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Need new Monitor similar to LG Ultrafine with one cable

B

bd700pilot

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 10, 2018
77
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Hello folks. I have had my LG Ultrafine 21.5 inch monitor since it came out years ago with the USB C MacBooks, but I want something bigger now that my eyes are wearing out. ;). Love the one cable feature for power, video, and audio. I dont understand if "Thunderbolt" is the term that describes that feature or not. I currently have an M1 MacBook Pro. I want a bigger monitor but don't want to spend the crazy price on the bigger model. Just want that feature, and maybe speakers built in. Also would be cool if I could use both my old LG monitor and the new one at same time. When I browse the Dell site for example, I can't find a filter for that single cable that does everything feature. I don't do gaming, just regular tasks like emails and photos etc. I am open to any quality brands, want to spend less than $1000.
 
The functionality you’re looking for is USB-C. Monitors with that connection usually only need one cable to the Mac for power and data. Are there any additional features you’re looking for in the new monitor?
 
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There are plenty of Thunderbolt/USB-C displays available. You could go for the Samsung M8, which still has a few left at the holiday price of $400 (mint green color only, apparently)
 
For Dell, I've been eyeing up the U2520D. Most people want bigger monitors, and Dell do a load of 27" ones. Search their site for "usb-c hub monitor"

Depending on what Mac you have, running more than one monitor is tricky. I have an Intel MBA but I think the issues are with the M1+ chips.
 
adrianlondon said:
For Dell, I've been eyeing up the U2520D. Most people want bigger monitors, and Dell do a load of 27" ones. Search their site for "usb-c hub monitor"

Depending on what Mac you have, running more than one monitor is tricky. I have an Intel MBA but I think the issues are with the M1+ chips.
Click to expand...
This Dell monitor looks cool, I might get one soon too.
 
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If you shop around, you might be able to find the 27" Ultrafine 5K for $900. But not sure if those deals are still around as I saw those prices a few weeks ago.
 
Thanks for posting this thread OP, glad I found it. My Mac repair centre just said my Apple-purchased Ultrafine 4k 24" is toast, because of logic board issues. 23 months after purchase, so out of LG's warranty period.

I'm going to see if Apple customer service can do anything, or my Visa extended warranty. I suppose I could ask LG if they can fix it.

I guess I presumed the LG Ultrafine might be worth the premium, and durable, being sold by Apple. Is this just more disposable tech? Apple's still selling it, at least here in Canada, for $879C.

I see the warranty is only 1 year on the Dell U2520D as well. But at least it's cheaper. Best Buy has refurbs (also 1-year warranty) for $300C.

Will the Dell U2520D work as well as the LG Ultrafine, at least, can anyone say? Image clarity for text? One USBc connector that charges the laptop, runs the monitor, and provides 5 ports out the back of the monitor?

I've got the late 2020 M1 Macbook pro, the first one, with only 2 USB ports and no other connectors.

That BenQ PD2725U might be "Mac-ready", but gosh, $1200C! But then, 3-year warranty, extendable to 5...

Anyone want an Ultrafine 4k for parts? Lol. It's in great shape apart from the logic board.
 
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Will  ever make a wireless monitor that works with a MacBook (m1) besides an airplay feed Display?
 
adrianlondon said:
Dell provide a 3-year guarantee on their monitors here in Switzerland. Of course, they charge more for them here to make up for that :)
Click to expand...

Interesting. I wonder if they make a better build quality for the Euro market. That's technically possible.

But I just checked. Dell's computers are rated 3/5 for reliability on Consumer Reports. So presumably their monitors might be just as risky to buy. Sigh. Do I have to fork it over for something pricey AGAIN?

Maybe I'll buy a refurb Imac 2020 with the 5k screen and use my 1tb macbook SSD drive with it while in my studio. Wonder if that could work? (For music)
 
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Moosebear said:
Interesting. I wonder if they make a better build quality for the Euro market. That's technically possible.

But I just checked. Dell's computers are rated 3/5 for reliability on Consumer Reports. So presumably their monitors might be just as risky to buy. Sigh. Do I have to fork it over for something pricey AGAIN?

Maybe I'll buy a refurb Imac 2020 with the 5k screen and use my 1tb macbook SSD drive with it while in my studio. Wonder if that could work? (For music)
Click to expand...
There’s no simple way to use an iMac as a 5K display for a MacBook, if that’s what you mean.
 
ericwn said:
The functionality you’re looking for is USB-C. Monitors with that connection usually only need one cable to the Mac for power and data.
Click to expand...
However one needs to check how much power the display can deliver via USB-C. It is not necessary to match the computer's power supply, but it shouldn't be too far off. A 16" MBP with a display that can deliver only 15W will probably not work all that well, but it can be fine with a monitor that delivers 65W unless you're running it at full throttle all day or need to rapidly charge it. Fortunately the selection of monitors doing around 90W is growing while those with less than 60W is shrinking. With 90W or 95W you can power any MBP, even those that ship with a 140W adapter.
 
Well, I just heard from my Visa card provider that their 1-year extended warranty will cover the LG Ultrafine. Good thing it happened now, because a month from now would be too late. They need to see the receipt that I've replaced it before reimbursing, so no other monitor solution will work for me.

Just hope my replacement LG Ultrafine isn't as fragile. It's a great monitor for a MacBook Pro, especially the 2020 with only USBc.
 
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Thanks for the info folks. I have found some 27" LG Ultrafines on eBay for about $700 used. The thing I love about the Ultrafine is the fact that I believe (correct me if I am wrong) it is the ONLY monitor (besides the Apple monitors) that functions perfectly with MacOS, where you can click the menu bar and make adjustments etc. No cheesy hardware button on the monitor that you must click to show a menu to make adjustments (like a Samsung display I got once). My 21.5" that I have had for 5 years has been flawless, only real complaint is the speakers in it are a joke, but thats unimportant. So if I get another Ultrafine, I know I can just plug it also into my Mac directly, but can these monitors be daisy-chained, as in my Mac plugs into only one of them, and then the monitors are connected to each other?
 
bd700pilot said:
The thing I love about the Ultrafine is the fact that I believe (correct me if I am wrong) it is the ONLY monitor (besides the Apple monitors) that functions perfectly with MacOS, where you can click the menu bar and make adjustments etc. No cheesy hardware button on the monitor that you must click to show a menu to make adjustments (like a Samsung display I got once). My 21.5" that I have had for 5 years has been flawless, only real complaint is the speakers in it are a joke, but thats unimportant. So if I get another Ultrafine, I know I can just plug it also into my Mac directly...
Click to expand...
I don't know if there are other monitors, (besides Apple's own- but $$$!) that integrate as well as the Ultrafines do, but I can say from experience that they work super-seamlessly with Macs.

For that reason, I'm actually glad that Visa is obliging me to buy the same 4k 24" one to get the warranty replacement. Because otherwise I'd likely cheap out and buy something less expensive, which may not offer that same seamless experience.
 
adrianlondon said:
For Dell, I've been eyeing up the U2520D. Most people want bigger monitors, and Dell do a load of 27" ones. Search their site for "usb-c hub monitor"
Click to expand...
I ordered it and it arrived a few days ago.

I love it. The resolution (2560 x 1440) works perfectly on my Intel-2020 MBA. I don't need to scale it, as I can read everything on the 25" screen without issue*. The Dell software is good for automatically arranging windows, and the usb-c cable works well for charging the laptop and using the USB ports on the monitor as a USB hub.

I also have a late-2013 MBP with a smashed screen. I use it with Ubuntu and the monitor works perfectly with that too, over its HDMI connection. The monitor came with a usb-c to usb-b cable and that can connect to the MBP again turning the monitor into a USB hub.

* I wear basic reading glasses, and use my 13" MBA on its "more space" (1680 x 1050) resolution.
 
OP wrote:
"I want something bigger now that my eyes are wearing out."

I understand about "old eyes".

Get a 27" 4k display, then run it in "HiDPI" mode.
This will give you a display that "looks like 1080p", with very sharp text and images.

For a connection, use either:
- USBc (Mac end) to Displayport (display end)
or
- USBc (Mac end) to HDMI (display end)

There are many 27" 4k displays from which to make a choice.
 
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