From imac 5k to MBP 16 and Dell 2560x1440

[austyn23]

Hi!

I’m actually on a 2017 iMac 27 5K for graphic design (illustrator, photoshop, indesign, after effects a little, Xd, Figma...)

I need portability so I think on switching to a 16 inch Mbp plus the Dell U2520D (25 inch, 2560x1440, UsbC).

My doubt is how the Dell screen is going to feel being 2560x1440 compared to the 5k iMac gorgeous display (at least is 25 inch so the pixel density is better).

I don’t want a 4K display because it looks “retina” in 1920x1080 and is too big, and the 2560 looks weird as not being a good scale (is like 1.5 scale I think?).

Thanks for the input!

 

[Moonjumper]

I went from a 15" MBP + 27" 2560x1440 monitor to a 27" 5K iMac (plus use the QHD monitor as a second screen. My work includes using Illustrator and Photoshop, but a large part is using other software (game engine, code editor, sound editor, etc.). The iMac is so much better, but it turned out I didn't need portability much.

If you can, I suggest keeping the iMac, and add a MBP. Sharing files between them is much easier now. You can also get a Luna Display dongle to use your iMac as an external screen for your MBP, if that works out easier.

 

[ght56]

I have U2520Ds and I absolutely love them. It's definitely capable of the usage you are considering, and in native, unscaled resolution it looks great at shorter viewing distances. Its color coverage is especially notable, as is the panel consistency and out-of-the-box performance. Text looks reasonably crisp as the smaller size results in pretty high pixel density. The display also has a solid stand and great portage. Dell also makes a 4K 27-inch display in the same product family, and you can scale the sizes to look like 1440p (Quad HD). When using these with the clamshell open, they play great with True Tone.

However, unless you muck around with the refresh rate using a third party app, this display does not play nice with the 5500M and 5300M GPUs on the MacBook Pro 16-inch, even if you are using a single display in clamshell mode. If you are using multiple displays or using this display with the clamshell open, it does not play nice with these GPUs regardless of refresh rate settings and the system will be slower, hotter, and louder with these displays.

edit - and it looks like the 16 may be about to get an update.

 

[austyn23]

I went from a 15" MBP + 27" 2560x1440 monitor to a 27" 5K iMac (plus use the QHD monitor as a second screen. My work includes using Illustrator and Photoshop, but a large part is using other software (game engine, code editor, sound editor, etc.). The iMac is so much better, but it turned out I didn't need portability much.

If you can, I suggest keeping the iMac, and add a MBP. Sharing files between them is much easier now. You can also get a Luna Display dongle to use your iMac as an external screen for your MBP, if that works out easier.

Thank for the reply, bur I can´t have both, I have to sell the iMac to get the MBP + Display...

I know is not going to be the same... 25 inch is better than 27 for pixel density, but of course is not 5k retina mode...

 

[austyn23]

I have U2520Ds and I absolutely love them. It's definitely capable of the usage you are considering, and in native, unscaled resolution it looks great at shorter viewing distances. Its color coverage is especially notable, as is the panel consistency and out-of-the-box performance. Text looks reasonably crisp as the smaller size results in pretty high pixel density. The display also has a solid stand and great portage. Dell also makes a 4K 27-inch display in the same product family, and you can scale the sizes to look like 1440p (Quad HD). When using these with the clamshell open, they play great with True Tone.

However, unless you muck around with the refresh rate using a third party app, this display does not play nice with the 5500M and 5300M GPUs on the MacBook Pro 16-inch, even if you are using a single display in clamshell mode. If you are using multiple displays or using this display with the clamshell open, it does not play nice with these GPUs regardless of refresh rate settings and the system will be slower, hotter, and louder with these displays.

edit - and it looks like the 16 may be about to get an update.

WOW! I can´t believe in 2020 with a 3000 dls machine I have to deal with problems with the GPU... is frustrating... I´ll wait for the next 16 inch generation or maybe the rumored 14 if they add a dedicated GPU to it (I don´t see it happen to be honest...)

 

[ght56]

WOW! I can´t believe in 2020 with a 3000 dls machine I have to deal with problems with the GPU... is frustrating... I´ll wait for the next 16 inch generation or maybe the rumored 14 if they add a dedicated GPU to it (I don´t see it happen to be honest...)

Yeah...it's kind of crazy they released their flagship MBP with this issue, which they don't seem to think is an issue, even though it's a pretty big issue. This issue drove me to purchasing a 5600M version, which does not have the same problem. Unfortunately, it was a pricy solution. It makes it hard to recommend the 16-inch without the 5600M for many users given how commonly external displays are used with these systems.

 

[austyn23]

Yeah...it's kind of crazy they released their flagship MBP with this issue, which they don't seem to think is an issue, even though it's a pretty big issue. This issue drove me to purchasing a 5600M version, which does not have the same problem. Unfortunately, it was a pricy solution. It makes it hard to recommend the 16-inch without the 5600M for many users given how commonly external displays are used with these systems.

No way, the 5600 here is 875€ more, it’s crazy...

 

[ght56]

No way, the 5600 here is 875€ more, it’s crazy...

Very understandable. It is an $800 USD upgrade here in the US over the base 5300M. It's an AWESOME GPU but certainly no small chunk of change. I've been eating peanut butter sandwiches and Ramen like crazy!

 

[austyn23]

Very understandable. It is an $800 USD upgrade here in the US over the base 5300M. It's an AWESOME GPU but certainly no small chunk of change. I've been eating peanut butter sandwiches and Ramen like crazy!

hahaha I can´t understand, my old MBP 2015 13 inch (without DGPU) used to hold fine 2 Dell u2515H (the old version of the U2520D). It was not THE BEAST but I designed for years with that configuration (no video editting or that stuff).

And now the base model of the 16 inch has problems with the same display? It's supposed to handle two 6K displays...

 

[badsimian]

You can get pretty decent low price 4K monitors now at approx 27". If you could stretch to one of those they are a lot closer to the retina experience than the 1440 will be. I have an LG 5K and would hate to go back to non-retina now for my main display.

As for heat etc - my fans are going with the 5K which is doing no scaling and I have turbo boost switcher to switch off the turbo boost as well. It's just a flaw with the design of the radeon chips/16" macbooks unfortunately.

 

[austyn23]

You can get pretty decent low price 4K monitors now at approx 27". If you could stretch to one of those they are a lot closer to the retina experience than the 1440 will be. I have an LG 5K and would hate to go back to non-retina now for my main display.

Yes, but the 4K works in "retina" at 1920x1080; I saw one 4K working at 2560x1440 and it looks weird, crispier than a native 2560x1440 display, but a little weird.

 

[badsimian]

Yes, but the 4K works in "retina" at 1920x1080; I saw one 4K working at 2560x1440 and it looks weird, crispier than a native 2560x1440 display, but a little weird.

Only if you use exact 2x scaling which I would suggest you don't. I used to use "looks like 2560x1440" on my previous 4K monitor and it looked nice and crisp but without huge content

 

[badsimian]

Also remember that even Macbook Pros don't ship with 2x retina now, they all ship with scaled resolutions as the default these days. if it is good enough for Apple..