People using rMB with 4K display - your experiences?

[leeuk321]

Hi all, I know there's been a few threads on the general topic of using a Retina Macbook with a 4K (well, Ultra HD) display. Most of them are asking about specific, theoretical questions on whether a certain monitor might work well with a user's Macbook and do what that specific person needs, etc. And a lot of the answers are - albeit helpfully - from users reading up on tech specs, articles or other posts; or, the threads are years old, before the latest MacBooks and the latest MacOS updates that have changed the landscape quite a bit. I've got a 2015 rMB, and would love to simply hear from people who are actually using their Macbook with an Ultra HD display, or who have done so in the past. For instance, what year/spec of Macbook you're using, what cables you needed to use, what pitfalls you've come across (flickering screen? running slow? running hot? etc), what you've been using it for (e.g. light computer work, photo editing, video editing...).

Personally, I only use my Macbook for light computer work and basic photo editing. I'd love to connect my Macbook up to an Ultra HD display for 'desk work' and then unplug it for 'couch work', but would need to have it charging as well whilst connected to the display. Someone in another post recommended the "Belinda USB Type C Adapter, USB C Type to Mini DisplayPort/Mini DP Adapter Cable" to connect their Macbook to an Ultra HD display. If for instance I got the general impression that the 2015 Macbook was glitchy connected to a 4K display, but a top-spec 2017 Macbook ran flawlessly, I'd upgrade in a heartbeat. The Macbook is indispensable to me for it's portability, and I really don't need the power of the 'Pro', so I'm hoping I can make the Macbook work 'well' with a 4K display so I don't have to hop between two separate computers.

But like I said, I'd just love to hear actual personal real-world experience from people if possible, and I think it'd be a good thread for others if there's a good pool of user experiences for people to go off. I also think it'd be great to only hear from people who are using their 4K display at it's full 60Hz refresh rate, unless it's to say that you were forced to use the monitor at 30Hz due to performance issues (because saying that you're using it in 30Hz and it 'works great' won't really be that helpful, and I think that almost all users who are thinking of splashing on a 4K display are wanting the full-fat 60Hz experience). Any replies would be greatly appreciated!

 

[FilmIndustryGuy]

Hi all, I know there's been a few threads on the general topic of using a Retina Macbook with a 4K (well, Ultra HD) display. Most of them are asking about specific, theoretical questions on whether a certain monitor might work well with a user's Macbook and do what that specific person needs, etc. And a lot of the answers are - albeit helpfully - from users reading up on tech specs, articles or other posts; or, the threads are years old, before the latest MacBooks and the latest MacOS updates that have changed the landscape quite a bit. I've got a 2015 rMB, and would love to simply hear from people who are actually using their Macbook with an Ultra HD display, or who have done so in the past. For instance, what year/spec of Macbook you're using, what cables you needed to use, what pitfalls you've come across (flickering screen? running slow? running hot? etc), what you've been using it for (e.g. light computer work, photo editing, video editing...).

Personally, I only use my Macbook for light computer work and basic photo editing. I'd love to connect my Macbook up to an Ultra HD display for 'desk work' and then unplug it for 'couch work', but would need to have it charging as well whilst connected to the display. Someone in another post recommended the "Belinda USB Type C Adapter, USB C Type to Mini DisplayPort/Mini DP Adapter Cable" to connect their Macbook to an Ultra HD display. If for instance I got the general impression that the 2015 Macbook was glitchy connected to a 4K display, but a top-spec 2017 Macbook ran flawlessly, I'd upgrade in a heartbeat. The Macbook is indispensable to me for it's portability, and I really don't need the power of the 'Pro', so I'm hoping I can make the Macbook work 'well' with a 4K display so I don't have to hop between two separate computers.

But like I said, I'd just love to hear actual personal real-world experience from people if possible, and I think it'd be a good thread for others if there's a good pool of user experiences for people to go off. I also think it'd be great to only hear from people who are using their 4K display at it's full 60Hz refresh rate, unless it's to say that you were forced to use the monitor at 30Hz due to performance issues (because saying that you're using it in 30Hz and it 'works great' won't really be that helpful, and I think that almost all users who are thinking of splashing on a 4K display are wanting the full-fat 60Hz experience). Any replies would be greatly appreciated!

i had the 2015 low end model hooked to the Ultra HD 34 wide curved screen ($900) and it worked fine but at 30hz i guess. It wasn't super smooth from what i remember but was fine for doc work. Now I use the 2017 12 inch connected to a LG ultrafine 22 inch 4k monitor they sell at Apple store which looks much better and cleaner than the 34 inch curved wide. Document work looks smooth and i don't feel the need to plug in a macbook pro 15 inch 2017 (which I also have) to the monitor. The 15 inch has a sort of extra speed smoothness to it with a bunch of stuff opened but I only noticed it once i used the 15 inch and the switched to the 12 inch. But then you get used to either one and not notice any issues unless you have several programs and pages open at once. The LG 4k 22 inch works great with this 12 inch MacBook and i even bought the space gray full size apple keyboard, trackpad 2 and mouse 2 to have a full sweet desktop experience and stopped using the MacBook pro 15 2017. I just unplug and go. 15 inch is too big and heavy for mobile use and i never really took it out of the house in 6 months of use.

My advice... wait for the 2018 version and get the 22 inch untrafine 4k. it charges the MacBook as well at 60 watts and a quality refurbished version sells for $190 on woot. why wait for 2018? well because they improve slightly each year. i paid $600 for the monitor new at apple. at $190 its a fantastic monitor and not sure why price is so low with good reviews. you dont need to know details about anyones experience. just trust me and buy this pair. it works well for me and im a MacBook snob. i lost a lot of money upgrading MacBooks each year since 2009.

 

[leeuk321]

Thanks for your reply. So, when you went over to the LG UltraFine 22" did you run it at 60Hz?

 

[FilmIndustryGuy]

the 2017 automatically runs at 60hz. the 2015 was something like 50hz you can look it up. All I can tall you is dont buy the 2015. keyboard is not good and it lacks speed.

 

[RickTaylor]

I've just ordered a refurbished LG 4k ultrafine 21 inch monitor to use with my Macbook Pro 2016, and expect to get it by the weekend. I'll make a post on how it goes. Unfortunately, this monitor only works with the newer laptops, and doesn't work with the 2015 Macbook Pro.

 

[quarx]

For almost a year now, I am happily using a maxed-out MacBook 12" 2017 (i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) together with an LG 27" 4k monitor (27UD88-W) at work. I am doing "light" work in the office: web browsing, viewing documents, scientific word processing, programming with C/C++, Python and Matlab, and terminal access to a remote compute server. After work, the MacBook is a lightweight companion on my way home in the train.

The MacBook is directly connected to the LG monitor via USB-C, and all my other USB devices (an external USB hub, an external hard drive and an ethernet dongle) are plugged into the USB ports at the back of the monitor. The LG monitor has been working at a 60 Hz refresh rate out of the box (there is an on screen menu item "DisplayPort 1.2" to allow that), albeit the integrated USB hub then can only provide 2.0 connections due to the limited USB-C bandwith (I can live with that). The MacBook is not really running hot, so I usually work in closed lid mode.

Of course, when directly comparing the UI experience with that of a more powerful machine (e.g., I am running a Dell Precision M3800 mobile workstation with the same monitor), it becomes clear that the MacBook indeed has to struggle a bit with the 4k resolution. But I would not say that this minimal UI sluggishness is annoying in my particular work scenario.

 

[sufs]

I've been using the LG 27UD88-W 4k display with my entry level 2015 12" (first generation) for about one year.

I must add that although it works in 60 Hz, it is severly plagued with intermittent flickering (comes and goes every 5-30min). I am therefore forced to use 30 Hz to avoid any flickering, regardless of what I am doing on the machine.

For that reason I am looking to get a new 12" when it gets refreshed. From what I have heard the flickering on that LG monitor only affects the 2015 models.

I use it mainly for web-development and heavy office documents, and I must say I am impressed with everything except the 60 Hz issue. I came from a first gen retina 15", and was expecting this first gen 12" to be to slow(er) from the start, but it stills chugs along decently almost 4 years later. Impressive!

 

[EugW]

I'm tried my 16 GB 2017 Core m3 MacBook with a Cable Matters 4K 60 Hz USB-C to HDMI adapter (with power delivery port) and it works fine with my 4K TV. For the relatively brief time I used it, there was no flickering at all. This is the adapter, which I purchased from Amazon:

http://www.cablematters.com/pc-893-...sung-galaxy-s8-thunderbolt-3-compatible.aspx#

Notice the USB-C charging port on the left side. That blue dot is actually an LED which lights up (subtly) when the adapter is connected.

This is what Exposé looked like:

Although Exposé itself could stutter occasionally, overall UI performance and business app performance was very good. Also, the HDMI adapter didn't get hot. The MacBook got moderately warm on the bottom though.

the 2017 automatically runs at 60hz. the 2015 was something like 50hz you can look it up. All I can tall you is dont buy the 2015. keyboard is not good and it lacks speed.

If you have the right adapter, the 2015 will run 4K at 60 Hz. But yeah overall, the 2015 Core M-5Y31 isn't very fast, and the keyboard is noticeably worse than the 2017's.

 

[cwosigns]

I've been using an LG UltraFine 4K display with my 2016 m5 MacBook with no issues. Granted, I really only do web browsing, office work, email, blogging, etc. on that machine so nothing very taxing.

 

[leeuk321]

Some great replies here. I just sprung for a Dell P2415Q monitor and it's absolutely fantastic with the 12" Macbook. I had a 2015 rMB, which actually ran fine with the monitor, but I've just upgraded to a 2017. I don't do heavy stuff on the Macbook, but all the light graphics stuff I do on it such as Bridge & Photoshop all run smooth. I'm still in awe that I have an iPad size laptop that can edit photos and run a 4K monitor.

I bought the Dell direct from Dell so that I got the latest revision, because of the issues with the earlier revisions (particularly REV A01 and A02). My only gripe is that it doesn't have a USB-C input, which I'd wager will be on the next generation of Dell monitors. So, I'm currently using a USB -> DisplayPort adapter, which also has a power-delivery port for connecting the USB-C charger. The only problem is that I can't utilize the USB ports on the monitor (it has several USB ports and one USB upstream port for connecting to a USB port on a computer). I've looked on the market and can't find a USB-C hub that's got DisplayPort, USB and power delivery. Well, I've found a couple but they've got poor reviews.

If anyone else out there is using a Macbook with a 4K DisplayPort monitor let me know what hub you're using! If I had a hub with DisplayPort and USB ports, I'd plug e.g. a USB stick directly into the hub, which would then give me the option to temporarily unplug the monitor if need be, to free up USB-C bandwidth. The only workaround I have at the moment is to completely unplug the monitor, which is a bit of a faff if I just need to quickly copy a file to a USB stick. I'd have purchased a USB-C monitor but the only ones available are either the LG Ultrafine (which are gorgeous, but I need a proper anti-glare screen) or 27" in size (too large for me, even the 24" Dell is slightly overwhelming).

Cheers

 

[EugW]

Some great replies here. I just sprung for a Dell P2415Q monitor and it's absolutely fantastic with the 12" Macbook. I had a 2015 rMB, which actually ran fine with the monitor, but I've just upgraded to a 2017. I don't do heavy stuff on the Macbook, but all the light graphics stuff I do on it such as Bridge & Photoshop all run smooth. I'm still in awe that I have an iPad size laptop that can edit photos and run a 4K monitor.

I bought the Dell direct from Dell so that I got the latest revision, because of the issues with the earlier revisions (particularly REV A01 and A02). My only gripe is that it doesn't have a USB-C input, which I'd wager will be on the next generation of Dell monitors. So, I'm currently using a USB -> DisplayPort adapter, which also has a power-delivery port for connecting the USB-C charger. The only problem is that I can't utilize the USB ports on the monitor (it has several USB ports and one USB upstream port for connecting to a USB port on a computer). I've looked on the market and can't find a USB-C hub that's got DisplayPort, USB and power delivery. Well, I've found a couple but they've got poor reviews.

If anyone else out there is using a Macbook with a 4K DisplayPort monitor let me know what hub you're using! If I had a hub with DisplayPort and USB ports, I'd plug e.g. a USB stick directly into the hub, which would then give me the option to temporarily unplug the monitor if need be, to free up USB-C bandwidth. The only workaround I have at the moment is to completely unplug the monitor, which is a bit of a faff if I just need to quickly copy a file to a USB stick. I'd have purchased a USB-C monitor but the only ones available are either the LG Ultrafine (which are gorgeous, but I need a proper anti-glare screen) or 27" in size (too large for me, even the 24" Dell is slightly overwhelming).

Cheers

Look for a hub that does 4K p60 and USB 2.0. Not 3.0 as it can’t be supported. The 4K p60 USB 2.0 hubs with power delivery aren’t very common but they do exist. You might have to resort to Amazon.com USA though.

Note that some of the 4K p60 USB 2.0 hubs are just the same 4K p30 USB 3.0 hubs but with a different firmware.

 

[zhenya]

Look for a hub that does 4K p60 and USB 2.0. Not 3.0 as it can’t be supported. The 4K p60 USB 2.0 hubs with power delivery aren’t very common but they do exist. You might have to resort to Amazon.com USA though.

Note that some of the 4K p60 USB 2.0 hubs are just the same 4K p30 USB 3.0 hubs but with a different firmware.

I found this Cable Matters https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y5N3YCD/ref=crt_ewc_img_dp_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1AMUYYA3CT6HJ hub that does just that and it even seems to have good reviews. My only wish is that it had a removable usb-c cable so I could place it a bit more conveniently. I can't seem to find anything else that actually does this on Amazon. Are there any others you are aware of that I should consider? I basically want 4k 60hz over displayport and charging for my 2015. The other ports are a bonus not required.

 

[zhenya]

Update - I received the Cable Matters hub posted above. As expected, the short usb-c cable portion is the biggest issue - it does not fit terribly securely into the Macbook's port (which is looser than usb-c ports I have on other computers) and the weight of the hub and the heavier cables attached to it at weird angles makes it difficult for it to keep a connection if you move either the laptop or the hub.

On the other hand, ignoring that issue which can largely be mitigated as I'm working stationary at a desk, this hub does exactly what it claims. I'm getting 4k 60hz out of my 2015 MacBook plus charging, 100MB Ethernet and USB. Pretty good for less than $40 (and so far as I can find, the only hub on the market that will do this). It'd be great if the manufacturer's of the usb-c docks that offer more flexibility and connectivity would offer firmware switching between 4k/30hz usb 3.0 and 4k/60hz and usb 2.0 but that's probably too much to ask.