KVR Audio

masterhiggins · Post by **masterhiggins** » Mon Feb 01, 2021 6:23 am

So my 2015 MBP is getting a bit long in the tooth performance-wise. I'll be receiving a maxed-out M1 Mac mini in a few days and want to switch from a 16:9 to a 21:9 Ultrawide monitor for multi-tasking purposes in addition to movie watching.

Are any of you using a monitor of this size with a Mac? I'm looking to stay away from Dell as I've heard bad things regarding their functionality with Macs. These are the two I've been eyeballing, all under $1000:

ViewSonic VP3881
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074F2G8ZP/?c ... _lig_dp_it

LG 38WN75C-B
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087YZG5YS/?c ... _lig_dp_it

I've spent about 10 hours researching and comparing monitor specs, frame rates/sync, backlight technology, contrast ratio, and asking myself questions like, "will this give me eyestrain after too long?"...

It's getting overwhelming and tbh I'm probably overthinking it. However, it's also an expensive purchase.

I'd like to avoid multiple monitors as the bezels in the middle drive me crazy on my work computer, and I don't want to deal with it when working in Logic.

Any advice?

Michael L · Post by **Michael L** » Mon Feb 01, 2021 8:10 am

I agree that multiple monitors don't work well.
My only advice is to sit in front of a 38" ultrawide to see if you like the widescreen ergonomics.
I decided against a widescreen cuz I would need to turn my head a lot so I chose a 32" LG. But YMMV.
Really important to get a top quality monitor!!

masterhiggins · Post by **masterhiggins** » Mon Feb 01, 2021 9:40 am

Thanks for the input. No place nearby has them, unfortunately, so I haven't tried it yet. I'll look them up on Best Buy's site and see if I can see if they have any in another city.

Which one did you get, by chance? Is it pretty good?

Michael L · Post by **Michael L** » Mon Feb 01, 2021 9:58 am

The LG 32" 4K IPS - 32UD99 in some countries. I chose it because IPS gives a sharp image and 4k at that size gives a pixel density low enough to have large plugin GUIs. It also has a wide color gamut.
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/lg ... ,5469.html

masterhiggins · Post by **masterhiggins** » Mon Feb 01, 2021 2:39 pm

I see. Looks nice. So that 4K res is okay for most plugins? There are a few that I use that don’t resize well. Do you just zoom in while working with them?

zvenx · Post by **zvenx** » Mon Feb 01, 2021 2:42 pm

Everyone's workflow is different. I have mostly used 2 or 3 monitors for the last few decades and it would take me awhile to get into a one screen workflow.

I have been using Dell's on all my mac computers (including my mbp laptop) for over 15 years with zero issues.. But I dn't have a 4k monitor.
rsp

jdnz · Post by **jdnz** » Mon Feb 01, 2021 5:51 pm

masterhiggins wrote: ↑Mon Feb 01, 2021 6:23 am Are any of you using a monitor of this size with a Mac? I'm looking to stay away from Dell as I've heard bad things regarding their functionality with Macs.

don't know where you heard that - I've got a Dell 38" sitting here running off a 2020 16" mbp via a HP thunderbolt dock, absolutely rock solid

At work we use the LG 38"s - only because they're slightly cheaper than the Dell, again no problems. We don't buy viewsonic any more though - had too many dying (and warranty turn around on the dead ones was unacceptably slow)

jdnz · Post by **jdnz** » Mon Feb 01, 2021 5:56 pm

zvenx wrote: ↑Mon Feb 01, 2021 2:42 pm Everyone's workflow is different. I have mostly used 2 or 3 monitors for the last few decades and it would take me awhile to get into a one screen workflow.

my work machine has had a pair of 27" qhd's for ages - like you I never went to an ultrawide (34" or 38") as both would have been a downgrade in terms of usable screen area.

However the new crop of 49" ultrawides (which give you exactly the same screen area and pixel density as two 27" qhd's) are pretty tempting - we've only got one at work so far and I was pretty impressed with it - prices just need to come down a bit

zvenx · Post by **zvenx** » Mon Feb 01, 2021 6:06 pm

Thanks. Maybe one day i will try them.
Rsp

Michael L · Post by **Michael L** » Mon Feb 01, 2021 8:22 pm

masterhiggins wrote: ↑Mon Feb 01, 2021 2:39 pm I see. Looks nice. So that 4K res is okay for most plugins? There are a few that I use that don’t resize well. Do you just zoom in while working with them?

No. Even fixed-size GUIs like Alchemy & Crystal are big enough without zooming cuz the screen is so big, e.g. a 32" 4k has the same pixels per inch (ppi) as a 2k 17" laptop screen, so plugins stay the same size but there is more space around them. So you can stay at native resolution with sharp GUIs. Zooming reduces resolution.

Pictus · Post by **Pictus** » Wed Feb 03, 2021 8:00 pm

With any monitor you choose, make sure it dos not use PWM for backlight dimming!
At least avoid the low frequency PWM models...
Why PWM is bad https://www.notebookcheck.net/Why-Pulse ... 240.0.html

Best display review sites: (Check for PWM, flicker free probably means no PWM)
https://www.rtings.com/monitor/reviews/ ... tra-hd-uhd
https://www.prad.de/test-kaufberatung/t ... -monitore/
https://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews.htm
https://pcmonitors.info/reviews/

masterhiggins · Post by **masterhiggins** » Fri Feb 12, 2021 11:53 pm

jdnz wrote: ↑Mon Feb 01, 2021 5:51 pm
masterhiggins wrote: ↑Mon Feb 01, 2021 6:23 am Are any of you using a monitor of this size with a Mac? I'm looking to stay away from Dell as I've heard bad things regarding their functionality with Macs.
don't know where you heard that - I've got a Dell 38" sitting here running off a 2020 16" mbp via a HP thunderbolt dock, absolutely rock solid

At work we use the LG 38"s - only because they're slightly cheaper than the Dell, again no problems. We don't buy viewsonic any more though - had too many dying (and warranty turn around on the dead ones was unacceptably slow)

Which Dell monitor do you have, by chance? I tried out an LG 34” ultra wide @1080p and I just got an LG 32” 4K and the menu bar in MacOS is damn microscopic. I have 20/20 vision so that’s damn strange. I have to keep my face plastered to the screen in order to read stuff unless I scale it to 1440. Basically, at 4K my head and neck are moving a lot more than it did with the ultra wide 34. These are the two I’ve tried so far. Thanks.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-34wl500 ... Id=6329954

https://www.costco.com/lg-32%22-class-u ... 82248.html

Michael L · Post by **Michael L** » Sat Feb 13, 2021 2:13 am

masterhiggins wrote: ↑Fri Feb 12, 2021 11:53 pm I just got an LG 32” 4K and the menu bar in MacOS is damn microscopic.

??
I have one too and my MacOS menu bar is big with Displays set on default. I have it mounted so the centre is level with my eyes when I sit up. No head moving.

elxsound · Post by **elxsound** » Sat Feb 13, 2021 2:41 am

Nice thread... This is the system I'd like to move to when it's time (and that might be sooner than later).

I used to have dual 27" monitors for a long time and after a while, I hated it. 3 would work okay, but 2 with the frames dead center was something I noticed more and more.

I'm using an iMac bought in 2017 (2017 model), but I just don't want to be tied to the monitor anymore. I've always looked at the curved widescreen monitors, but I found it daunting to make a choice, especially right now when shopping in person is still limited.

masterhiggins · Post by **masterhiggins** » Sat Feb 13, 2021 3:04 am

Michael L wrote: ↑Sat Feb 13, 2021 2:13 am
masterhiggins wrote: ↑Fri Feb 12, 2021 11:53 pm I just got an LG 32” 4K and the menu bar in MacOS is damn microscopic.
??
I have one too and my MacOS menu bar is big with Displays set on default. I have it mounted so the centre is level with my eyes when I sit up. No head moving.

Does yours look like this?

https://ibb.co/r7WZ4nY

(You have to click the option to load full res as it's a bigass image)

38" Ultrawide for M1 Mac Mini