Apple Studio 5k vs Dell 4k IPS Black Visual Comparison

[iaw4]

I am enclosing a photograph taken of two screens next to one another. one is the Apple Studio display, with its higher resolution. the other is Dell's latest (double-contrast) 4k monitor, about half the price but without the good speakers and webcam of the studio display. however, it does come with a VESA mount, which is a special order for apple.

IPS Black brings impressive contrast and vivid colors to Dell’s UltraSharp U2723QE

Great port selection, clean looks, and a more vibrant picture than normal IPS.

arstechnica.com

I scaled the dell 4k monitor (in the macos display preference panel) to make text the same size (one notch). there is also some modest difference in the monitors' warmth settings, but the iphone photograph makes it look more extreme than it is.

I sit such that I look at both monitors from about 0.5m away. Frankly, it is not easy to tell which monitor is better / worse. a single tip on the brightness choice makes more visual difference than any intrinsic visual quality differences. let me go further --- if I gave you one of them without looking at the other monitor right next to it, i.e., neither an A-B comparison, nor an instrument-measured comparison, you would be hard-pressed to tell when you are looking at the better picture. even as an A-B comparison, it's hard to tell. different, yes. better/worse, not really. more like vanilla vs chocolate.

imho, normal people who do not need gaming speed will be happy with either of them. these modern monitors are really good --- more than good enough for anyone but the most obsessed testers.


PS: the one on the right is the higher-res lower-contrast 5k display.

 

[bluecat456]

I've been trying to decide between the ASD and the Dell U2723QE for some time now. So thank you for your opinion. I think on a photographic image it is hard to tell which is better.

However, I have read many opinions in the last few days that the 5k resolution is perceived to be significantly sharper, especially when it comes to text. So I was surprised by your review. Of course, the Dell has a much better price/performance ratio and is also more versatile due to different ports. Nevertheless, my tendency goes more to the ASD, simply because I read a lot on the screen. But now I'm starting to think again ...

 

[thedon1]

I've been trying to decide between the ASD and the Dell U2723QE for some time now. So thank you for your opinion. I think on a photographic image it is hard to tell which is better.

However, I have read many opinions in the last few days that the 5k resolution is perceived to be significantly sharper, especially when it comes to text. So I was surprised by your review. Of course, the Dell has a much better price/performance ratio and is also more versatile due to different ports. Nevertheless, my tendency goes more to the ASD, simply because I read a lot on the screen. But now I'm starting to think again ...

Totally agree with what you've read around the 5k screen being significantly sharper. When you look at text on the ASD, you know straight away that there's something different about the screen. As a programmer, I much prefer my ASD at home, but a 4k monitor scaled to 1440p (as I use in the office) is far from terrible.

 

[chikorita157]

I will never go to 4K, not even for a secondary as this article explains it best. The short version is, macOS is not optimized for 4K monitors, especially above 24 inches. macOS is optimized for 110 DPI or 220 DPI. Anything in between causes scaling issues and other issues like burry text, scrolling shimmer, and moire effects. Also, 2K scaling on 4K renders it in 5K and downscales it to 4K, which reduces GPU performance, especially in 3D apps.

Mac external displays for designers and developers, part 2

Since writing about Mac external displays in 2016, not much has changed. LG, Dell, Samsung, and other display makers have either never catered for the specs many Mac designers and developers want, or they’ve reluctantly produced products that have been short-lived or compromised.

bjango.com

2K is good if you can't afford a Studio Display as you won't have scaling issues, but the text obviously won't be as sharp as a 5K display. I use an LG 2K display from 2014 as my secondary now that I have my Studio Display mounted to a standalone VESA mount. This is a good alternative if one doesn't want to pay $400 extra for a height adjustable and don't care about looks. I would get another, but it's kind of overkill and they are hard to get. Maybe when my 2K display dies and I need a replacement. I have my Studio Display for a little over a week and I do like the colors and how sharp the text is.