4K and 5K Display Buyer's Guide for Macs

[WujoFefer]

Hi Everyone
I have rMBP mid 2015 with Radeon x370m.
Soon I will change my old monitors from 2x 1080p to one ultrawide but I don't know whitch one.
For now I'm thinking about LG 38UC99-W (3840x1600) but LG announced ultrawide 5k display (5120x2160).
From article I know that my Mac can support 5k display's but I need some proof, some video or article about it.
Now I do not know if I should wait for new or buy older display.
I do not change monitors often, the last time was 7-8 years ago.

 

[Hessel89]

I just got issued a 31.5" Dell U3216Q and I have to say that the functionality is better through HDMI than Thunderbolt/Displayport, but after those slight issues it's a dream. I don't believe I will ever use anything less for a long time coming.

I have one too and it's awesome except for one thing: the scaling options in MacOS. Can you run it in 1440p HiDPI scaled mode?

 

[Digital Skunk]

I have one too and it's awesome except for one thing: the scaling options in MacOS. Can you run it in 1440p HiDPI scaled mode?

I can, but just about anything but the native version looks like mush. I've been looking at the LG 5k display and THAT makes the 4k stretched to 31.5" look a bit fuzzy.

 

[Hessel89]

I can, but just about anything but the native version looks like mush. I've been looking at the LG 5k display and THAT makes the 4k stretched to 31.5" look a bit fuzzy.

Also if you used 1440p HiDPI mode instead of normal 1440? or was that not possible?

 

[Digital Skunk]

Also if you used 1440p HiDPI mode instead of normal 1440? or was that not possible?

Possible. But like the HiDPI mode on the Retina Macbook Pros almost everything is WAY too small even with 4k.

 

[Treats]

Just found this page. Looks like it needs to be updated as some of the new macs (2018 Mini in particular) include HDMI 2.0 ports.

 

[e_moji]

I own and use a late-2013 dGPU version and I'm happily driving two Dell P2715Q displays at up to 4k @ 60Hz, in either portrait or landscape mode, plus the internal display at full resolution, with OS X 10.10.3 - and they look great.

I know that I'm replying years in the future, so apologies for that. I happen to have the same MacBook Pro (late-2013 dGPU version), and it is still running as strong today as when I bought it 5 years ago.

First let me thank you for your advice here. It was tricky finding reliable information on what kind of external display performance I can get out of my 2013 MBP, and your post here is the best info I've found after extensive research. I have since bought one Dell P2415Q display and an Accell cable, and they work flawlessly.

I'm thinking to get a second 4K display—either another P2415Q, or a P2715Q. From your post, I'm understanding that it is possible for the late-2013 dGPU MBP to drive two 4K displays at 60 Hz when the displays are at default resolution (resembling 1920 x 1080). I'm wondering if it is possible to run both displays at 60 Hz when they have a scaled resolution (e.g. resembling 2560 x 1440)? If possible, I'm hoping to confirm this before I buy the second display.

If you aren't able to confirm this so many years later, that is of course perfectly understandable. Thank you!

 

[senohpoxas88]

This would be a great article to update. It's been several years, and there's lots of new information.

This current one still does not even include the LG 5K monitors

 

[eggnonymous]

can anyone speak to how fuzzy (or not) text is when scaled to "looks like 1440p" in Mojave? I'm considering getting the BenQ SW271 3840x2160 monitor but am a bit concerned after reading this https://bjango.com/articles/macexternaldisplays/
apparently because it's neither in the 110dpi or the 220dpi range, scaling it would result in some artifacts when scrolling and also fuzzy text. true?
funny thing is, the new lg ultrafine 4k 23.7" is 180ppi which is also the middle of the road and that monitor is produced in conjunction with apple. yes, it'll be run in hidpi mode pixel doubled whereas 2160 scaled to 1440 is not hidpi mode so there's also that!

 

[Mark_EL]

can anyone speak to how fuzzy (or not) text is when scaled to "looks like 1440p" in Mojave? I'm considering getting the BenQ SW271 3840x2160 monitor but am a bit concerned after reading this https://bjango.com/articles/macexternaldisplays/
apparently because it's neither in the 110dpi or the 220dpi range, scaling it would result in some artifacts when scrolling and also fuzzy text. true?
funny thing is, the new lg ultrafine 4k 23.7" is 180ppi which is also the middle of the road and that monitor is produced in conjunction with apple. yes, it'll be run in hidpi mode pixel doubled whereas 2160 scaled to 1440 is not hidpi mode so there's also that!

Anyone have any insight on this question by now?

I am asking this because I have decided to sell my 2019 iMac 5k and go back to a new 16” Macbook Pro. Of course this will mean I will lose my gorgeous 5K display and I would like to replace it with another 27” 4K or 5K monitor pretty soon. I also own an Eizo CS270 which is a very good monitor for color production work (I am a professional photographer, doing a lot of product photography), but its a 1440p and I very much liked my dual monitor setup with the 5K IMac and the Eizo.

Since color accuracy is very important to me, I was thinking about buying a Benq SW271, but in my online search for experiences I came across this unanswered question, and now I start to wonder if this 4K monitor would be a good choice for me, or if I should rather buy The LG Ultrafine 5K?

 

[chfilm]

Anyone have any insight on this question by now?

I am asking this because I have decided to sell my 2019 iMac 5k and go back to a new 16” Macbook Pro. Of course this will mean I will lose my gorgeous 5K display and I would like to replace it with another 27” 4K or 5K monitor pretty soon. I also own an Eizo CS270 which is a very good monitor for color production work (I am a professional photographer, doing a lot of product photography), but its a 1440p and I very much liked my dual monitor setup with the 5K IMac and the Eizo.

Since color accuracy is very important to me, I was thinking about buying a Benq SW271, but in my online search for experiences I came across this unanswered question, and now I start to wonder if this 4K monitor would be a good choice for me, or if I should rather buy The LG Ultrafine 5K?

All I can tell you is- DONT GET A 27” 4K Monitor. It HAS to be 5k, or you’re gonna make yourself very unhappy.

 

[Hessel89]

can anyone speak to how fuzzy (or not) text is when scaled to "looks like 1440p" in Mojave? I'm considering getting the BenQ SW271 3840x2160 monitor but am a bit concerned after reading this https://bjango.com/articles/macexternaldisplays/
apparently because it's neither in the 110dpi or the 220dpi range, scaling it would result in some artifacts when scrolling and also fuzzy text. true?
funny thing is, the new lg ultrafine 4k 23.7" is 180ppi which is also the middle of the road and that monitor is produced in conjunction with apple. yes, it'll be run in hidpi mode pixel doubled whereas 2160 scaled to 1440 is not hidpi mode so there's also that!

I wouldn't worry about it. MacOS is perfectly able to scale at looks like 1440p on a 4K screen without looking fuzzy. Before I upgraded to an LG Ultrafine 5K I had the Dell 3216Q and it really is fine. No artifacts or fuzzyness.

To be honest I almost regret the upgrade since there isn't much (if any) perceivable difference in sharpness unless you sit at a 10 cm distance.

BenQ has really nice color reproduction btw. And their matte screens are very relaxing on the eyes!
A lot better then the 5K iMacs and Ultrafine Displays.

 

[chfilm]

I wouldn't worry about it. MacOS is perfectly able to scale at looks like 1440p on a 4K screen without looking fuzzy. Before I upgraded to an LG Ultrafine 5K I had the Dell 3216Q and it really is fine. No artifacts or fuzzyness.

To be honest I almost regret the upgrade since there isn't much (if any) perceivable difference in sharpness unless you sit at a 10 cm distance.

BenQ has really nice color reproduction btw. And their matte screens are very relaxing on the eyes!
A lot better then the 5K iMacs and Ultrafine Displays.

It might be ok to look at, but you need a tolerance and can never compare it to a true Retina display in my opinion. Text looks much less crisp on a 4k/1440p Resolution, just because of the odd interpolation.

 

[Hessel89]

It might be ok to look at, but you need a tolerance and can never compare it to a true Retina display in my opinion. Text looks much less crisp on a 4k/1440p Resolution, just because of the odd interpolation.

How many times are you actually looking at your display at less then arm's length? All I can say is that from my personal experience, upgrading from 4K to 5K did not make a significant difference in terms of crispness.

Speaking of odd interpolation.. Characters aren't being rendered perfectly at 5K either. That benefit does not exist anymore since Apple removed subpixel rendering.

 

[chfilm]

How many times are you actually looking at your display at less then arm's length? All I can say is that from my personal experience, upgrading from 4K to 5K did not make a significant difference in terms of crispness.

Speaking of odd interpolation.. Characters aren't being rendered perfectly at 5K either. That benefit does not exist anymore since Apple removed subpixel rendering.

Sadly, I couldnt find my own comparison images anymore that I took back in the day when I was comparing 4k vs my new 5k display, but what I did find was my post here, where I tried different scaling modes on the 4k display. You can clearly see how the native /2 scaling at 1080p looks much crisper than the pseudo 1440 mode. The same applies for a true 5k/1440 display.

#30 LINK

People also are using the "arm's length" argument about the point of having a retina display in the first place. They claim they don't see the difference between their 1440p /1080p display anyways at that distance. I beg to differ! If you wanna go retina, do yourself a favor and do it properly or just stick to HD res. Just my opinion, I wouldve never been satisfied with this poor 4k solution..
My personal advice - take the LG. Especially when you’re coming from an iMac 5k already you will feel the step down. Or just finance yourself an XDR Display over 12 months 🤓