One alternative to the UltraFine for Mac creatives is BenQ’s PD3220U, a display that supports many of the features on LG’s model, like USB-C port on-board, support for a wide P3 color space, and 4K resolution.
MacBook Pro 2016 can drive not just 4K displays off it's Thunderbolt 3 / USB-C ports, but 5K displays as well. That should make the choice simple: 5 is more than 4! But there are a number of factors you want to consider before choosing the right high-density (HD) display for your Mac. That includes the number of displays you need, the geometry of your viewing space, the variety of options, and the extras like ports that are available to you.
Sometimes more is better but not always. So, when it comes to 5K vs. 4K on your Mac, here's how to choose the right HD display for you!
Pixels
5K means roughly 5000 pixels wide. 4K means roughly 4000 pixels wide. 5K is obviously bigger than 4K — says so right in the name! — but how much bigger? 5K is 5120 x 2880, which works out to 14,745,600 pixels total. (Phew!) 4K is 4096 x 2304, which works out to 9,437,184. (Phew/2!)
So, while 5K only sounds 25% bigger than 4K based on the name, it's actually over 50% bigger in terms of raw pixel count. So, while 5K only sounds 25% bigger than 4K based on the name, it's actually over 50% bigger in terms of raw pixel count. If you work on 4K video, for example, that's enough to show your video at full resolution and also show all your tools and palettes at the same time.
Here's what the difference looks like:
- If the sheer quantity of pixels on the panel is important to you, go with 5K.
Size
With great pixels comes great panel size. In other words, 5K displays are typically bigger than 4K displays. Apple seems to have standardized around 21.5-inches for 4K and 27-inches for 5K, that way the pixels remain at a small enough physical size that, when used from a normal working distance, qualify as 'Retina'. That's Apple's name for when the dots-per-inch (dpi) is high enough that you can no longer see the individual pixels and it looks more like a photo or real-world image.
Note: There are 4K televisions, which can connect over HDMI, that come in a wide range of sizes, including enormous 120-inch models. Those are different beasts and something outside what I'm discussing here.
Whether or not size matters will depend on how much space you available to you on your desk and in your room. In some cases, bigger isn't better at all. Here's how the LG UltraFine 4K display looks next to the LG UltraFine 5K:
- If you have limited space, go with 4K.
- If the sky is the limit, go with 5K.
Single vs. multiple
The 13-inch MacBook Pro 2016 can drive two 4K displays or one 5K display. The 15-inch MacBook Pro 2016 can drive four 4K displays or two 5K displays. That's a lot of pixels.
Multiple displays gives you more flexibility in terms of how you set up your viewing area. You can put them side by side, stack them, angle them, and separate different tasks and apps onto different screens.
@reneritchie I personally would do the 4K screens so I could have one to my right and one to my left of my laptop screen
— Hobie Henning (@HuntHenning) January 16, 2017A single display gives you unity in terms of one place to look and work and focus on. You put it where you want it and you don't have to worry about turning your chair or your neck to see different things, or taking up even more space on your desk.
@reneritchie I'm more productive with a single display. So it would be 5K all the way.
— Clinton Wilmott (@ClintonWilmott) January 16, 2017Here's how those displays look at scale:
- If you want a single point of focus, go with one 5K.
- If you want multiple places to separate out multiple placements or tasks, go with two or more 4K.
Ports
Because of the incredibly bandwidth required for 5K — and the chicanery needed to make it work over DisplayPort 1,2-bound Thunderbolt 3 ports — the LG UltraFine 5K display only leaves you with 3x USB-C ports on the back, and they're restricted to 5 Gbps. Literally every other bit is streaming steady 5K. The same, for some less explicable reason, is true of the LG UltraFine 4K display. In other words, they're freaking great panels that make for freaking crappy hubs.
Also, because all the ports are USB-C, if you want to connect USB-A, Ethernet, or anything else, you'll need a dongle.
Other 4K displays, though, offer more in the way of ports.
- If you don't need a hub but you do need an amazing display, go with the 5K.
- If you need more and more varied ports, go with one of the other 4K.
Who should get a 5K display for Mac?
If you want the maximum amount of pixels all in one panel, want a focused working environment, don't want to turn your head a lot, like the idea of a single cable connection, and don't care about having extra ports on the display, go with the 5K display.
Who should get a 4K display for Mac?
If you size isn't as important to you or you want more displays rather than bigger or denser, prefer the flexibility of multiple panels, like having an ultra-wide working environment with your tasks all neatly split up, or want all the ports a hub provides, check out one of the 4K displays.
How many K are right for you?
If you've already made up your mind about 4K vs. 5K, let me know what you chose and why. If you're still having trouble, check out our Apple Display Forum for expert help and advice. If you have any questions, drop them in the comments below!
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For some people a desktop Mac is just that — a powerful computer design to sit and stay on your desk, like the 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display. For others, it's a laptop they can take with them, then dock to an external display to use at home or at work, like the MacBook Pro combined with the all-new LG UltraFine 5K display.
I've gone back and forth on which I prefer. Over the years, I've had iMacs and I've had the LED and, later, Thunderbolt Display attached to MacBooks Air and Pro. Now I'm deciding again — iMac with 5K and P3 display, or MacBook Pro with the LG 5K and P3 display.
So, let's take a look!
Design
The 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display is classic Apple. Though it hasn't been redesigned in years, and hasn't had a radical redesign in almost a decade, it's still a looker. It's casing is classic Apple — bead blasted aluminum and black glass. It's razor thin at the edges, though it does bulge at the back, and its 'chin' bears a bold, black Apple logo.
The LG UltraFine 5K display is ... classic LG. It's matte black plastic, and boxy at that. There's no 'chin' but there is an LG logo bottom front. It's not ugly but more utilitarian. For anyone not used to or into Apple design, it'll be fine. For anyone who does put a premium the way things look ... it's not much to look at.
For most people, the display is the computer. It's what we spend most of our time looking at. That means the design of the display can absolutely be a deal-breaker for some.
It's unfortunate in the extreme Apple punted that design to LG for this display. As it is, the 27-inch iMac with Retina display kicks the LG UtraFine 5K's design ass up and down the desktop.
Display
Apple launched the 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display in the fall of 2014 and updated it to DCI-P3 wide gamut color in the fall of 2015. At the time, it was eye-popping. A display that big, crisp, and deep was more than immersive. It looked more real than real. Though a year has now passed, it still looks great to this day. The density is high enough that you don't see any pixels, and the color depth means reds are bright, greens are vibrant, purples and oranges are crisps, and blacks are as inky as LED allows. It remains the best big display I've seen.
Apple announced the LG UltraFine 5K display in the fall of 2016. Depending on which reports you read, the panel itself is either the same or incredibly similar to the one found on the iMac with Retina 5K display. That means, pixel for pixel, barring any other differences, the two displays should look virtually identical. Same high density, same wide gamut, so you don't see any pixels but you do see brilliant colors.
Still, there are some differences that can't be barred. Namely, to my eyes, the LG UltraFine 5K display isn't as glossy as the iMac display. It has a different finish that makes it look more matte, especially at some angles. Although there are people who would consider that an advantage, I think it comes at the expense of some of the contrast. Your mileage, of course, may vary.
Ports
Apple didn't update the iMac with Retina 5K display in 2016 and that means it still has ports like it's 2015. That includes ethernet, 2x Thunderbolt 2, 4x USB-A, an SD card slot, and a 3.5mm jack. For some, especially those with a lot of existing accessories, peripherals, and devices, that's not a drawback but a benefit.
Because so much of the LG UltraFine 5K's bandwidth is taken up by the 5K signal and power, there's precious little left for anything else. There's the single Thunderbolt 3 connector that goes to the MacBook Pro, then there's 3x USB-C... and that's it. For some, that might be forward thinking. For other, it's a pain in the I/O.
For existing setups, iMac offers the best variety and compatibility. Almost everything you currently have can be plugged in with no fuss, no muss, and no dongles.
If you're going all-in on USB-C, the LG UltraFine 5K may be just the future-proofing you need. The only bummer is, because the extra ports are only USB-C, and not Thunderbolt 3 as well, you'll need to plug anything serious into your MacBook rather than the display, which makes it much less useful as a dock.
Pricing
$1799 gets you the base-level iMac with Retina 5K display. $2299 gets you the top-of-the-line model, though you can add a faster processor, more RAM, and increased storage... at a price.
$1499 gets you the base level MacBook Pro — the 'escape' rather than Touch Bar + Touch ID version. $1799 gets you the base-level 13-inch with Touch Bar and Touch ID, and $2799 gets you the top-of-the-line 15-inch model, though you can likewise bump the processor, graphics, and storage. Add the $1,299 for the LG UltraFine 5K display (currently on sale for $974 until March 31, 2017) and you're well above that. Of course, for that price you end up with two displays — the LG and the built-in MacBook Pro display — but it's at a price.
For comparably equipped machines, you're looking at around $3349 for the iMac and $3399 + $1299 (currently $974) for the MacBook Pro + LG UltraFine 5K.
Who should get the iMac?
If you love Apple design, want an all-in-one with a single display to stare at, and consider 'legacy' ports to be a virtue rather than a drawback, the iMac with Retina 5K display is for you.
Who should get the MacBook Pro + LG UltraFine display?
If you want the portability of a MacBook Pro, an extra display instead of a single display, and are all-in on USB-C, then the LG UltraFine 5K display is currently your best bet.
Any questions?
If you know you want the MacBook Pro and LG UltraFine 5K display but you're not sure which MacBook Pro you should get, check out the MacBook Pro buyers guide. If you have any other questions, drop them in the comments below!
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