LG 5K Transplanting panels between 2 units

[waffffffle]

I have 2 LG 5K 27-inch displays that I've acquired over time (both used when I got them). One is the original Thunderbolt-only model (27MD5KA) while the other also supports DisplayPort in addition to Thunderbolt (27MD5KL). The panel on the older Thunderbolt-only model exhibits significant image retention while the image is fine on the newer model.

Due to the specs of the specific devices that I need to attach to the displays, I'd strongly prefer for my DisplayPort-compatible model to be the lesser quality screen, and for the Thunderbolt-only model to be the higher quality screen. So I'd like to transplant the panels between the 2 displays.

Has anyone done anything like this? Are the panels even compatible between the two models?

Thanks for any insights.

 

[joevt]

Explain why the newer, more capable DisplayPort compatible monitor should have the lesser quality screen.

Do you have a device that is not compatible with the newer Titan Ridge Thunderbolt controller but is compatible with the older Alpine Ridge Thunderbolt controller? I can't think of any device that would have this problem.

Actually, the 5K displays don't have a downstream Thunderbolt port, so you must be talking about USB devices. As far as I know, both use FL1100 USB controllers, bypassing the USB controller of the Thunderbolt controller.

 

[waffffffle]

I have non-Mac devices that don't support Thunderbolt. I want to use the better screen with a Mac and the worse screen with a non-Mac device. Currently I have to do the opposite.

 

[joevt]

I have non-Mac devices that don't support Thunderbolt. I want to use the better screen with a Mac and the worse screen with a non-Mac device. Currently I have to do the opposite.

That makes sense. I thought when you said devices, you meant peripheral devices, not host devices.

To get a Thunderbolt display to work with a computer that doesn't have Thunderbolt would require using a Thunderbolt add-in card which might not always work for computers that don't have built-in support for a Thunderbolt add-in card.

It's usually not necessary for the Thunderbolt add-in card to have a PCIe connection to the host in order to be able to convert DisplayPort to Thunderbolt but in that case none of the USB features of the display can work.

 

[waffffffle]

The non-Mac devices do not support cards. I want to swap the panels between the displays. That is why I am asking if anyone knows if the panels are the same and they could just be swapped.

 

[PaulD-UK]

This website listing display specifications shows both have the same LM270QQ2-SPA1 panel. FWIW...

27" LG 27MD5KA - Specifications

Specifications of LG 27MD5KA. Display: 27 in, AH-IPS, W-LED, 5120 x 2880 pixels, Viewing angles (H/V): 178 ° / 178 °, Brightness: 500 cd/m², Static contrast: 1200 : 1, Refresh rate: 48 Hz - 60 Hz, Dimensions: 626 x 375.16 x 53.85 mm, Weight: 6.4 kg. LG 27MD5KA is also known as LG 27MD5KA-B, LG...

www.displayspecifications.com

27" LG 27MD5KL - Specifications

Specifications of LG 27MD5KL. Display: 27 in, AH-IPS, W-LED, 5120 x 2880 pixels, Viewing angles (H/V): 178 ° / 178 °, Brightness: 500 cd/m², Static contrast: 1200 : 1, Refresh rate: 48 Hz - 60 Hz, Dimensions: 626 x 464 x 54 mm, Weight: 6.4 kg. LG 27MD5KL is also known as LG 27MD5KLB, LG...

www.displayspecifications.com