LG UltraFine 5K Display Named 'Best Photo Monitor' in 2017 TIPA Awards

[MrX8503]

Yeah, you do keep forgetting. Have you ever looked at a MBP? The bezels are symmetrical top and bottom. The iMac has symmetrical bezels but an extra chin—and the design looks balanced. The Thunderbolt Display is symmetrical. Apple announced that they're working on new displays alongside new Mac Pros so they obviously regret this choice. I mean honestly—were they actually going to fill up their brand new campus with workstations featuring this horrid LG design? They were working on something, it fell through, and this is a stop gap measure along with their recent announcement which basically confirms that.

Furthermore, if you want to talk about dark rooms then you should know that it's not good for your vision to sit in a completely dark room. Most of the designers I know, including myself, face their displays away from the light source in the room and have everything be backlit. This makes the design flaw very obvious throughout the entire day. It just looks unbalanced and dumb. But ignore everything I said about the display itself being good, why don't you?

MBPs don't have symmetrical bezels all around though.

Apple cinema displays have massive bezels. Looks like 1.5" thick. I own one and it's unnecessarily huge.

Do you know why I own these monitors despite the bezels? It simplifies docking and reduces clutter on and around my desk significantly. Top it off with excellent PQ and it's a winner in my book.

I have two computers on my desk and I have less crap on it than most people with 1 computer.

I always cringe when I see people's desk with honking towers, speakers and cables everywhere.

 

[ZMacintosh]

No ghosting/retention on either of mine. Kernel panics no longer a problem either. Best display available for the 2016 MBP and only requires a single cable to connect compared to the 2 cables required to connect a Z27Q.
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Open your eyes! And maybe read up on retina displays.
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Damn, I keep forgetting about the two asymmetric bezels that sit in front of me all day every day. Maybe it's because you just don't see them in use because they are dark and fade away next to the gorgeous display! The reason behind the design is because they need the space for a camera which is the same reason the bezel is asymmetric on the MBP itself.

Just because you don't notice it, I've had my two 703s for a few weeks and they just started to show hints of retention. kind of unfortunate. Beautiful displays but unfortunate circumstances.

 

[btrach144]

The panel in the 27" LG monitor is the same panel used in the 5K iMac, correct?

 

[craig1410]

Just because you don't notice it, I've had my two 703s for a few weeks and they just started to show hints of retention. kind of unfortunate. Beautiful displays but unfortunate circumstances.

Wrong assumption, I've had my two displays longer than a few weeks and I've done the checker pattern retention tests. One display is completely clear and the other has the tiniest amount in bottom right corner after 3 mins of checker then grey.

I also know more than most about display testing having worked on CRT display test for IBM in the 1990's and then later for an LCD display repair company where I designed LCD display image quality test hardware and software.

So when I say there is no retention issue on my displays please don't assume I don't know what I'm talking about. Thanks.

 

[ZMacintosh]

The panel in the 27" LG monitor is the same panel used in the 5K iMac, correct?

As far as I understand it is or similar. Which to extent they exhibit the same issues (some light bleed/yellow spots, image retention/persistence).
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Wrong assumption, I've had my two displays longer than a few weeks and I've done the checker pattern retention tests. One display is completely clear and the other has the tiniest amount in bottom right corner after 3 mins of checker then grey.

I also know more than most about display testing having worked on CRT display test for IBM in the 1990's and then later for an LCD display repair company where I designed LCD display image quality test hardware and software.

So when I say there is no retention issue on my displays please don't assume I don't know what I'm talking about. Thanks.

Not assuming you don't know what you're talking about and It's not a question of whether or not you're experienced in this filed or were good at your job, I'm stating the fact that these displays often exhibit the problem...and the problem(s) still exist.

 

[oneeyedhobo]

The "newness feeling" of mine is starting to wear off, and I always have a minor something to grumble about, so ... it's a bit of a bother to have to manually adjust the brightness twice a day.

 

[craig1410]

The panel in the 27" LG monitor is the same panel used in the 5K iMac, correct?

Not quite the same. The LG 5K has an LM270QQ2 whereas the iMac 5K (2014 onwards) appears to have an LM270QQ1

 

[craig1410]

Yeah, you do keep forgetting. Have you ever looked at a MBP? The bezels are symmetrical top and bottom.

Yes I sit in front of one for 8 hours a day and no, the bezels are not symmetrical, they are in fact very similarly proportioned to the LG 5K.

The iMac has symmetrical bezels but an extra chin—and the design looks balanced.

I sit in front of one of those too and IMO the design now looks dated and heavy compared to the 2016 MBP + LG 5K combo.

Apple announced that they're working on new displays alongside new Mac Pros so they obviously regret this choice.

This is pure speculation so no point arguing. When Apple actually do release the new first party display we might see more clues as to their motivation and I suspect it won't look much like the iMac or recently discontinued Apple display.

Furthermore, if you want to talk about dark rooms then you should know that it's not good for your vision to sit in a completely dark room. Most of the designers I know, including myself, face their displays away from the light source in the room and have everything be backlit.

Thanks for the tips, got that covered. Window to the right of where I sit with horizontal blinds when needed and I have Philips Hue lights backlighting the displays. Poor quality photo below to illustrate. Sorry about the quality but I just shoved my chair back and took the snap without really thinking about the wide dynamic range.



Look at the chin on that iMac!

 

[smirking]

How can this be the best monitor ? It has resolution you can't see. This is just a symptom of the spec war and the "how to con the fan-boys with figures" scam.

I really don't know where you're coming from with what you're saying about resolution you can't see. If you mean that you can't tell the difference between 185 ppi and 218 ppi, then sure ok, but that'd be nitpicking. On the other hand, there is no comparison between this screen and a regular resolution computer screen. I constantly find myself wanting to adjust other people's monitors when I'm not using my own machine.
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Yeah, you do keep forgetting. Have you ever looked at a MBP? The bezels are symmetrical top and bottom.

Which MBP are you talking about? None of mine are symmetrical. My older unibody MBPs are close to symmetrical, but the top bezel is still wider than the bottom. The bezel of my 2016 appears to be identical in proportion to the LG Ultrafine's bezel. This doesn't mean that I think the upper bezel is wonderful, but I'm surprised that I haven't seen a single person who's flipping out about the Ultrafine's top bezel also complain about the same in the new MBPs.

 

[cupcakes2000]

The award is somewhat humorous given that LG's UltraFine 5K Display suffered from a shielding-related manufacturing defect that caused the display to glitch or turn off when in close proximity to a Wi-Fi router or, in some cases, even a MacBook Pro. LG has since fixed the issue and replaced affected displays

You just mention that, in that manner, to stoke up some flames?

Just because you don't notice it, I've had my two 703s for a few weeks and they just started to show hints of retention. kind of unfortunate. Beautiful displays but unfortunate circumstances.

I'm not disagreeing with these issues, but it's an issue that affects pretty much all of this type of display, and with some intelligent screen saver use, can be reversed pretty easily.

 

[ZMacintosh]

You just mention that, in that manner, to stoke up some flames?



I'm not disagreeing with these issues, but it's an issue that affects pretty much all of this type of display, and with some intelligent screen saver use, can be reversed pretty easily.

Yep, had it happen on a few of the 5K iMacs and even the ones prior. Its definitely these types of panels that tend to exhibit it more. One of the two have it fairly prominently more than the other but nothing that doesn't resolve itself. But to the average consume it may be a big concern.

 

[displayblock]

Anyone running this with a Late 2013 Mac Pro? I realize you need to spend another $90 in cable/adapters to connect it and you're limited to 3840x2160@60Hz with no pre-boot support, but I'm curious how the quality holds up at non-native resolution.

Not ready to sell my Mac Pro for awhile, but I imagine I'll have a pro-grade desktop machine with USB-C at some point in the next decade.

 

[craig1410]

Anyone running this with a Late 2013 Mac Pro? I realize you need to spend another $90 in cable/adapters to connect it and you're limited to 3840x2160@60Hz with no pre-boot support, but I'm curious how the quality holds up at non-native resolution.

Not ready to sell my Mac Pro for awhile, but I imagine I'll have a pro-grade desktop machine with USB-C at some point in the next decade.

I don't know about the Mac Pro but in the Apple Store when I first saw the LG 5K, it was being driven from a Mac mini via a TB2 to TB3 adapter. The quality looked really good to be honest. I could connect one of my 5K displays up to my 5K iMac as I already have the TB2 to TB3 adapter but I'll need to find a thunderbolt cable to use first. Might try that soon as I need to get a longer TB cable for my external HDD so I can get it further from my ears anyway.

 

[44267547]

Yes I sit in front of one for 8 hours a day and no, the bezels are not symmetrical, they are in fact very similarly proportioned to the LG 5K.


I sit in front of one of those too and IMO the design now looks dated and heavy compared to the 2016 MBP + LG 5K combo.


This is pure speculation so no point arguing. When Apple actually do release the new first party display we might see more clues as to their motivation and I suspect it won't look much like the iMac or recently discontinued Apple display.


Thanks for the tips, got that covered. Window to the right of where I sit with horizontal blinds when needed and I have Philips Hue lights backlighting the displays. Poor quality photo below to illustrate. Sorry about the quality but I just shoved my chair back and took the snap without really thinking about the wide dynamic range.

View attachment 696828

Look at the chin on that iMac!

That is one beatiful set up you have Sir.

 

[craig1410]

That is one beatiful set up you have Sir.

If it seems extravagant it's only because I haven't been able to quite bring myself to sell on my iMac yet. If it hadn't been for the various supply and shielding issues with the LG 5K I probably would have done so before now but the iMac has just been so solid for me, it's hard to let it go.

Also, I wasn't sure if I could live without the extra performance of the 4GHz CPU but to be honest I think the super fast SSD and faster GPU in the MBP more than make up for any deficit in CPU speed.

Until recently the iMac was sitting under the desk at my feet but that just seemed "wrong" so I put it back on the desk and rearranged things a bit to fit it in. I really should sell it though as that was the only way I justified the purchase of two 5K displays to myself...

 

[69Mustang]

...Maybe it's because you just don't see them in use because they are dark and fade away next to the gorgeous display!

It took me 3 reads to realize you weren't saying you use your monitors in a dark room.

Furthermore, if you want to talk about dark rooms then you should know that it's not good for your vision to sit in a completely dark room.

You misinterpreted what Craig quoted. I did the exact same thing and came away with "I use them in a dark room and they fade away." He was saying the bezels are dark and they fade away. We both brain farted.

 

[craig1410]

It took me 3 reads to realize you weren't saying you use your monitors in a dark room.


You misinterpreted what Craig quoted. I did the exact same thing and came away with "I use them in a dark room and they fade away." He was saying the bezels are dark and they fade away. We both brain farted.

Ah that explains why the subject of the dark room came up! I did wonder about that.

Yeah, what I was trying to say is that I've got lights behind the displays to avoid eye strain and then I've got the display images themselves which can be a bright as you want. So the dark bezels just fade away and you don't see any detail with your eyes due to the dynamic range.

Obviously the bezels are still there but you've got to consciously make an effort to focus on them if you see what I mean.

Apologies for the confusion.

 

[2013.1]

is it hardware calibrateable?

 

[BWhaler]

So glad I returned that.

Sure, the screen itself was great. But it crashed my Mac all the time and the new MBP couldn't power the screen properly.

Apple should be ashamed of themselves for pretending these screens and the 13 MBP were designed to work together. Sharing a spec sheet is not enough.

Glad Apple has decided to get back in the display business staggeringly dumb decision for them to leave it in first place. It's the whole experience.

 

[macduke]

Yes I sit in front of one for 8 hours a day and no, the bezels are not symmetrical, they are in fact very similarly proportioned to the LG 5K.

Are you freaking kidding me right now? There's the same space above as below the display. It has always been like this. You're wrong. I have one too but it's at home right now.

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Which MBP are you talking about? None of mine are symmetrical. My older unibody MBPs are close to symmetrical, but the top bezel is still wider than the bottom. The bezel of my 2016 appears to be identical in proportion to the LG Ultrafine's bezel. This doesn't mean that I think the upper bezel is wonderful, but I'm surprised that I haven't seen a single person who's flipping out about the Ultrafine's top bezel also complain about the same in the new MBPs.

…same amount of space top and bottom.

 

[craig1410]

Are you freaking kidding me right now? There's the same space above as below the display. It has always been like this. You're wrong. I have one too but it's at home right now.

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…same amount of space top and bottom.

The above photo is of the previous generation of MBP.

On my 15" 2016 MBP with Touch Bar, the top bezel is 13mm, the sides are 7mm each and the bottom is 5mm (the glass part above the logo) with the logo plate another 6 or 7mm. So regardless of whether you count the matte logo panel as part of the bezel or if you only count the uniform glass bezel like I do, the measurements are different and thus asymmetrical. So, with respect, I'm not wrong!

By comparison, the LG 5K top bezel is about 24mm with the sides at 14mm each and the bottom about the same 14mm. So the top is 1.71x the bottom and sides compared to the MBP where the top is 1.85x the sides so actually the MBP is even more asymmetrical than the LG 5K if you look at it objectively. I measured all this with just a steel rule but if you want I can go out to the garage and get a micrometer or digital calliper.

Sorry to burst your bubble...

 

[smirking]

…same amount of space top and bottom.

You're more or less correct. I suppose you can argue that the mini-chin that's holding up the display in the MBP counts as part of the bottom bezel and so the top and bottom are equal. We won't go there because it would be getting silly if we were obsessed about what does or doesn't count as part of the bottom bezel.

That's not what people are focused on anyway. It's the top bezel that people are having a hard time with and I was only referring to the top and side bezels. Few people seem to notice that the MBP has similar top to side bezel proportions. Most of us who own the LG's found the same to be true with these monitors once you turn it on.

Sure, the monitor looks awkward when you take it out of the box, but once it's on, you really don't notice the bezels just like you don't with the MBP.

 

[macduke]

You're more or less correct. I suppose you can argue that the mini-chin that's holding up the display in the MBP counts as part of the bottom bezel and so the top and bottom are equal. We won't go there because it would be getting silly if we were obsessed about what does or doesn't count as part of the bottom bezel.

That's not what people are focused on anyway. It's the top bezel that people are having a hard time with and I was only referring to the top and side bezels. Few people seem to notice that the MBP has similar top to side bezel proportions. Most of us who own the LG's found the same to be true with these monitors once you turn it on.

Sure, the monitor looks awkward when you take it out of the box, but once it's on, you really don't notice the bezels just like you don't with the MBP.

I tend to think people will be making fun of this design in years to come once Apple unveils their new professional displays. And yeah, I could the whole black bottom part whether it's glossy or matte because it's necessary to have a rubber part there to pad the display along the edge and give strength to the hinge area when closed to absorb shocks. It looks visually balanced which is a big goal for most designers.

 

[smirking]

I tend to think people will be making fun of this design in years to come once Apple unveils their new professional displays.

Honestly, I loathe the design of the Thunderbolt Displays. I know I'm in the minority, but I prefer my LG Ultrafine to the old Thunderbolt Display.

Ha! This is funny. I just realized why I never liked the Thunderbolt Display's look. I don't like the bezels. I particularly don't like the combo of glossy black bezels with brushed aluminum silver.

So it's not that I find the LG Ultrafine to be more pleasing, but it's more invisible. I have mine mounted on a VESA arm. It's just a non-descript floating black square.

So between a plain Jane screen and one that demands to be noticed when I'm not fond of it's appearance, I'd rather have the plain one, especially if it's saving me a sizable chunk of cash.

 

[craig1410]

Honestly, I loathe the design of the Thunderbolt Displays. I know I'm in the minority, but I prefer my LG Ultrafine to the old Thunderbolt Display.

Ha! This is funny. I just realized why I never liked the Thunderbolt Display's look. I don't like the bezels. I particularly don't like the combo of glossy black bezels with brushed aluminum silver.

So it's not that I find the LG Ultrafine to be more pleasing, but it's more invisible. I have mine mounted on a VESA arm. It's just a non-descript floating black square.

So between a plain Jane screen and one that demands to be noticed when I'm not fond of it's appearance, I'd rather have the plain one, especially if it's saving me a sizable chunk of cash.

Nailed it!