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beerglass007

macrumors 6502a
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May 13, 2008
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So I might get a new M4 device next week if released

Currently have a M1 iMac but fancy a 27” screen and the possible redesign looks nice for the Mac mini

What monitor options are like the iMac on screen res ?

4k IPs or oled ? 60hz or more ? Display port 2.1 or HDMI 2.1 ? USB C ?

Needs to be a uk purchase , shop please

Is there any major issues as the iMac does just work to be fair
 
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iMac 27" was a 5K monitor- an oddball resolution vs. a commodity resolution like 4K (or what will eventually be a commodity res at 8K). So choices are slim:
I believe there are a few others that are also 5K, including some that "stretch" screen sizes a bit taller or into the ultra-wide space. The "oddball" res yields less competition... which generally means relatively higher prices. 4K monitors can be had for much less but Mac at about 27" really "wants" 5K (and/or Apple really wants that price premium by not making macOS scale to any size as nice as Windows does it). macOS does work at any resolution but there are underlying reasons for 5K (or higher) over 4K at 27" or larger.

Apple fans will passionately argue for only the Apple one and thoroughly put down the rest... even though the LG used to be perfectly fine pre-ASD, when Apple pushed it in their own stores. Once Apple steps in with one, all others became "wobbly" and "plastic-y", etc... basically inferior in every possible way. :rolleyes:

However, the others are popular and generally pretty well rated if you seek objective opinions. Many Apple people have the LG because they bought it from an Apple Store when that was THE monitor, seemingly endorsed by Apple.

As a long-term iMac 27" user myself, when I went separates I chose the Dell 40" 5K2K ultra-wide. To my perfectly-fine eyes, it looks just as good as the old iMac 27" but provides much more screen R.E. AND includes a loaded hub with both "the future" and "the present" (use) ports along with multiple inputs instead of just one so that it can also accommodate other things connected to it without swapping cables. For example, Silicon kills Boot Camp and ARM Windows is not full Windows. So I went "old fashioned" bootcamp by also buying a Mac Mini-like PC and it is connected to it too. This monitor costs about the same as ASD so it's basically a lot more work space + loaded hub for the same money.

If you have the WIDTH of space available, I very much enjoy the ultra-wide option and could never go back to any of the above 3 nearly square-shaped monitors, even if I found one for $1. On a height basis, even though the number is much greater than 27," the height is adjustable and can sit LOWER then the old iMac 27... or even your 24". Much of the surplus of 40" vs. 27" is actually in screen WIDTH.

Again, fans will argue for the one and only but if you also check ratings/reviews on non-fan sites, you'll likely get much more objectivity. Whatever you choose, be sure to seek out such reviews and- if possible- take a Mac into a shop where it is sold and connect them so you can see how Mac will look on that screen.

And if you are happy with the iMac, I suggest "love the one you're with" vs. replacing before you need something new. That iMac should have a few good years left in it. Consider the M6 or M7 replacements in about 2027-28.
 
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What monitor options are like the iMac on screen res ?

Funny you should ask…

 
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Can the Mac mini power the apple studio display or does the display need to be plugged into a power source separately?
 
iMac 27" was a 5K monitor- an oddball resolution vs. a commodity resolution like 4K (or what will eventually be a commodity res at 8K). So choices are slim:
I believe there are a few others that are also 5K, including some that "stretch" screen sizes a bit taller or into the ultra-wide space. The "oddball" res yields less competition... which generally means relatively higher prices. 4K monitors can be had for much less but Mac at about 27" really "wants" 5K (and/or Apple really wants that price premium by not making macOS scale to any size and nice as Windows does it). macOS does work at any resolution but there are underlying reasons for 5K (or higher) over 4K at 27" or larger.

Apple fans will passionately argue for only the Apple one and thoroughly put down the rest... even though the LG used to be perfectly fine pre-ASD, when Apple pushed it in their own stores. Once Apple steps in with one, all others became "wobbly" and "plastic-y", etc... basically inferior in every possible way. :rolleyes:

However, the others are popular and generally pretty well rated if you seek objective opinions. Many Apple people have the LG because they bought it from an Apple Store when that was THE monitor, seemingly endorsed by Apple.

As a long-term iMac 27" user myself, when I went separates I chose the Dell 40" 5K2K ultra-wide. To my perfectly-fine eyes, it looks just as good as the old iMac 27" but provides much more screen R.E. AND includes a loaded hub with both "the future" and "the present" (use) ports along with multiple inputs instead of just one so that it can also accommodate other things connected to it without swapping cables. For example, Silicon kills Boot Camp and ARM Windows is not full Windows. So I went "old fashioned" bootcamp by also buying a Mac Mini-like PC and it is connected to it too. This monitor costs about the same as ASD so it's basically a lot more work space + loaded hub for the same money.

If you have the WIDTH of space available, I very much enjoy the ultra-wide option and could never go back to any of the above 3 nearly square-shaped monitors, even if I found one for $1. On a height basis, even though the number is much greater than 27," the height is adjustable and can sit LOWER then the old iMac 27... or even your 24". Much of the surplus of 40" vs. 27" is actually in screen WIDTH.

Again, fans will argue for the one and only but if you also check ratings/reviews on non-fan sites, you'll likely get much more objectivity. Whatever you choose, be sure to seek out such reviews and- if possible- take a Mac into a shop where it is sold and connect them so you can see how Mac will look on that screen.

And if you are happy with the iMac, I suggest "love the one you're with" vs. replacing before you need something new. That iMac should have a few good years left in it. Consider the M6 or M7 replacements in about 2027-28.
Thank you for the thoughtful and helpful reply.

I am leaning towards the ASD with the M4 Pro, but am hoping that an update to the monitor isn't around the corner ...

Thanks again
 
Asus has a 27" ProArt 5K monitor out now, for US$799.



There's also supposedly a 32" ProArt 6K monitor coming.

All I can say is the Asus ProArt 4K monitor I got had bad backlight bleed, so I returned it. However, it was an open box.
 
Thank you for the thoughtful and helpful reply.

I am leaning towards the ASD with the M4 Pro, but am hoping that an update to the monitor isn't around the corner ...

Thanks again

Since that thing is built upon iDevice tech guts, I'd be concerned that a refresh is impending. I'd see what else is using the same core A-series chip and if the answer is not much, I suspect Apple will move on from it vs. keep making it for only ASD... and/or ASD and a few other things that barely sell.
 
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I read somewhere that it is common for the LG 27" Ultrafine 5K to have a flaw with a poor connection of the TB connector to the board. It sure seems like a nice monitor, I'm wondering if other folks here can comment on this supposed flaw in manufacturer.
 
@jonh229 It appears to be a fault in design rather than manufacture.
If you apply any sideways force when you (repeatedly) plug the TB cable into to USB-C socket on the back, you can break the solder joints connecting the socket directly (at 90º) to the board.
It may be even more fragile if you are using USB-C PD to power a laptop, as the current heats up the joint if it is slightly weakened, so it fails more quickly.

Treated with care there shouldn't be a problem.
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Thanks. Because of this problem I have been leaning toward the Studio display but it is nearly 2x the price of the LG. With your explanation it seems that using it with a M4 mini as a main screen, where it is plugged in once and not pulled out often, if ever, it will be ok.
 
Thanks. Because of this problem I have been leaning toward the Studio display but it is nearly 2x the price of the LG. With your explanation it seems that using it with a M4 mini as a main screen, where it is plugged in once and not pulled out often, if ever, it will be ok.
The other option is to buy short extension cables so they are never unplugged from the monitor but things can be (un)plugged to the extension. This will save the socket.
 
@jonh229
"The other option is to buy short extension cables..."
"back in the Amiga 2000 days with joystick ports..."


If you do that it is very likely that the LG Ultrafine will only work at 4K.
This is not a joystick, it is a Thunderbolt monitor and needs TB to give 5K.
With USB-C cabling post-2019 5K Ultrafines only manage 4K - pre-2018 models won't work at all.

There are NO certified TB extension cables (only USB-C).
There are no TB3/4 cables longer than about 2' 8" (0.8m) that don't have an 'active' TB retiming chip in the plug ends, so if you add an extension to a longer TB3/4 cable it will operate as a USB 3.2 cable.
 
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The hunt for a monitor is the only thing holding me back from ordering a Mac Mini. My MBP does not look great on my 32” Odyssey G7, even with BetterDisplay, but I need a display that I can share with my gaming laptop.

I’d be upgrading from a 2015 iMac, and parting with that display is going to be hard. I’d consider going iMac again if they didn’t shrink it down.
 
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The hunt for a monitor is the only thing holding me back from ordering a Mac Mini. My MBP does not look great on my 32” Odyssey G7, even with BetterDisplay, but I need a display that I can share with my gaming laptop.

I’d be upgrading from a 2015 iMac, and parting with that display is going to be hard. I’d consider going iMac again if they didn’t shrink it down.
I also couldn’t downgrade to 4K so I instead converted my 2015 5K iMac to a monitor. It works but is not the easiest project to do, and there are still a couple issues I have to fix.
 
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The hunt for a monitor is the only thing holding me back from ordering a Mac Mini.
Yea, I am in the same boat. 2017 iMac that still works but 12 minutes to boot up and other assorted annoyances, would like to get a M4 Mini. I will probably wait another year and "see what happens".
 
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Yea, I am in the same boat. 2017 iMac that still works but 12 minutes to boot up and other assorted annoyances, would like to get a M4 Mini. I will probably wait another year and "see what happens".
I actually just ended up ordering a Mac Mini after realizing that I wasn’t using BetterDisplay correctly on my MBP. Still doesn’t look amazing on my gaming monitor, but I’m now pretty confident that if I upgrade to a 4k monitor, I’ll be able to get the Mac Mini looking pretty dang sharp.
 
There are starting to have "affordable" optical TB cables, since it is no longer a Corning exclusive.
 
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