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LG UltraFine 5K - Owners Thread
- Thread starter iBrooker
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But this is a specific hw - a display. Their firmwares are simple and are not supposed to be updated regurarly.
They are only updated when an issue (implementation bug usually) has been found and fixed.
If you and other people have no issues, then no updates will come out. The lack of updates does not necessary mean that this is unmaintained.
For example the last FW update for XDR displays came out in 2020, just a year after the launch.
I just a got a pair of used 5k Ultrafines to run with my M1 Air and M1 MBP (one at a time each).
Both laptops are running Mac OS 26 Beta 4 - can't seem to get over 3840 * 2160 on either laptop.
Already updated both monitors to the latest firmware (3.10).
Does this look correct, shouldn't it go upto 5120 x 2880? Am I missing something?
Both laptops are running Mac OS 26 Beta 4 - can't seem to get over 3840 * 2160 on either laptop.
Already updated both monitors to the latest firmware (3.10).
Does this look correct, shouldn't it go upto 5120 x 2880? Am I missing something?
I was fairly certain these are TB3 cables - but I can test with a new cable and report back.
Ordering a new one now.
I just checked mine, which I bought a year ago on BH, which his the latest gen official Apple 5K LG Ultrafine and it shows as 5120x2880 and 40Gb/s. I'm using a the official Apple TB4 cable from the monitor to my Mac mini. It's 100% a cable issue because you need 40 Gb/s to power 5K, that is why it's lowering to a 4K resolution... Make sure you are using a TB3/4/5 or USB-4 cable.
Okay great, seems like an easy enough fix.
Cables are on order, will test and update when they get delivered. Sticking to Apple Official to be safe.
Believe it or not the Apple cables are 1/3 to 1/2 the price of the LG cables.
These displays are indeed picky about cables. It's not just bandwidth that matters. Thunderbolt 3 provides for PCIe tunneling, which is necessary to transmit multiple DP 1.2 streams (which is how these odd displays work). As I understand this, a cable may actually lack the required signaling support if it's not Thunderbolt 3/4 certified. Bandwidth alone is not enough.
The cables arrived - fixed the issue.
Have the full 40 Gb/s bandwidth as well as the 5120x2880 resolution.
This is still a great monitor in 2025! Specially for the price they can be picked up used.
Too bad the M1 machines can only support one at a time...
Have the full 40 Gb/s bandwidth as well as the 5120x2880 resolution.
This is still a great monitor in 2025! Specially for the price they can be picked up used.
Too bad the M1 machines can only support one at a time...
I always recommend Apple engineered cables for inter-relationship connectivity. It just works.
It's a great monitor, but one thing to be aware of: if you want it to last, do NOT use Power Delivery—power the host device seperately. This display has very poor thermal design/management, and the area where the Thunderbolt port is gets VERY hot. Eventually the excessive heat will cause the connector to fail. It is a difficult repair with a success rate that's maybe 50/50. Usually what happens is the pads and traces start to separate, but there are other anomolies that can be caused by the excsssive thermal wear in this area. You'll also want to put as little stress on this connector as possible, but the real killer is heat. You will notice that the connector gets quite hot even with a self powered host device.
This display absolutely never should have supported power delivery, and it's a shame that they never pushed a software update that would let you disable it.
Oh wow!
Thank you for the heads up. Will do my best to avoid using the PD.
My wife and I bought powered Thunderbolt hubs to do this with our laptops. Plug the LG into a downstream TB port and you can still have the single-cable experience to your MacBook Pro or Air, just run it from the hub's upstream port to the laptop. Our hubs were about $125 each on sale, which was a lot less than each LG. Of course it's cheaper to use two cables and no hub but we like the convenience.
I have the opportunity to buy a cheap second LG UltraFine 5K.
Can I connect two LG UltraFine 5Ks to an MBA2022? Will that work with two 5K resolutions?
Thank you for your feedback.
Can I connect two LG UltraFine 5Ks to an MBA2022? Will that work with two 5K resolutions?
Thank you for your feedback.
It doesn't look like it would work. The 2022 has an M2 but you would need the M3 version.
MacBook Air (M2, 2022) Tech Specs says No, it supports one external display maximum.
https://support.apple.com/en-ca/111867