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M4 mac mini - looking for a 1440p monitor
- Thread starter iosvargas
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For some reason, primarily ecosystem focused on money, Apple displays seemingly look much better than competitors as Apple always does the resolution based on its scaling. I am traveling and just used a Thunderbolt Display with an adapter to my M4 MBP, and it looked really good. I don’t think I need all the fancy XDR monitors or Studio Displays, but I am sure if I looked side by side I would think differently. The important thing is to buy what you’re happy with and stop comparing side by side. I would also agree with some others that buying a display for ten years makes more sense than just buying something because it’s 4K or whatever - as 4K sized displays don’t scale right for MacOS. But if I could buy $100 monitor that was an Apple or a 4K monitor by some other company, I would buy the Apple TB Display. Cheers
I will say, the app BetterDisplay helps a ton with scaling. I bought a little 2560 x 1600 portable display and found I wanted to use a scaled setting, and running that utility made things seriously sharper. Worth looking at.
LOL, sure, if that PPI density works for you then enjoy.
27" is too small for what? According to who? 🤔
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Dell has the U3224KB for over a year, it's 6k 32".
I have it in use since release (there's also a thread on this monitor in this forum) and it's great.
27" 4k doesn't have sufficient vertical space when at half res (looks like 1080p), and 32" 4k has insufficient resolution in the first place.
Go either for 27" 5k or 32" 6k. LG just announced another 32" 6k 32U990A here.
I’m on a budget first and foremost. My m2 base mini is hooked up to a LG 32 inch 4k/60 from Costco. About 1 year of usage.
It’s been great. It was priced nicely, and great return policy
I don’t play games either, just your usual average usages.
I bought BetterDisplay program as well…it is worth the price, as you instantly see the better tweaked setting imo. I think they have a free trial period. 🖖
It’s been great. It was priced nicely, and great return policy
I don’t play games either, just your usual average usages.
I bought BetterDisplay program as well…it is worth the price, as you instantly see the better tweaked setting imo. I think they have a free trial period. 🖖
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That's what "HiDPI" modes are for. I run my 32" 4K display in "looks like 2560x1440" mode, and it looks amazing. It looks far better than an actual 1440p display of that size, and is much more usable than trying to run it at full 3840x2160 would be.
That's a great choice!
There is not a thing wrong with going with something like this
Some Apple fans can get a little too uppity about this sort of thing
I used to roll with 4k/32" and it was great!
I wasn’t necessarily talking about you honestly
I don’t always read every single post on a given topic when replying directly to somebody
I was speaking more generally from my long experience in display discussions over the decades
Mate, just ever so gently yanking your chain. 👍👍👍
But yes, you are right. There are some who take their own choices overly seriously.
In my case, my eyes are in a state that I really can't tell the difference between a 5k monitor set to 2560x1440 and a native QHD set to the same setting.
As they say, YMMV...
For what its worth, I have two 4k LGs, one 24" and one 27".
For the 24" I normally run it at 2560x1440 HDPI. It works superbly like this for my eyes. 4K is hard work but I sometimes find it useful.
For the 27", 2560x1440 is just uncomfortably big. I end up running it at 4k but everything is a bit too small. In between resolutions are not 'HDPI' and get a bit fuzzier. I also tried a 32" 4k and just found that too big overall.
For me at least its not easy finding a monitor and rez that works well.
For the 24" I normally run it at 2560x1440 HDPI. It works superbly like this for my eyes. 4K is hard work but I sometimes find it useful.
For the 27", 2560x1440 is just uncomfortably big. I end up running it at 4k but everything is a bit too small. In between resolutions are not 'HDPI' and get a bit fuzzier. I also tried a 32" 4k and just found that too big overall.
For me at least its not easy finding a monitor and rez that works well.
Compensation, maybe?
That said, I do want to replace some of my (non Mac) stash with HRR 5K2K monitors instead of 2 x 28" HRR 4K's - but that's mainly a gaming consideration.
This might look ok if you set the flux capacitor to 2010 and pretend the last fifteen years never happened. Otherwise you'd have to be nuts. One can rattle on all day about non-integer 4K scaling but, in the end, a 1440px UI scaled onto a 2160p panel is going to look at least a hundred times better than a 1440px UI on a 1440p panel. Yes you'll get 1:1 native pixel mapping with the latter option but they'll also be colossal pixels. No.
I don't know, the marketers have spent a lot of time pushing lower pixel density 4K onto us, even though 2 times 2k is not 4k. We as consumers are expected to adjust to lower density displays.
I still use my high color accuracy 2k 27". Do I find myself wishing I had a 5K 27" display? Sure, but they're expensive. If you can adjust to it, great, but someone of us can't stand to the sacrifice in pixel density just for crisper text.
As folks throw out their old tech, you can usually get the old good stuff for a steal!
I still use my high color accuracy 2k 27". Do I find myself wishing I had a 5K 27" display? Sure, but they're expensive. If you can adjust to it, great, but someone of us can't stand to the sacrifice in pixel density just for crisper text.
As folks throw out their old tech, you can usually get the old good stuff for a steal!
This is the way!
Even the LG 24 inch 4K ultrafine that I have around the house I got for only 150 bucks mint condition
Samsung is at $729 new at Amazon ($679 renewed)
SAMSUNG 27" ViewFinity S9 Series 5K Computer Monitor, Thunderbolt 4, DisplayPort, Matte Display, 4K Slimfit-Camera, Slim Metal Design, AirPlay, Smart-TV Apps, Gaming Hub, LS27C900PANXZA, 2023
*Color accuracy varies based on the measuring device and point. Screen features may differ due to the system environment, including computer components, usage duration, or other factors. Factory calibration is completed in SRGB before shipment. **Some Mac OS 13 devices may have limited compatibil...
www.amazon.com
For the benefit of the OP, my preferred cost benefit in this case would be to go for ASUS Pro Art at $370
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I bought the same display, also mint, for £150 here in the UK. IMO, it's the best value retina-like display for mac - if you can find it.
Agree completely -- may not be quite as pixel dense as the 21.5" version was (or the iMac 24" now is), but I found that one to be too physically small in real world usage
I also like that it's normal looking, with no big "forehead" for a camera, like the 27" 5K has