the trigger. I currently have a M1 Mac do you recommend me to upgrade from a Acer Predator X34" 3440x1440 to this?

 

[jterp7]

I left my dell 34” ultrawide for the 5k and immediately missed the extra width. And i use it mainly for casual use. That said the brightness and contrast are just amazing, but you can search this thread for all the things that can go wrong.