Looking for 24" 4K monitor recommendation for 2018 15.4" MBP

[Broadus]

I've been researching monitors for my 2018 15.4" MBP, mostly for textual work (research and writing), along with watching some videos along and along.

Based on my research, including reading dozens of threads here, I've narrowed my choice to 4K monitors, then to 24" running in the x2 1080p scaling (if I'm saying that right), and now to two particular options, the Dell P2415Q ($400 U.S.) and the LG 24UD58-B ($300).

The Dell gets a bit brighter and has a better stand, but I've read of conflicts between the P2415Q and MBPs. Still, it's hard to know how relevant the issues are because the monitor has been around for over five years and has evidently been updated several times.

The Dell has a three-year warranty, no-dead-pixel guarantee, and the LG has a one-year warranty.

The simplest thing would be to buy the 24" LG Ultrafine from Apple (I cannot justify the 27" 5K for my usage), but an Apple representative tells me that they have been discontinued (even through the 24" LG remains on Apple's website but out-of-stock online and not available in stores).

At any rate, I'm open to any suggestions, recommendations, and cautions.

Thanks much.

 

[Clix Pix]

I have the LG 24" Ultrafine Thunderbolt 3 monitor that I bought last December at the Apple store, and I love it! If you can lay your hands on one somewhere, it's definitely worth it.

 

[Broadus]

I have the LG 24" Ultrafine Thunderbolt 3 monitor that I bought last December at the Apple store, and I love it! If you can lay your hands on one somewhere, it's definitely worth it.

The only places I can find 24” Ultrafine online are priced at $750 to over $1000. If Apple had had any in stock this afternoon for the list price of $700, I would have ordered one. I could barely justify that price, but knowing that the display is optimized for Macs is attractive. However, paying above the retail price is an opportunity I’ll leave to someone else.

 

[Clix Pix]

I bought mine back in December of 2019 and I can't remember the exact price but it definitely was under $750.00! It's a great monitor and the "sweet spot" in terms of size for me. The Thunderbolt 3 cable just plugs into one of my 2018 MBP ports and that's it. The LG charges the computer as well as runs its monitor.

 

[Broadus]

I bought mine back in December of 2019 and I can't remember the exact price but it definitely was under $750.00! It's a great monitor and the "sweet spot" in terms of size for me. The Thunderbolt 3 cable just plugs into one of my 2018 MBP ports and that's it. The LG charges the computer as well as runs its monitor.

Right—that helps make it attractive even with the premium pricing. I just have an issue when sellers charge more than the manufacturer’s full retail price. B&H has increased the price to $850 plus state sales tax.It’s a nice display, but twice as nice as the Dell P2415Q.

I’m leaning towards the Dell as of this moment. I intend to make a final decision and order tomorrow.

 

[mj_]

I could barely justify that price, but knowing that the display is optimized for Macs is attractive.

There's nothing optimized or even special about this display. It's an LG display sold with Apple's blessing through Apple with a not-very-well hidden Apple tax tagged on. However, at the end of the day it's an LG panel inside an LG case manufactured and assembled by LG. Every other LG display with the same size and the same resolution is most likely going to feature the exact same 4K panel and thus offer a comparable if not identical visual experience. The only optimization, if you will, is that you can control brightness via software from macOS instead of using buttons on the display, but as far as I know that's it.

Don't fall for Apple's marketing BS. Dell and LG both make brilliant displays, and either one of those will be a great choice.

 

[Broadus]

There's nothing optimized or even special about this display. It's an LG display sold with Apple's blessing through Apple with a not-very-well hidden Apple tax tagged on. However, at the end of the day it's an LG panel inside an LG case manufactured and assembled by LG. Every other LG display with the same size and the same resolution is most likely going to feature the exact same 4K panel and thus offer a comparable if not identical visual experience. The only optimization, if you will, is that you can control brightness via software from macOS instead of using buttons on the display, but as far as I know that's it.

Don't fall for Apple's marketing BS. Dell and LG both make brilliant displays, and either one of those will be a great choice.

That’s good to know. An additional thought is that I will use my MBP in clamshell, so that would make not being able to adjust the LG 24” UltraFine annoying.

 

[mj_]

You still would, through system preferences. Either way, I wouldn't get either of the two monitors you picked because they don't have USB-C input. If I were to buy a display for a MacBook Pro I would pick one that has USB-C input with support for Power Delivery. That way all you need to connect the display and charge your laptop at the same time is a single cable.

Unless of course you already own a TB3 dock.

 

[Fishrrman]

A list that may be of some use:
IPS Monitor List: Best AHVA, PLS & IPS LCD Displays

 

[Broadus]

You still would, through system preferences. Either way, I wouldn't get either of the two monitors you picked because they don't have USB-C input. If I were to buy a display for a MacBook Pro I would pick one that has USB-C input with support for Power Delivery. That way all you need to connect the display and charge your laptop at the same time is a single cable.

Unless of course you already own a TB3 dock.

Having a USB-C input is definitely preferable, but I haven’t found a 24” UHD monitor with USB-C input. Most of my work is writing in Pages and reading reference documents, and it seems the 24” size would give me the sharpest fonts scaled up 200% to the 1080p size text.

 

[Broadus]

Thanks to those who offered insight, not only here but over the past few years in the Macrumors threads that I found. I finally settled on the Dell P2415Q and ordered one from Dell this afternoon.

 

[Broadus]

It looks like Dell has discontinued the P2415Q. It was to be delivered yesterday, September 11, but then I received notice that delivery was delayed until September 15. A couple of days after receiving that notice, on my order page was the notice: "This item no longer available for resale," and now the product page has been removed.

I cancelled that order and ordered the LG 24UD58-B from Amazon, along with a monitor arm for my desk.

It looks as though 24" UHD monitors are soon to be a thing of the past, but it seems a better size for viewing 1080p scaling than a 27".