Hands-On With the New 4K 23.7-Inch LG UltraFine Display

[MacRumors]

Apple this week began stocking a new 4K 23.7-inch LG UltraFine Display, which replaces the original 21.5-inch 4K LG UltraFine Display that was pulled from retail stores and the online Apple Store earlier this year.

We picked up one of the new 23.7-inch UltraFine Displays and thought we'd check it out to see if it's worth the $700 price point.

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The new 4K display looks quite similar to the prior-generation 4K and 5K UltraFine displays with a black plastic body with relatively thick bezels and a black aluminum stand. Like prior models, it can be VESA mounted if you prefer.

It's larger than the original 4K UltraFine display as it measures in at 23.7 inches instead of 21.5 inches, but it features a 3840 x 2160 resolution rather than a 4096 x 2304 resolution like the first model. That's still considered Ultra HD, though, and qualifies as 4K.

Though this display has a 4K resolution, it's not meant to be used at the full 3840 x 1260 resolution given its 23.7-inch display size because everything on the display would be super small. Instead, it's meant to provide retina clarity when downscaled to a more reasonable resolution like 1920 x 1080 or 2560 x 1440, which is what we have it set to.

Along with the larger display size, the new UltraFine Display features two Thunderbolt 3 ports instead of a single Thunderbolt 3 port, which means you can daisy chain two of these monitors together. We didn't have a second on hand, but used daisy chaining with a different 4K LG display, which worked well.

You can also connect other Thunderbolt 3-enabled accessories directly to the display if preferred, and there are also three additional USB-C ports. Both a Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C cable are included. There's no webcam, but there are built-in stereo speakers available, much like the prior version of the LG UltraFine displays available from Apple.

The display is crisp and vivid, rivaling the Retina display on Apple's Macs, and we liked the high gloss finish despite the fact that it tends to add more glare. With 500 nits brightness, it's fairly bright, and because it has P3 wide color support, all the colors are rich and true to life.

All in all, we came away with a positive impression of this display. Since you can daisy chain two of them together, it might be nice to have two of them if you can given the smaller size and the $700 price point, which is half of the price of the 5K UltraFine display.

With the 4K LG UltraFine Display having been replaced, Apple may also have a replacement for the 5K UltraFine monitor on the horizon. The 5K monitor is sold out on Apple's site right now, though the listing for it hasn't been removed entirely.

Apple is also planning to get back into displays with rumors suggesting a 31.6-inch 6K display is in the works and set to be released alongside a new Mac Pro that's coming this year. Unfortunately, Apple's 6K display is rumored to be super pricey, so it may be out of range for a lot of Mac users who will instead need to rely on other options like the UltraFine displays from LG.

Article Link: Hands-On With the New 4K 23.7-Inch LG UltraFine Display

 

[squizzler]

How does one gets past its ugly design?

 

[gsurf123]

I'm not against another company selling monitors that Apple is unwilling to make, but why not work with them to get them to look like Apple-branded products or just have another company design and make them and then resell them as Apple products. You look at these monitors and they look like any PC monitor without a touch of style. Surely Apple can do their customers better by leaning on another company to make a decent looking monitor with the functionality of the Thunderbolt monitors and even throw him some non-USB3.1 ports.

Apple customers are more than willing to pay a premium so there is no reason not to do it.

 

[outskirtsofinfinity]

"Apple is also planning to get back into displays"... I hope they eventually make one with essentially a built-in Apple TV box. That would be a nice concept. Convergence!

 

[gsurf123]

There are plenty of better looking PC monitors. A ounce of effort could yield a premium looking monitor.

 

[oldtime]

How does one gets past its ugly design?

Like most anything else, you get used to it and it fades into the background. Especially since the bezels are matte. It's not like it's hot pink with a unicorn horn coming out the top.

 

[smirking]

How does one gets past its ugly design?

VESA mount. I have an LG 5K. You'd need to be OCD to not get over the look. You can't see it unless you're trying. It's a big beautiful screen. The other stuff just disappears (when it's mounted on a monitor arm).
[doublepost=1558563526][/doublepost]This is a welcome option. I have the 5K display, but that display has an issue that I wasn't expecting. It's really hard to drive. I've found some programs really struggling to push the pixels to a monitor with a resolution this high. If you want to use an eGPU with it, your only option are the pricey BlackMagic eGPUs.

 

[giggles]

Some weird wording about “not meant to be used at full resolution”, imprecision about its predecessor “instead of” having 1 tb3 (it didn’t: it had 1 usb-c upstream), no testing with ipad pro and usb-c, etc. this hands-on could be better.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

LG has some of the best "bezel-less" displays, yet they chose this ugly duckling to market to Apple people? After spending that much, I don't think I'd ever get used to those fat black bezels.

 

[cczhu]

This is a nice monitor but lacks web-cam and an ethernet port, which previous thunderbolt displays provided.
I'm waiting for the updated 5K/6K display from Apple. Hope to daisy chain two as well.

 

[smirking]

LG has some of the best "bezel-less" displays, yet they chose this ugly duckling to market to Apple people? After spending that much, I don't think I'd ever get used to those fat black bezels.

I've been staring at an LG 5K everyday for over 2 years now. I still don't notice those bezels or the forehead people are ranting about.

 

[konqerror]

How does one gets past its ugly design?

By not noticing the design at all. This is exactly how professional video monitors are made.

 

[mcfrazieriv]

How does one gets past its ugly design?

By using it for what it's designed to do.

 

[Cosmosent]

RE: "Unfortunately, Apple's 6K display is rumored to be super pricey,"

Personally, I find that very hard to believe !

 

[potatis]

Next up is the LG 6K display and Apple's display follows the path of AirPower...

 

[Tech198]

hehe.. funky..

I like the removal back-plate... but daisy chaining ..*ugh*

Although this would work, i'd only use it that way because its convenient... Not to just look and think "it looks good"

Next up is the LG 6K display and Apple's display follows the path of AirPower...

.. but its discontinued.. I'm surprised Apple hasan't made a return to it, because they're always good about this... They never really just leave stuff "open"

Apple likes a challenge, so they should be able to stand by that saying.

 

[Non-Polar]

$700 for a 24 inch 4K display? What a joke

 

[Tarantularock]

This one seems a bit expensive for the size.

However If Apple puts out a nicely featured thunderbolt 6k display for under $2000 & it could be paired with a new mac mini - sign me up.

I use my MacBook Pro primarily and I'd love if a new monitor could be used with something like the iOS sidecar feature or another quick & smart way to switch input devices.

 

[ColdShadow]

looks extremely cheap and ugly.
I'd have NEVER bought something this cheap and nasty looking.
Apple should've never allowed such tasteless, pooly designed item on their stores.
remember,we are talking Apple.design is extremely important part of its identity.

 

[Spectrum]

Is'nt this about 2x price of most 24 inch 4K displays?

I could kind of forgive the outgoing 21 inch on price since it was unique in resolution and in exactly matching the 21 inch iMac.

It makes me wonder if the 21 inch iMac is soon to be no more...

 

[s15119]

I don't even get the "ugly" comments. It's a freaking monitor. I'm looking at the things I display on the screen.

jeez.

 

[ThisBougieLife]

So does the larger size and lower resolution mean that it isn't technically "retina"? Because this display has a PPI that is not the same as the usual retina displays. All the retina displays have a PPI (at native resolution) of around 220, but this one has a PPI of 185.

 

[bitkahuna]

Though this display has a 4K resolution, it's not meant to be used at the full 3840 x 1260 resolution given its 23.7-inch display size because everything on the display would be super small. Instead, it's meant to provide retina clarity when downscaled to a more reasonable resolution like 1920 x 1080 or 2560 x 1440, which is what we have it set to.

Makes absolutely no sense that you wouldn't want to use native resolution.

 

[nvmls]

One of the worst monitor designs of the industry.

 

[sakurarain]

by speaking of the ugly design, i would pay max. $200 on it. [btw. i love my old 24'' Apple Cinema Display, it works fine and looks beautiful....]