External Monitor Advice for 27"

[fromgophonetoiphone]

I currently have an LG 5K from work, but my partner is looking for a monitor for WFH. The LG 5K monitor is way too expensive to be subsidized for their work, so I'm trying to contemplate what our other options are:

• Option 1: Some 4K monitor like U2720Q or LG 27UK850-W or HP Z27
• Option 2: Some 1440p monitor like a U2721DE.

Here are my concerns though. With the LG5K, the native resolution works well but I think over time I've found that the scaled 2048x1152 resolution actually works really well. Content is slightly blown up but not obscenely large like 1080p, and with proper scaling it's quite usable. It's a beautiful display and if money were no object I'd totally buy one.

With Option #2 I actually have a U2717D already, and when I tried using this as a monitor with my LG 5k, the experience was subpar. I find 1440p on the slightly small side, so to upscale to 1080p gives you just a terribly blurred interface. I ended up ditching my U2717D and leaving that attached to my PC., so I think 1440p monitors are probably out of the question unless you're 100% satisfied with 1440p. This is really a last resort more than anything.

Option #1 has me a little concerned. I've heard of nightmares using non Apple 4K monitors and the scaling ends up being all over the place. What scaling resolutions do I get and how good does it look? Does 1440p scale better than a native 1440p monitor? I assume performance will be somewhere between the 5K and a plain 1440p display. At the same time what about other scaled resolutions?

Oh I forgot to mention but this is a 2020 Intel MacBook Pro 13" we're trying to hook up, so I wasn't also sure if it can drive these high resolutions effectively enough (just doing office work mainly so nothing graphics intensive). I personally have a 15" so I'm not sure if I've been spoiled with the discrete GPU or not.

Ultimately if the alternative options still are pretty meh then we might just consider jumping on another LG 5K.

 

[sublunar]

I currently have an LG 5K from work, but my partner is looking for a monitor for WFH. The LG 5K monitor is way too expensive to be subsidized for their work, so I'm trying to contemplate what our other options are:

• Option 1: Some 4K monitor like U2720Q or LG 27UK850-W or HP Z27
• Option 2: Some 1440p monitor like a U2721DE.

Here are my concerns though. With the LG5K, the native resolution works well but I think over time I've found that the scaled 2048x1152 resolution actually works really well. Content is slightly blown up but not obscenely large like 1080p, and with proper scaling it's quite usable. It's a beautiful display and if money were no object I'd totally buy one.

With Option #2 I actually have a U2717D already, and when I tried using this as a monitor with my LG 5k, the experience was subpar. I find 1440p on the slightly small side, so to upscale to 1080p gives you just a terribly blurred interface. I ended up ditching my U2717D and leaving that attached to my PC., so I think 1440p monitors are probably out of the question unless you're 100% satisfied with 1440p. This is really a last resort more than anything.

Option #1 has me a little concerned. I've heard of nightmares using non Apple 4K monitors and the scaling ends up being all over the place. What scaling resolutions do I get and how good does it look? Does 1440p scale better than a native 1440p monitor? I assume performance will be somewhere between the 5K and a plain 1440p display. At the same time what about other scaled resolutions?

Oh I forgot to mention but this is a 2020 Intel MacBook Pro 13" we're trying to hook up, so I wasn't also sure if it can drive these high resolutions effectively enough (just doing office work mainly so nothing graphics intensive). I personally have a 15" so I'm not sure if I've been spoiled with the discrete GPU or not.

Ultimately if the alternative options still are pretty meh then we might just consider jumping on another LG 5K.

If you say that a 1080p 27" display is too blocky but a 1440p 27" display is too small then it's no surprise that you feel comfortable using a scaled resolution. For me, more pixels is better, but I like to get close to the pixel density offered by the 5k while not spending as much as the LG 5k costs.

My compromise won't be any good to you as it's going to be too small for your tastes.

I use a 25" 1440p U2520D at native resolution (2560x1440) which comes with USB-C charging which is very handy. It's smaller than a 27" obviously but that makes the pixels slightly more dense (and less pixelated) while also offering the screen real estate that I would like (like 5k).

Using the monitor at the native resolution means there's no blurring due to scaling and the GPU doesn't need to work as hard to run the screen - this might be a factor you take into account using a 13" MBP.

I'd never choose a 4k monitor at any size because for me it's effectively a 1080p display but I wish there was an external monitor version of the M1 iMac 23.5" screen at 4.5k. The LG 5k is out of my budget.

Your preferred resolution of 2048x1152 at 27" suggests you are comfortable at 87 PPI (pixels per inch) or potentially 173 PPI at retina pixel doubled resolution.

Having said that, have you looked at Ultrawide monitors? They come in different pixel densities - eg the Dell 34" U3419W has 109dpi.

The LG 5k 27" is 218PPI (Apple retina standard pixels per inch)
The LG 5k2 34WK95U is 163 PPI (that's an ultra wide so might not be great for you but would look smooth at retina doubled resolution)
The U2520D weighs in at 117ppi (pixels per inch)
Pick a 34" Ultrawide with resolution of 2560x1080 for approx 82 pixels per inch (eg. LG 34WP65G-B or LG 34WN650 or AOC Q34E2A) although these are comparatively rare now - at that resolution ultrawides usually come in 29" sizes which is obviously more dense, 1440p 34" models are too dense.

They are cheaply priced so spec wise I don't expect them to come too close to the LG 5k in features.

 

[Fishrrman]

A list that might be of some use:
IPS Monitor List: Best AHVA, PLS & IPS LCD Displays

 

[fromgophonetoiphone]

@sublunar

I should clarify that 1440p is usable, it's just that over time I've found that at the end of the day I find my eyes more sore. Once I switched to 2048x1152 scaling on my LG monitor I found any of that strain to go away.

As for your comment about ultrawides, isnt' a 34" UW basically the same as a 27" in height? So with a 1440p resolution I'll end up with generally the same scaling.

 

[sublunar]

@sublunar

I should clarify that 1440p is usable, it's just that over time I've found that at the end of the day I find my eyes more sore. Once I switched to 2048x1152 scaling on my LG monitor I found any of that strain to go away.

As for your comment about ultrawides, isnt' a 34" UW basically the same as a 27" in height? So with a 1440p resolution I'll end up with generally the same scaling.

To be fair I've not measured these up - I only went on pixel density.

Ultrawides have fewer pixels on offer compared to traditional 16:9 screen, if the screen is bigger overall you wind up with a lower pixel density screen which would appear to suit you better as the screen would not be scaled.

I've not used a 4k or 5k display yet so I can't comment on whether or not I'd like to use an in between screen mode - I certainly don't do it on the built in screen of my 15" MBP for instance so I would wager I won't like the blurriness.

 

[fromgophonetoiphone]

Yes that is my point about pixel density. Ultrawides have a larger diagonal number but they end up with more pixels in the horizontal. However vertically a 34" UW is still 1440p generally, so when the height is the same as a 27" (roughly), you get the same pixel density. So what I'm saying is a 34" 1440p and 27" 1440p will look roughly the same in terms of text/pixel/feature size with the same pixel density perspective. Obviously you have a wider monitor with more horizontal pixels so you can comfortably put 3 side by side windows now instead of 2 for instance.

Anyway, I think what I'll try is to use a 4K and see what happens. They're relatively affordable compared to the LG 5K.

 

[tornado99]

Yes that is my point about pixel density. Ultrawides have a larger diagonal number but they end up with more pixels in the horizontal. However vertically a 34" UW is still 1440p generally, so when the height is the same as a 27" (roughly), you get the same pixel density. So what I'm saying is a 34" 1440p and 27" 1440p will look roughly the same in terms of text/pixel/feature size with the same pixel density perspective. Obviously you have a wider monitor with more horizontal pixels so you can comfortably put 3 side by side windows now instead of 2 for instance.

Anyway, I think what I'll try is to use a 4K and see what happens. They're relatively affordable compared to the LG 5K.

how about this:

A 4K 24 inch matte "Retina" Display does exist, and I just bought one! [Review]

I have been on the hunt for a 4K 24 inch monitor, and finally I found one! The Electriq Eiq-244kMHDR. It has a light matte AG coating, 10 bit IPS panel, 300 nits, and costs £140 ($190). Text looks ultra-smooth like a printed page on this screen! It works perfectly with my Mac and is detected...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[neo_cs193p]

I recently bought a used LG 24ud58-b, and I'm happy with the screen quality. It looks very sharp even at scaled resolutions. A bit less impressed with its glossy plastic bezels and the basic menu options, but this was always a cheaper 4k monitor. I think it was around $300 new, I got it for 175.
I've also been using a bigger 27" LG 27uk850, which looks more modern, has built-in speakers and USB-C, but I really like the 24" size better.