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Recommended second monitor for 27-inch iMac?

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Original poster
Mar 19, 2009
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315
Hi everyone,

I've been thinking about getting a second monitor to hook up to my iMac (2017 model) so I can have specific apps remain visible on the second monitor without needing to constantly Cmd-Tab back and forth throughout the day.

I'm certain the LG UltraFine 5K will be one of the options that people may recommend, and that is certainly an option I am considering alongside less expensive options, such as the Dell U2715H and UP2716D.

My main concern is finding a third party monitor that offers similar picture quality to the iMac display. I realise the LG UltraFine display might be the only third party monitor that comes closest to this, so I am bearing this in mind as I consider other options such as the Dell U2715H.

I have my iMac on top of a Fellowes monitor stand, so I'd like the second monitor to have a built-in adjustable stand. I'm a software developer and half of my work involves front-end, so the one thing I cannot compromise on is colour accuracy, so I'm looking for a monitor with 100% sRGB colour space, preferably 90%+ Adobe RGB and good black/white levels.

Any recommendations I should look into?

Thanks!
 
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bbnck said:
I'm a software developer and half of my work involves front-end, so the one thing I cannot compromise on is colour accuracy
Click to expand...

I think you are being a bit dramatic. If you were really doing critical color work you should be looking into much more expensive monitors.

That said, don't get me wrong, I completely understand you don't want a ****** TN monitor.

bbnck said:
I'm looking for a monitor with 100% sRGB colour space, preferably 90%+ Adobe RGB
Click to expand...

Color gamut is not really a measure of color accuracy, and a wider color gamut is not recommended for all use cases. For your use case (front end work) you really shouldn't care about Adobe RGB color space unless you are also working on photography destined for printing. More info here.

Color accuracy is measured in Delta E (difference between the reproduced color and a reference). Anything under 2 of Delta E is indistinguishable by the human eye.

Dell IPS monitors should be more than enough for your needs. You will of course need a monitor calibrator to get the best results. Personally think the Dell P2715Q would be a better fit since it's 4K (3960 x 2160) instead of QHD (2560 x 1440).

You could also look into ViewSonic. The ViewSonic VP2780 is a 4K advertised as Delta E≤2 and is around $700.

If you want more color accuracy you could look into NEC and Eizo monitors which are the usual brands for color critical work but I think it would be overkill for you.
 
pier said:
I think you are being a bit dramatic. If you were really doing critical color work you should be looking into much more expensive monitors.

That said, don't get me wrong, I completely understand you don't want a ****** TN monitor.



Color gamut is not really a measure of color accuracy, and a wider color gamut is not recommended for all use cases. For your use case (front end work) you really shouldn't care about Adobe RGB color space unless you are also working on photography destined for printing. More info here.

Color accuracy is measured in Delta E (difference between the reproduced color and a reference). Anything under 2 of Delta E is indistinguishable by the human eye.

Dell IPS monitors should be more than enough for your needs. You will of course need a monitor calibrator to get the best results. Personally think the Dell P2715Q would be a better fit since it's 4K (3960 x 2160) instead of QHD (2560 x 1440).

You could also look into ViewSonic. The ViewSonic VP2780 is a 4K advertised as Delta E≤2 and is around $700.

If you want more color accuracy you could look into NEC and Eizo monitors which are the usual brands for color critical work but I think it would be overkill for you.
Click to expand...

I do occasionally need to do print work.

Colour accuracy is important to me and it’s great how users on this forum like to tell other people they are wrong about their own work.

I asked for monitor recommendations. Not to be lectured about what I do professionally.

This forum is an absolute joke.

Forget it. I’ll ask elsewhere.
 
bbnck said:
I do occasionally need to do print work.

Colour accuracy is important to me and it’s great how users on this forum like to tell other people they are wrong about their own work.

I asked for monitor recommendations. Not to be lectured about what I do professionally.

This forum is an absolute joke.

Forget it. I’ll ask elsewhere.
Click to expand...

It seems you missed all the recommendations I gave you.

You also missed that you are confusing gamut and color accuracy.

I've been a front end dev for some 20 years, also done photography professionally for international brands, so forgive me if I think I know what I'm talking about.
 
pier said:
It seems you missed all the recommendations I gave you.

You also missed that you are confusing gamut and color accuracy.

I've been a front end dev for some 20 years, also done photography professionally for international brands, so forgive me if I think I know what I'm talking about.
Click to expand...

I stopped reading as soon as you started insulting me.

Please don't use the experience card, because it's a really pathetic attempt to justify your behaviour. I have known developers who have been in our line of work for just three years and have more experience than so-called senior developers of 10 years and more that are completely incapable of writing a single line of clean code. I just resigned from an organisation this month because of so-called "senior developers" that are simply dysfunctional in their work and can't grasp the concept of what's wrong with a spaghettifying 20-line multidimensional array 8 levels deep. Yet, a colleague of mine with just three years commercial experience can very clearly understand why. Your comments mean nothing, and it's no different to a politician saying the same: does it make them a good politician? Quite honestly, I don't care to know how many years experience you have or don't have. I posted a thread for monitor recommendations, not for you to tell me how smart you are.

I stipulated that I needed a monitor with good colour accuracy, and I need to look for options with good sRGB and Adobe RGB coverage, and good black/white levels. In any other forum, just not this one, I'm sure someone would come along and suggest something that closely resembles the quality of the iMac display and hopefully from their own experience (which is what I was counting on by posting this here). This is too much to expect here. Instead, people here like to unhelpfully link to a ridiculously long list of monitor options (the opposite of a recommendation) and insult people and call them dramatic.

You insulted me, and instead of apologising, you decided to gloat about your 20 long years of godly service to our industry to justify your behaviour.
 
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You and I have very different definitions of "insult".

You must be really fun at parties.

Take care
 
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