|
|
Post by AudioHTIT on Apr 15, 2019 11:15:00 GMT -5
After a long and exceptional winter of skiing I’m headed home, one of my first projects will be to put together a new desktop system based around the latest (2018) Mac mini. Most of the components I have a good idea about, or will move from my existing Mini, but I’m trying to narrow down a good single UHD monitor that will replace my dual 24” HP monitors. One I’m considering is on sale (ending today), and I’m wondering if anyone here has a comment about it, or recommendations on another choice. My primary uses are, GarageBand, iMovie, and Visio (run in a Windows 10 VM under Parallels), some general browsing too. I don’t think I’d use a TV tuner, and don’t play games on this system. The things desirable to me are: * 43” * 4K/UHD 3840 x 2160 Resolution w/ Minimum 60Hz native scan rate * HDR * HDMI 2.0/HDCP 2.2 * DisplayPort 1.4 (desirable) * USB 3.0 / USB A & C (desirable) As the mini has HDMI I don’t really NEED DisplayPort or USB C, but Apple supports DP and my iPad Pro has USB C, so these give me some flexibility I might use. This is the one I’m currently considering and is on sale for the rest of the day ($200 off). www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=0JC-000D-005G2Thanks for your thoughts — Bruce New Questions 👇 |
|
|
|
Post by AudioHTIT on Apr 15, 2019 11:33:48 GMT -5
Ah, doesn’t look like this one has HDR, next?
|
|
|
|
Post by thrillcat on Apr 15, 2019 11:45:00 GMT -5
Not sure what your budget is, but replacing a dual monitor setup with a single display can be pretty much seamless if you use one of the LG UltraWide monitors. The only 4K model they have seems to be kinda pricey, but I can't recommend the 21:9 aspect ratio strongly enough. www.lg.com/us/monitors/lg-34WK95U-W-ultrawide-monitor |
|
|
|
Post by AudioHTIT on Apr 15, 2019 12:17:00 GMT -5
Not sure what your budget is, but replacing a dual monitor setup with a single display can be pretty much seamless if you use one of the LG UltraWide monitors. The only 4K model they have seems to be kinda pricey, but I can't recommend the 21:9 aspect ratio strongly enough. www.lg.com/us/monitors/lg-34WK95U-W-ultrawide-monitorAppreciate your thoughts. I had considered going up to $1000, but have looked at this format. My concern is that it appears these ‘double wides’ don’t come any larger, and it seems I’m giving up real estate compared to my two 24” monitors, whereas with the 43” I’m getting ‘close’ to four times the screen space. Maybe my math is off or I’m not thinking this through the right way? |
|
|
|
Post by Percussionista on Apr 15, 2019 12:20:28 GMT -5
There were some "troubling" comments in the reviews, but not many reviews (I suppose one could say that about almost any piece of electronics).
If you're really only going to use HDMI you might consider a 43" UHD TV. I've been using a (now 4 year old) Sony XBR830C 43" model, also IPS so the screen is quite uniform from edge to edge at the two-foot distance from my eyes. Don't know how a VA monitor would do that close - but this LG is IPS. We have an older 55" HD TV from LG that has DSE (Dirty Screen Effect) that seems more common from LG TV's, but it too is IPS which works fab from wide angles.
This year's Sony 43" model 800G line may not be available yet - seems to be on preorder from various stores - but the price is similar to the full retail of the LG monitor (about $650). A TV would give you a different mix of features, HDMI in only, but it also can be used as a TV - fun now and then to switch to OTA broadcasts. Not clear if the new Sony is still IPS, but I would want to know for sure, and it seems to have those widely placed separate bird feet, whereas my older Sony has a center based stand like the LG you are looking at.
Umm it seemed there was no ethernet port on the LG you are looking at - couldn't tell if it could get firmware updates, or maybe via WIFI? Anyway, check it out more carefully!
|
|
|
|
Post by ottaone on Apr 15, 2019 12:33:52 GMT -5
You'll want to consider pixel density as well. I have a Mac mini (2014, I think) and I'm using a LG 27 4k monitor and it looks great. MDW enjoys editing her photos in Adobe using this combo.
Typically, pixel density goes down with size and there may be a point that jaggedness or blurriness will start to bother you. Try it out and let us know how it goes.
|
|
|
|
Post by Percussionista on Apr 15, 2019 12:41:44 GMT -5
You'll want to consider pixel density as well. I have a Mac mini (2014, I think) and I'm using a LG 27 4k monitor and it looks great. MDW enjoys editing her photos in Adobe using this combo. Typically, pixel density goes down with size and there may be a point that jaggedness or blurriness will start to bother you. Try it out and let us know how it goes. I'm sure photo-editing and similar is glorious on such a sized monitor. I would not want to have such a small monitor for desktop use though - that pixel density is great, but the size of text would be even smaller. I don't want to bump up the overall text in windows to compensate, it just negates the whole purpose of getting a 4K monitor with 4 windows worth of HD real estate. Obviously this is a personal choice, no right or wrong, but I wouldn't want to go below 40". Quite happy with my 43" Sony, and would buy the new one to replace it if we re-purpose the old one - well except for having those wide spread bird feet (and if it weren't IPS). |
|
|
|
Post by AudioHTIT on Apr 15, 2019 12:48:38 GMT -5
There were some "troubling" comments in the reviews, but not many reviews (I suppose one could say that about almost any piece of electronics). If you're really only going to use HDMI you might consider a 43" UHD TV. I've been using a (now 4 year old) Sony XBR830C 43" model, also IPS so the screen is quite uniform from edge to edge at the two-foot distance from my eyes. Don't know how a VA monitor would do that close - but this LG is IPS. We have an older 55" HD TV from LG that has DSE (Dirty Screen Effect) that seems more common from LG TV's, but it too is IPS which works fab from wide angles. This year's Sony 43" model 800G line may not be available yet - seems to be on preorder from various stores - but the price is similar to the full retail of the LG monitor (about $650). A TV would give you a different mix of features, HDMI in only, but it also can be used as a TV - fun now and then to switch to OTA broadcasts. Not clear if the new Sony is still IPS, but I would want to know for sure, and it seems to have those widely placed separate bird feet, whereas my older Sony has a center based stand like the LG you are looking at.
Umm it seemed there was no ethernet port on the LG you are looking at - couldn't tell if it could get firmware updates, or maybe via WIFI? Anyway, check it out more carefully!
Thanks, another good suggestion. I have considered 43” UHD TVs, and having an 85x900F for my HT, Sony is a favored brand. My thinking with the LG was that I could trade the tuner for DisplayPort and USB C (and save some money), but they are currently just ‘nice to have’. Now that I’ve eliminated the LG above due to no HDR, I’ll look again at the 800G and see if I can find out when they might be delivered. |
|
|
|
Post by thrillcat on Apr 15, 2019 12:56:08 GMT -5
Not sure what your budget is, but replacing a dual monitor setup with a single display can be pretty much seamless if you use one of the LG UltraWide monitors. The only 4K model they have seems to be kinda pricey, but I can't recommend the 21:9 aspect ratio strongly enough. www.lg.com/us/monitors/lg-34WK95U-W-ultrawide-monitorAppreciate your thoughts. I had considered going up to $1000, but have looked at this format. My concern is that it appears these ‘double wides’ don’t come any larger, and it seems I’m giving up real estate compared to my two 24” monitors, whereas with the 43” I’m getting ‘close’ to four times the screen space. Maybe my math is off or I’m not thinking this through the right way? They don't come in sizes up to 43", no, but when you factor in the extra width, it feels much larger than you might think. I'm not even going to bother with the math, I'm just going with my impression having been using one for a year or so. I dropped 2 Apple 20" Cinema displays for a single 27" LG UltraWide, and I don't feel like I gave up anything when I open my editing software. If you want to go nuts, it looks like there's a 49" 32:9 monitor coming down the pipeline.  www.lg.com/us/monitors/lg-49WL95C-W-ultrawide-monitor |
|
|
|
Post by Raven on Apr 15, 2019 12:56:51 GMT -5
Last boxing day I was shopping for a new 32" 4K monitor for my computer.
But later I decided to put monitor upgrade on hold and
just wait for 8K 120Hz monitor. I expect them to come at the end of this year - beginning of next one.
Same situation with my home theater project.
|
|
|
|
Post by AudioHTIT on Apr 15, 2019 13:21:54 GMT -5
Last boxing day I was shopping for a new 32" 4K monitor for my computer. But later I decided to put monitor upgrade on hold and just wait for 8K 120Hz monitor. I expect them to come at the end of this year - beginning of next one. Same situation with my home theater project. Since my wife stole my dual monitor setup while I was gone, this purchase can’t be put off too long. 🤓 |
|
|
|
Post by Raven on Apr 15, 2019 15:30:36 GMT -5
Last boxing day I was shopping for a new 32" 4K monitor for my computer. But later I decided to put monitor upgrade on hold and just wait for 8K 120Hz monitor. I expect them to come at the end of this year - beginning of next one. Same situation with my home theater project. Since my wife stole my dual monitor setup while I was gone, this purchase can’t be put off too long. 🤓 I see your situation is different but you may find some kind of stop gap solution like good inexpensive 32" (may be even used) 1080p monitor. Just for one or two ears... |
|
|
|
Post by AudioHTIT on Apr 15, 2019 19:10:44 GMT -5
Since my wife stole my dual monitor setup while I was gone, this purchase can’t be put off too long. 🤓 I see your situation is different but you may find some kind of stop gap solution like good inexpensive 32" (may be even used) 1080p monitor. Just for one or two ears... I think a good 43” UHD will be perfect for me right now, and the cost not too dear, but if something compelling comes along I won’t mind upgrading. I’ll probably have the new Mini by the end of next week and will pickup a monitor or TV by then. I chatted with BestBuy to try and see when the Sony 800G might be available, no date so far, I’ll keep looking for something similar. |
|
|
|
Post by leonski on Apr 22, 2019 12:14:50 GMT -5
If you seperate your TV from your computer monitor, the ONLY choice for a TV in 55" or 65" are the OLED panels from LG.
I have a B6 and the picture is spectacular.....with the proviso that better input yields much better results.
Even photos 'as shot' shown on the set from a thumb drive are VERY watchable. I'll be editing up some here shortly (On1, PS is dead to me)
and checking for improvement before heading them off to the printer.
|
|
|
|
Post by AudioHTIT on May 20, 2022 21:16:55 GMT -5
So I’m reviving this thread because I’m ready to replace the 43” 4K/UHD TV I’ve been using as a monitor (TCL 43S525). For most things I use it for, I think the size, format, and resolution are great (actually it could be just a tad smaller, maybe 40-42”). I’ve been using it with my Mac mini 18 and I have lots of real estate to spread my various apps and windows out and do my work (I’ve also transitioned from the mini to an M1 MacBook Pro 14) But, I also run Windows in a VM so I can use Visio for some fairly complex drawings. What I’ve found, is that when I have very fine lines, or dithered colors, that the color I see can change as I slightly move the image around the screen. I assume this is because of the way the LED/LCD configuration builds colors, and that with vector graphics, a geometric line or point can theoretically be smaller than a pixel. When the same image is on the MacBook’s 14” XDR Liquid Retina display, it looks great and has none of these issues. So I need some better understanding of what display technologies to look for, or avoid, to improve the rendition of my Visio drawings. Would any UHD TVs, like maybe OLED, solve this color issue, or would stagnant images from drawings burn in and ruin the display? If possible I’d like to find a curved display, and though I very much like the standard 16x9 4K/UHD format, there aren’t any curved TVs in a 40 — 43” size. I’ve found a 40” 5K/2K curved IPS monitor which I assume would be good, but again don’t totally understand why (it’s also pretty pricey, but maybe that’s what it takes). I’m not fond of the 32x9 formats as I miss the height for large drawings (though I bought my wife one and she loves it). So, a better UHD/4K TV as Monitor (and give up the curve), or pricey business monitor? Any thoughts? Anyone carry these things that I could plug my MacBook in to and see what it looks like? Here’s the same colored pattern in two parts of my current display (moire is from the camera).   A pricey possibility www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-40-nano-ips-led-curved-ultrawide-whud-hdr10-monitor-with-thunderbolt-4-silver-white/6500492.p?skuId=6500492 |
|
