Monitor for Mac Studio

[jiminoz]

I plan to upgrade from my 2012 iMac to a Mac Studio. I am not convinced I need to spend as much for the monitor as the Studio Display costs; I can and will if necessary, but I would like to consider less expensive options.

I design newsletters, write curriculum, do some podcasting, a little photography as a hobby, and record and edit instructional videos for students. I do not often use Skype or Zoom. I have a good speaker system in my office already.

With these criteria in mind is there a 27" monitor (or perhaps slightly larger) that anyone could recommend or am I best to purchase the Studio Display?

 

[dizmonk]

I have a 27imac and am trading it in for the studio and downgrading the monitor. I don't need 5k and saved some cash by buying a cheaper monitor. I got this one...

Dell 32 Inch Curved LCD Gaming Monitor - S3222DGM | Dell USA

View the Dell 32 Inch Curved LCD Gaming Monitor (S3222DGM), the curved gaming monitor with 165Hz refresh rate, or shop all Gaming Monitors at Dell.com.

www.dell.com

 

[russell_314]

I plan to upgrade from my 2012 iMac to a Mac Studio. I am not convinced I need to spend as much for the monitor as the Studio Display costs; I can and will if necessary, but I would like to consider less expensive options.

I design newsletters, write curriculum, do some podcasting, a little photography as a hobby, and record and edit instrucitonal videos for students. I do not often use Skype or Zoom. I have a good speaker system in my office already.

With these criteria in mind is there a 27" monitor (or perhaps slightly larger) that anyone could recommend or am I best to purchase the Studio Display?

I think any quality 4K monitor would work. If you're going for 27" or larger don't get 1080P. I've learned this first hand. It's too grainy looking so text isn't very clear. Refresh rate isn't important unless you're gaming. I will say once you go to a very high quality monitor you won't want to go back. The 4.5k screen on my iMac is awesome!

Just curious you did buy the base model studio with maybe upgraded storage right? It sounds like you're more in the Mac mini use case scenario so the studio is a bit of overkill but the base model at 2K isn't crazy expensive.

 

[hpnas]

I'm using this opportunity to go Ultrawide. Went 38" with the Dell AW3821DW

 

[russell_314]

I'm using this opportunity to go Ultrawide. Went 38" with the Dell AW3821DW

That looks very nice but about the same price as the Apple monitor. Does the Mac have any issues with that resolution? How does text and documents look on it? That's making me want to buy a Mac mini when they come out with the new one!

 

[wolf_rine]

Upgrading from 2014 iMac 27" to Studio + LG 32UN650-W. Took this opportunity to also increase the screen size from the current 27" to 32" - my desk will not take anything bigger as I currently also have my work laptap + 24" monitor side-by-side. Will channel the money saved from the display to increasing the SSD storage.

I plan to upgrade from my 2012 iMac to a Mac Studio. I am not convinced I need to spend as much for the monitor as the Studio Display costs; I can and will if necessary, but I would like to consider less expensive options.

I design newsletters, write curriculum, do some podcasting, a little photography as a hobby, and record and edit instrucitonal videos for students. I do not often use Skype or Zoom. I have a good speaker system in my office already.

With these criteria in mind is there a 27" monitor (or perhaps slightly larger) that anyone could recommend or am I best to purchase the Studio Display?

 

[hpnas]

That looks very nice but about the same price as the Apple monitor. Does the Mac have any issues with that resolution? How does text and documents look on it? That's making me want to buy a Mac mini when they come out with the new one!

Lot of reviews on Reddit of people using them with Mac M1 minis with no issue at all. I got it on sale for $1199 a week ago, looks like price has been raised. Yes same ballpark in price but you're comparing 27" to 38", no comparison IMO

 

[russell_314]

Lot of reviews on Reddit of people using them with Mac M1 minis with no issue at all. I got it on sale for $1199 a week ago, looks like price has been raised. Yes same ballpark in price but you're comparing 27" to 38", no comparison IMO

Yeah crazy inflation! I'm sure the screen area is much bigger with the 38" but the 27" 5k is going to be sharper and brighter. Unless I was buying it from Amazon or someplace that did no hassle returns I would really want to see it in person first for anything other than gaming.

I never really liked wide monitors for productivity tasks because it felt like I was trying to focus on the whole monitor at once. I know it's like having two normal monitors glued together and you can't focus on both of them at once either so I suspect it's just what I'm used to. It's a me problem and not a hardware problem so if you don't have that issue you're golden. For a gaming PC I would buy this because it looks pretty awesome and when in full screen games it doesn't bother me as much.

 

[LonestarOne]

For photography, color balance is important. The Studio Display would be advantageous there. For the rest, any good 4K monitor would probably do. What about Center Stage — would that be useful for your instructional videos?

 

[Homy]

LG 27UP850. UP is newer than UN.

 

[jiminoz]

Just curious you did buy the base model studio with maybe upgraded storage right? It sounds like you're more in the Mac mini use case scenario so the studio is a bit of overkill but the base model at 2K isn't crazy expensive.

I ordered the base model with the only upgrade to 2TB SSD. I did think about the Mac Mini, and it might work perfectly for me, but I want to future proof as much as possible and think it might it might be worth the extra cost over time.

I also have a 27" 2020 iMac at home and I love the look of the screen. I really don't want a screen that is inferior to it in brightness, color, crispness, etc.

 

[ascender]

There's quite a few, reasonably priced options for 4K screens at 27".

I've got an LG 34" Ultrawide which works great with my M1 MBP, but my M1 Mini can't drive it at the higher resolutions. You also need to check the resolution of the ultra wide if that's the way you go as a lot of them aren't 5K so you don't get a "retina like" resolution.

I'm in two minds about the ultrawide - I really like it but like @russell_314 says, I have a similar issue depending what sort of work I'm doing where I'll have two windows side by side but think I'd be more focused with dual monitors. It's a strange thing to try and describe.

 

[ixxx69]

With these criteria in mind is there a 27" monitor (or perhaps slightly larger) that anyone could recommend or am I best to purchase the Studio Display?

First, you shouldn't feel like anyone is trying to convince you to spend $1,500 on a monitor just because Apple released one in concert with the Studio. While that display is super cool, it's way overkill for your needs.

I highly recommend the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K USB-C Monitor - U2720Q (there's also a newer U2723QE that offers even better connectivity, but that may be wasted depending on your setup).

Just my experience here on the forums, but it's easy to get the impression from well meaning folks that you need to spend thousands of dollars on a display for typical photo & video work. That's simply not the case, and actually not very typical even amongst professionals. Typically the users that need those kind of displays do not bat an eyelash at spending that kind of money because the hardware pays for itself many times over.

 

[jiminoz]

Anyone have thoughts on the Gigabyte M32U vs the Dell U3223QE? I can get the M32U for AU$869 or the Dell for AU$1,032.00. This is the equivalent of US $635 and $753. I know this is larger than the 27" I had thought of buying, but I do alot of side by side work with newsletters and research papers and think the extra real estate might be useful. Are there any others that should be on my shortlist. It may be a personal quirk, but I don't want an ultrawide or a curved screen.

I might add the Asus PA329CV for consideration.

 

[StoneJack]

Dell U2722DX here.

 

[spiderpumpkin]

I'm getting the Gigabyte M32U. https://www.rtings.com/monitor/reviews/gigabyte/m32u

 

[arvinsim]

Anyone have thoughts on the Gigabyte M32U vs the Dell U3223QE?

Big difference. The Gigabyte monitor is 4k 144hz while the Dell is just 4k 60hz

 

[DennisdeWit]

I have the AOC U32U1. The ppi of course is lower than an iMac or Studio Display. There is only one Retina 32”, that’s the Pro Display XDR. Can’t afford that. The AOC has a nice design and a high brightness of 600 nits. It only is 60 Hertz, but I am happy with it.

 

[PigsOnTheWing]

I'm giving the Alienware 34" curved QD-OLED gaming monitor a try. 3440 x 1400, not what you'd call retina, but... QD-OLED.

Alienware 34 Inch Curved QD-OLED Gaming Monitor - AW3423DW | Dell USA

Shop Dell Alienware 34 Inch Curved QD-OLED Gaming Monitor with infinite contrast ratio & VESA Display HDR (AW3423DW) or view all gaming monitors at Dell.com.

www.dell.com

 

[enricoclaudio]

I have a LG 32UN880-B currently as a secondary display with my 27" iMac 5K and also another LG 32UN880-B on the way. Those two are going to be my pair of displays with the Mac Studio. No need more than 60Hz as I don't game in my Macs. Only Pro Tools/Logic Pro X and some Adobe Photoshop is what I do. Color accuracy on the LG Ultrafine 32UN880-B is GREAT plus the Ergo Stand is awesome.

 

[Macintosh IIcx]

I don't know how serious into photography you are, but BenQ SW271 comes highly recommended if you are. Almost full Adobe RGB color space and Hardware Calibration. I have it and it is terrific so if budget allow, go check some reviews.

 

[MajorFubar]

I bought a Samsung U28R550UQR 28" 4K LED monitor. I has good reviews although the colours were a bit 'technicolor' for my liking right out the box but I've managed to tame it. I might buy a second one sometime before they become discontinued because I prefer having two separate screens rather than one ultrawide display.

 

[George Dawes]

I'm going to use a sony 50 inch 4k tv , tbh the last time I used any resolution approaching that ( 4k ) on my 27" I couldn't see ANYTHING !

I'm an old git with crap eyesight 😂

 

[arvinsim]

I don't know how serious into photography you are, but BenQ SW271 comes highly recommended if you are. Almost full Adobe RGB color space and Hardware Calibration. I have it and it is terrific so if budget allow, go check some reviews.

Dang, it has the same price as the Studio Display in my country

 

[jiminoz]

I don't know how serious into photography you are, but BenQ SW271 comes highly recommended if you are. Almost full Adobe RGB color space and Hardware Calibration. I have it and it is terrific so if budget allow, go check some reviews.

I like the looks of the SW271, but it is the same price as the studio display in Australia.