Studio display on windows impressions

[fgengineer]

I just recently got a studio display with the vesa mount. Since I currently work mostly on Windows, the display has been mostly attached to my PC.

I connected it to an AMD PC using the thunderbolt titan ridge add in controller card. Initially, I had to disconnect one DisplayPort from the titan ridge because I would not get a display output when both DisplayPort inputs from the add-in card were connected to my GPU. I don't know if this is because I am using an Nvidia card.

I then tried connecting the studio display using a USB-C cable and that too worked. I was then able to connect my LG 5K display. I also had to use a USB-C cable instead of a thunderbolt cable or the the studio display would go blank. I think this confirms that the Studio display can do DSC to achieve 5k 60Hz on a single DisplayPort connection. The LG 5K is currently outputting 4k only. I cannot get it to display 5K at 38 Hz like I had done previously. I changed video cards from AMD to Nvidia and the Nvidia card will not let me do a custom resolution.

I might try switching back to the AMD card and see if I can get both displays to output 5K from one thunderbolt card.

The Studio display looks very good, but I am having issues with the microphone and the speakers. I was on video calls and the microphone would stop working and I was hearing distortion from the speakers. This could maybe be caused by the fact the display is connected with a usb-c cable. I don't know, but it was very annoying.

I also don't like how the highs sound from the display. I actually like the speakers from the LG 5k better.

As for the webcam, I thought it was ok. I looked better on it, but then I was previously using a Logitech C615 webcam so I didn't have a very high bar.

I did not figure out a way to control the brightness from windows. For the LG 5K, I use a an app called LG UltraFine brightness to control the brightness. It did not work on the studio display. I was able to change the brightness on my MacBook Pro and then it retained the setting when switching back to the PC.

I am probably returning the studio display. I don't really care for the speakers and the webcam and the display is just too small for me.

Here is a pic. Excuse all the cables, since I was experimenting with them. I do like the look of the studio display a lot better than the LG 5K.

 

[Lee Cooper]

Just to make sure I understood you correctly, you got the speakers, webcam and mics working on Studio Display in Windows using an additional USB cable from your computer to the Display? I mean you have simultaneously connected the Thunderbolt and the USB cables?

 

[Amethyst1]

[...] I mean you have simultaneously connected the Thunderbolt and the USB cables?

The Studio Display only accepts input via the Thunderbolt port.
The OP are connecting the Studio Display to their computer using a USB-C cable instead of a Thunderbolt cable.

I might try switching back to the AMD card and see if I can get both displays to output 5K from one thunderbolt card.

You won't get 5K60 on the UltraFine that way because it needs two DisplayPort (HBR2 link rate) signals to do 5K60, which would leave none for the Studio Display. You probably knew this already, just thought I'd point it out.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I finally got around to watching that wall street journal monitor madness piece by Joanna stern

It was interesting to see the professional colorist preferred the LG 5K
The ultimate conclusion though was that they are super super close really…

Even though ASM buyers don’t wanna hear it I really think it’s the exact same panel with a tweaked backlight setup, different surface/glass covering and slightly different calibration out of the box

 

[fgengineer]

The Studio Display only accepts input via the Thunderbolt port.
The OP are connecting the Studio Display to their computer using a USB-C cable instead of a Thunderbolt cable.


You won't get 5K60 on the UltraFine that way because it needs two DisplayPort (HBR2 link rate) signals to do 5K60, which would leave none for the Studio Display. You probably knew this already, just thought I'd point it out.

Yes, I connected the Studio display using a USB-C cable instead of a thunderbolt cable.

I also connected the LG 5K using a USB-C cable instead of a thunderbolt cable.

Connected like this, I was able to access the speakers, webcam, and microphone on both displays. However, I did have the aforementioned issues with the microphone and speakers on the Studio Display.

I know you need two DisplayPort signals to do 5k60, but I must not be very sensitive to Hz because before I have been running the LG 5K at 5K 38 Hz by using a DisplayPort to USB-C cable for a while now and I have not been bothered by it.

I was able to run the LG 5K at 5K 38 Hz before because I was using an AMD rx 5700 xt and used the Radeon software to make a custom resolution. I switched to an Nvidia card right before getting the studio display. The custom resolution on the Nvidia control panel is greyed out for some reason. I tried using the custom resolution utility before, but could not get it to work.

The Nvidia card I am using is an RTX 3060 ti if anybody is wondering.

 

[KPOM]

I finally got around to watching that wall street journal monitor madness piece by Joanna stern

It was interesting to see the professional colorist preferred the LG 5K
The ultimate conclusion though was that they are super super close really…

Even though ASM buyers don’t wanna hear it I really think it’s the exact same panel with a tweaked backlight setup, different surface/glass covering and slightly different calibration out of the box

He preferred the LG until they turned off TrueTone on the ASD. He then rated them the same. Since LG supplied the iMac 5K display, it’s almost certainly the same one that‘s in the ASD.

 

[Amethyst1]

Since LG supplied the iMac 5K display, it’s almost certainly the same one that‘s in the ASD.

AFAIK all 5120×2880 monitors use(d) LG's panels, the sole exception being the HP Z27q that used Samsung's. The ASD's panel is rated for a higher brightness than the iMac's though.

 

[joevt]

I switched to an Nvidia card right before getting the studio display. The custom resolution on the Nvidia control panel is greyed out for some reason. I tried using the custom resolution utility before, but could not get it to work.

Did you connect the LG directly to the Nvidia card without using a Thunderbolt add-in card?

 

[fgengineer]

Did you connect the LG directly to the Nvidia card without using a Thunderbolt add-in card?

No, the display was connected through the add-in card.

 

[Eric_WVGG]

I just got a Studio Display working on a laptop with an eGPU. It took several tries.

Some notes…

- I used this cable: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083YZWLWL
- Initially, the display didn't work at all connected to the eGPU DisplayPort.
- It did work when I disconnected the eGPU, and plugged it into the Thunderbolt port instead
- But no brightness
- I downloaded Boot Camp drivers using Brigadier…
- - used precompiled binary, ran `brigadier --model iMac20,2`
- - installed with `msiexec` to run on non-Apple hardware, as per instructions here
- Reboot Windows
- with display still connected via Thunderbolt, was able to load Boot Camp (little diamond icon in System Tray); Studio Display now detected, and can fiddle with brightness.
- disconnected display, reconnected eGPU, then plugged in Studio Display via DisplayPort -> USB-C cord
- NOW it shows up.
- - if it doesn't open Windows Control Panel and make sure both displays are enabled, I think it decided to Output-Only to Internal Display at first

Cannot adjust brightness in Boot Camp, speakers and camera do not work (all of which make sense, because this is just a DisplayPort signal, there is no USB or "intelligence" going down that pipe). But anyway, I can play Elden Ring with the full rendering power of my eGPU now, so I'm content.