New macmini external monitor for retiree (he likes HUGE font/low res) recommendations

[phillyman]

Hi All,

I'm looking into upgrading my father to an apple silicon mac mini. I'd hoped to move him to an iMac but was looking for a bit more power/ram since he tends to hold onto his computers 10+ years. I'm ready to buy it but need some advice on some external monitors.

Years ago I adjusted the resolution on his screen to something ridiculous which he now enjoys since all the fonts etc are nice and big. Buttons/Menus are all large with little screen real estate but he is happy so I am.

What 24/27 inch monitors do you recommend for a mac mini with that in mind? Now those might be the same as if one would use them with their native resolution.

Anyone deal with this issue with their parents? Heck even I nowadays find some resolutions/fonts etc too small. I know some adjustments can be made with accessibility and that zoom function but he prefers just the whole screen to be larger and then scroll within the windows.

Thanks for the monitor recommendations and any other suggestions.

Philly

 

[turbineseaplane]

I have an older relative like this, and I put him on a 32" 4k monitor from Costco

He dials the fonts up and screws with the resolution to make things huge

It looks awful to me -- but he seems to enjoy/prefer it ... so 🤷‍♂️

 

[Boyd01]

Don't know how old your Dad is, but I'm 73 and use a 32-inch BenQ PD3200Q QHD (2560x1440) screen at native resolution on my 2018 Mini. I believe the dot pitch is 94 PPI. I find that comfortable for reading and it gives me a big desktop (I do a lot of work with GIS software in a Windows VM, making maps).

Anyway, I've been really happy with this screen although it might not be quite what you had in mind.

 

[phillyman]

He is 83 but I'll see what he thinks. I made the mistake in my OP not to mention that he likes a two screen setup so that he can have sports running on one (or imessage) and whatever he is working on the second. But I do like the idea of the 32...
@turbineseaplane 100% feel you... EVERYTHING IS HUGE andn looks pretty awful but who are we to judge ;-) ! We might do the same when we are that age.. But by then we will have some implant or whatever Zuckerberg and Cook try to sell us

But again thanks to both of you.

 

[kschendel]

I have a version of that same BenQ 32" screen. If you run it at 1080p you get giant sized screen elements, and it's large enough that if your vision is merely poor rather than dreadful, you can run it at native 1440p and there's plenty of space to crank up the font and icon sizes.

 

[Fishrrman]

This is easy.

Get a 27" 4k display.
Then run it at "looks like 1080p" (which is probably the default for the Mac OS).

BUT...
If even that's not "big enough" for him, then get a 32" 4k display instead (again, set up for "looks like 1080p").

This will be great for his "older eyes".

Hmmm... at age 83... you might just skip the 27" size, and get the 32" 4k...

 

[velocityg4]

If he has the space. I'd just use a 50-55" 4K TV. Then he can have plenty of screen real estate and giant fonts. By setting it at 1080 scaling.

 

[phillyman]

If he has the space. I'd just use a 50-55" 4K TV. Then he can have plenty of screen real estate and giant fonts. By setting it at 1080 scaling.

Not a bad idea, I think that might be a BIT extreme but I'm sure he'd like it

 

[phillyman]

I think I'll go 32 4K or two 27s see what he wants. Thank you for the recommendations of the BenQ

 

[turbineseaplane]

If he has the space. I'd just use a 50-55" 4K TV. Then he can have plenty of screen real estate and giant fonts. By setting it at 1080 scaling.

We joke, but my uncle (who’s 85, almost 86) used to run a 43” 4K tv, set to look like 1080p, and he LOVED it..

You should have seen the physical size of the mahjong tiles on his Hoyle Card games install I did for him

Lol

 

[chown33]

I may have missed it, but what's he using now? Is there some practical reason he can't keep using those displays?

Also, where does he put the displays? Fitting new displays into an existing location may be the main limiting factor.

 

[phillyman]

We joke, but my uncle (who’s 85, almost 86) used to run a 43” 4K tv, set to look like 1080p, and he LOVED it..

You should have seen the physical size of the mahjong tiles on his Hoyle Card games install I did for him

Lol

Hoyle card was awesome ! Played that ad infinitum

 

[phillyman]

I may have missed it, but what's he using now? Is there some practical reason he can't keep using those displays?

Also, where does he put the displays? Fitting new displays into an existing location may be the main limiting factor.

He currently has an old 24inch intel iMac and a crappy Dell which he might keep.
thank you for pointing out that I forgot that information.

 

[chown33]

If he likes how the crappy Dell looks, then be sure to do a visual test with whatever display you add to the setup. If it's a hi-res display, like some of the 4k suggestions, its screen may look quite different from the Dell, and he might prefer something with similar quality. That may well be a crappy 1080p display.

 

[phillyman]

If he likes how the crappy Dell looks, then be sure to do a visual test with whatever display you add to the setup. If it's a hi-res display, like some of the 4k suggestions, its screen may look quite different from the Dell, and he might prefer something with similar quality. That may well be a crappy 1080p display.

Did not realize that.. Thank you for sharing

 

[Fishrrman]

If the 24" Dell is 1080p, then I predict he will like a 27" or 32" 4k display MUCH better.

The text size will be BOTH larger... and SHARPER... and thus, easier for old eyes to read.

 

[Santabean2000]

Hi All,

I'm looking into upgrading my father to an apple silicon mac mini. I'd hoped to move him to an iMac but was looking for a bit more power/ram since he tends to hold onto his computers 10+ years. I'm ready to buy it but need some advice on some external monitors.

Years ago I adjusted the resolution on his screen to something ridiculous which he now enjoys since all the fonts etc are nice and big. Buttons/Menus are all large with little screen real estate but he is happy so I am.

What 24/27 inch monitors do you recommend for a mac mini with that in mind? Now those might be the same as if one would use them with their native resolution.

Anyone deal with this issue with their parents? Heck even I nowadays find some resolutions/fonts etc too small. I know some adjustments can be made with accessibility and that zoom function but he prefers just the whole screen to be larger and then scroll within the windows.

Thanks for the monitor recommendations and any other suggestions.

Philly

Highly recommend the Dell U3223QE for your needs (have mine paired with a Mac mini Pro!). Works well.