Ultrafine 22md4ka or Dell UP2414q or 27 inch 4k

[chacrat]

Hi,
I can have (for my Mac mini M1 16Gb) :
- a second hand Ultrafine 22md4ka (from 2018) @ 300€ (219 ppi)
- or a second hand Dell UP2414q (from 2016) @ 200€ (185 ppi)
- or a new 27 inch 4k @ xx € (163 ppi) ??
What would you chose guys ?
Best,
C

 

[Amethyst1]

I’d stay the hell away from the Dell UP2414Q! It’s an early tiled 4K MST display from 2013 and had quite a few annoying issues. I wouldn’t bet on it working properly with an M1 Mac. I’d strongly suggest to avoid that one at all costs.

Its successor, the Dell P2415Q released at the end of 2014, is a very solid choice on the other hand (I have one). You should be able to find a used P2415Q for less than 200 euros.

27” 4K is a bit low on the PPI side (but still just about acceptable), so my choice out of the three options you listed, would be the UltraFine (which I also happen to own). Perfect PPI for macOS.

 

[chacrat]

Thanks for the fast reply. Not sure how to find a P2415Q at around 200€ in Europe…..
I am just worried the 22 inch is just too small.

In February this year, I bought a P3421W Dell (around 110ppi) and it was really bad. Is 163 ppi still ok ?

 

[Amethyst1]

Not sure how to find a P2415Q at around 200€ in Europe…..

Used is pretty much your only hope I'm afraid.
Here's a list of 24" "4K" monitors - most of them have since been discontinued though. Avoid the UP2414Q!
If it is available to you locally, this [https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/163291137904] is also worth looking at. Here's a mini-review.

I am just worried the 22 inch is just too small.

I wouldn't want to use the 21.5" UltraFine as my one and only monitor. It's my secondary monitor and works really well for that. Small but very high-res.

Is 163 ppi still ok ?

I also have a 163 ppi monitor and find it still OK.
I wouldn't want to go any lower in terms of pixel density. 110 ppi is terrible on macOS. You pretty much need a "4K" (or higher-resolution, i.e. 5K/6K) monitor to get the HiDPI ("Retina") modes with their vastly better font rendering.

 

[Colstan]

I have a 21.5-inch UltraFine paired with my 2018 base model Mac mini. I managed to get a brand-new boxed unit off of Ebay about three months ago for half the original MSRP. Where this technological leprachaun had been hiding for over two years, I'm not sure, but it was sealed at the factory. So, it is still possible, if very difficult, to find an unopened unit. Still, if you can find a used one that has no defects, then that would be my recommendation.

Having tried many monitors with Macs, with various ppi densities, I must say that I absolutely prefer the 219 ppi that Apple recommends. Everything else falls short, particularly with the way macOS renders to high-dpi displays. Having experienced it for a few months now, I personally would only go with a display that Apple would qualify as "Retina". Unfortunately, that narrows the choices down to the discontinued 22MD4KA, the UltraFine 5K which is currently having availability issues, the professionally expensive XDR, and of course the iMac line if we include entire desktops.

It depends on your priorities, monitor availability, budget, and personal preferences for a display. I personally would do my best to go with a monitor within Apple's recommended guidelines.

 

[Chundles]

Really wish there were more 4K 24” screens and 5K 27” screens. 4K (1920x1080 @2x) is too low-res for anything above 24”. Makes all the UI really big.

 

[chacrat]

Thanks for your replies guys. I have decided to go for a 24 inch.
Thanks to Amethyst1, I finally have found a 24 inch from Asus (https://www.asus.com/Displays-Desktops/Monitors/Gaming/MG24UQ/).
Best

 

[Amethyst1]

Everything else falls short, particularly with the way macOS renders to high-dpi displays.

This. The problem is not (really) the monitors. It's macOS' way of handling non-integer scaling. Windows handles non-integer scaling in a way that causes neither blurriness nor a performance drop.

Here is a list of monitors with the "ideal" ≈220 ppi.