Which monitor to Pair with Mac Studio?

[Mac4EveryPerson]

Upgrading to the M1 Mac studio, going for a monitor also.

Tired of reading all the comparisons pros and cons of the mac studio monitor and all the non-apple monitors out there.

reviews are great and the non-apple monitors at half the cost of the Mac Studio. But then the reviews are either 5 star down to 2 star. For example, LG UltraFine had alot of 4-5 star then owners complained about issues with the display after less than a year of use. So spending under $800-1000 and then hassling with LG or other manufacturers to maybe get it fixed. Supposedly LG supllies the display to apple for the Mac studio.

I do realize that the mac studio monitor is best in quality design to any rivals out there hands down. All my imacs are solid displays for years. Only downside i have is the non adjustable stand.. why for gods sake .

so any recommendations on which monitor other than the mac studio OR why the studio iis my best choice would be greatly appreciated.

i use my macs for drumming, recording, software development , us 3D modeling software, general stuff, etc. do not get into video editing or gaming.

 

[ferrarr]

I love my ViewSonic monitor I got last year at Christmas.

ViewSonic VP3256-4K, 32" 4K UHD Professional Graphic Design Monitor with USB-C (60W)

32 Inch 4K UHD (3840x2160p) IPS monitor with thin bezels, HDR10 and 60Hz refresh rate In addition to fast data, audio and video transfer, USB-C also provides quick 65W charging over a single cable Advanced ergonomics (tilt, swivel, pivot and height) for all-day comfort Flicker-Free technology...

www.viewsonic.com

 

[pigoo3]

Maybe post some additional details regarding what you require from a new monitor.

Primary/more important attributes:

* Size of the monitor (diagonal measurement).
* Resolution requirements (2k, 4k, 5k, etc.).

Secondary/less important attributes:

* Built in speakers
* Height adjustable stand
* Tilt & swivel
* Particular video ports
* Built in camera
* etc.

Lastly...if you have any budget constraints (maximum budget for example).

The more you tell us...the more we can help.

Nick

p.s. Thread moved to "Other Hardware & Peripherals".

 

[IWT]

@Mac4EveryPerson

I actually have a lot of sympathy & understanding in regard to what you posted.

That in no way way contradicts the information you have already had.

Mac Studio is expensive from the start and the offered options pile on the cost. But I understand that if you have the resources to buy such a product, the final step is the monitor (and perhaps, also the stand).

I don't, personally, find the stand options such a problem; but, yes, the monitor - which in the final analysis, is the most important part of the setup - demands careful scrutiny.

And that's where opinions and reviews can be misleading, not by intent, but perhaps by suggesting that as the Apple monitor is hugely expensive, here are a bunch of monitors at much less cost. Everybody means well, and many have chosen other monitors; but what you are after, I believe, is personal experience from such users.

Personal opinion here; okay? - I need to upgrade my system soonish and the Studio option is very attractive. The "easy" part is the specs. The crucial part is the monitor. Apple's monitor is way-out expensive; but if I'm going to splash out on Studio, I want the best Monitor which reflects the best that Studio can offer. Otherwise, why splash out on that initial expense only to be let down by the monitor.

So I appreciate your difficulty in deciding whether much cheaper, or much smaller screen sizes will do justice to the Studio experience.

Ian

 

[Mac4EveryPerson]

I love my ViewSonic monitor I got last year at Christmas.

ViewSonic VP3256-4K, 32" 4K UHD Professional Graphic Design Monitor with USB-C (60W)

32 Inch 4K UHD (3840x2160p) IPS monitor with thin bezels, HDR10 and 60Hz refresh rate In addition to fast data, audio and video transfer, USB-C also provides quick 65W charging over a single cable Advanced ergonomics (tilt, swivel, pivot and height) for all-day comfort Flicker-Free technology...

www.viewsonic.com

wow that's promising. Not sure how I missed this in my radar. Out of stock right now, but looking at this one:
viewSonic
ViewSonic has been around for eons... thankx.

 

[Mac4EveryPerson]

Maybe post some additional details regarding what you require from a new monitor.

Primary/more important attributes:

* Size of the monitor (diagonal measurement).
* Resolution requirements (2k, 4k, 5k, etc.).

Secondary/less important attributes:

* Built in speakers
* Height adjustable stand
* Tilt & swivel
* Particular video ports
* Built in camera
* etc.

Lastly...if you have any budget constraints (maximum budget for example).

The more you tell us...the more we can help.

Nick

p.s. Thread moved to "Other Hardware & Peripherals".

32", 4K.

Speakers - typically none of these monitors have great speakers, so I'll use externals.
Camera - if not available, I'll use external.
video ports - hdmi, usb. maybe if thunderbolt is available.

ABOVE ALL:

Reliability

 

[Raz0rEdge]

You want your monitor to be good at the display piece, you absolutely do NOT want it to have anything else. For one, it's going to be underrated and second it's going to be stuck in the ages for a while.

A good set of speakers is very cheap. Webcams are affordable and more importantly easily upgradable as time marches on.

You don't need USB hubs on monitors, all gimmicks. You want HDMI minimally, but TB for flexibility.

Reliability comes from going with a reputable brand with a good warranty.

Like Bob, I'm partial to Viewsonics and have a number of them in my household, including the two 2K 27" monitors powering my current setup of Mac Studio and MBP.

 

[Shazaam!]

Over the years (decades actually) there have been many who’ve tried to beat Apple by building a better peripheral or software product. Third party software rarely causes crashes (as they once did) and industry standards for hardware have solved a lot of problems. Nevertheless, hardware incompatibilities with current and future software — and other hardware still occur. Tales of “when I do this, my non-Apple item won’t do this” are everywhere (this site included).

You can try to beat Apple and take “expert” advice regarding cheaper alternatives, but my experience is that you’ll regret it a little — or a lot.

For example, Apple built a computer into the Studio Display, and right now it doesn’t do much more than control the camera. That may change. Apple will update the OS with more features that may affect the Studio Display functionality. Maybe not.

On thing’s for sure, the Studio Display will work as expected, now and into the future.

Saving money on non-Apple products, when there is an Apple alternative, has not worked for me. Too many examples to relate and you probably won’t listen anyway.

Regarding Apple product costs, my philosophy is:
I can’t afford the best of everything, but I can afford the best of a few things.

 

[Raz0rEdge]

This is fine for Macs and the OS, but blindly buying all Apple peripherals is nice quite smart. To assume that others aren't able to make a good monitor or something is just silly.

Buying the Studio Display just because its made by Apple and ignoring the premium price is honestly dumb. But hey, its your money, you spend it the way you want.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

This is fine for Macs and the OS, but blindly buying all Apple peripherals is nice quite smart. To assume that others aren't able to make a good monitor or something is just silly.

Buying the Studio Display just because its made by Apple and ignoring the premium price is honestly dumb. But hey, its your money, you spend it the way you want.

I have to agree. Especially since Apple doesn't actually make ANY of their displays. They source one from LG or Samsung and put their logo on it.

In fact, my experience is that if you do a lot of research, you can find out who made a particular display for Apple, go to that company's Web site, and you can usually find an almost identical monitor being sold by the manufacturer that is just as good. Often for about half the price of the Apple-branded version, and sometimes with more features.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

If you are looking for a premium 32-inch monitor, you should consider one of these:

VP3256-4K - 32" ColorPro™ 4K UHD IPS Monitor with 60W USB C, sRGB, HDR10 and Pantone Validated
$500
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09RG6PS6D/?tag=macforums0e4-20
$523

ViewSonic VP3256-4K, 32" 4K UHD Professional Graphic Design Monitor with USB-C (60W)

32 Inch 4K UHD (3840x2160p) IPS monitor with thin bezels, HDR10 and 60Hz refresh rate In addition to fast data, audio and video transfer, USB-C also provides quick 65W charging over a single cable Advanced ergonomics (tilt, swivel, pivot and height) for all-day comfort Flicker-Free technology...

www.viewsonic.com

LG 32UL950-W 32" Class Ultrafine 4K UHD LED Monitor with Thunderbolt 3 Connectivity Silver
$797
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K8877Y5/?tag=macforums0e4-20

With regard to Amazon reviews....you have to actually read them and analyze them. A product with a lot of 5 stars, and a few one and two star reviews sometimes means that a few idiots wrote reviews. Folks who aren't smart enough to set up their computer equipment, or who think that computer equipment is magic, and they are disappointed because what they purchased won't open a portal to a different dimension, write one and two star reviews.

As far as products that fail in the first year...just about all computer equipment will have a certain percentage of examples that fail within the first year. Apple included. No company can afford to burn-in and test their products for extended periods of time to assure that they won't fail. Doing that is too expensive. They do minimal testing and then provide a warranty.

The big selling point for purchasing from Amazon, at least here in the U.S., is that they offer their own one year warranty and they make returning the product dead easy (you just return it to any Kohl's store where they will pack it and ship it for you.)

 

[Mac4EveryPerson]

You want your monitor to be good at the display piece, you absolutely do NOT want it to have anything else. For one, it's going to be underrated and second it's going to be stuck in the ages for a while.

A good set of speakers is very cheap. Webcams are affordable and more importantly easily upgradable as time marches on.

You don't need USB hubs on monitors, all gimmicks. You want HDMI minimally, but TB for flexibility.

Reliability comes from going with a reputable brand with a good warranty.

Like Bob, I'm partial to Viewsonics and have a number of them in my household, including the two 2K 27" monitors powering my current setup of Mac Studio and MBP.

thankx that's encouraging.

If you are looking for a premium 32-inch monitor, you should consider one of these:

VP3256-4K - 32" ColorPro™ 4K UHD IPS Monitor with 60W USB C, sRGB, HDR10 and Pantone Validated
$500
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09RG6PS6D/?tag=macforums0e4-20
$523
ViewSonic VP3256-4K, 32" 4K UHD Professional Graphic Design Monitor with USB-C (60W)

LG 32UL950-W 32" Class Ultrafine 4K UHD LED Monitor with Thunderbolt 3 Connectivity Silver
$797
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K8877Y5/?tag=macforums0e4-20

With regard to Amazon reviews....you have to actually read them and analyze them. A product with a lot of 5 stars, and a few one and two star reviews sometimes means that a few idiots wrote reviews. Folks who aren't smart enough to set up their computer equipment, or who think that computer equipment is magic, and they are disappointed because what they purchased won't open a portal to a different dimension, write one and two star reviews.

As far as products that fail in the first year...just about all computer equipment will have a certain percentage of examples that fail within the first year. Apple included. No company can afford to burn-in and test their products for extended periods of time to assure that they won't fail. Doing that is too expensive. They do minimal testing and then provide a warranty.

The big selling point for purchasing from Amazon, at least here in the U.S., is that they offer their own one year warranty and they make returning the product dead easy (you just return it to any Kohl's store where they will pack it and ship it for you.)

thanjx for convincing me giing the studio route is not a good idea. Hey, i just git a raise today saving at least $900 with a 3rd party monitor.

is having thunderbolt connectivity a necessity? Or just use a thunderbolt to display port adapter?

thankx

 

[Randy B. Singer]

is having thunderbolt connectivity a necessity? Or just use a thunderbolt to display port adapter?

No, it isn't at all.

If the monitor that you choose has a Thunderbolt 3 or 4 input, just attach your monitor to your Mac with a Thunderbolt 3/4 cable. Simple.

But otherwise, HDMI is the standard for monitors. Get yourself a good Thunderbolt 3/4 to HDMI adapter and an HDMI cable, and you are golden. (Make sure that any adapter that you get isn't just "USB-C", but that it actually supports Thunderbolt 3). Make sure that the HDMI cable that you get meets the HDMI 2.1 standard. (Most monitors will come with a high quality HDMI cable.)

This $16 Thunderbolt 3 to HDMI adapter works well:
https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-uni-...5V68NVR/ref=psdc_306629011_t1_B07THJGZ9Z?th=1

 

[Mac4EveryPerson]

No, it isn't at all.

If the monitor that you choose has a Thunderbolt 3 or 4 input, just attach your monitor to your Mac with a Thunderbolt 3/4 cable. Simple.

But otherwise, HDMI is the standard for monitors. Get yourself a good Thunderbolt 3/4 to HDMI adapter and an HDMI cable, and you are golden. (Make sure that any adapter that you get isn't just "USB-C", but that it actually supports Thunderbolt 3). Make sure that the HDMI cable that you get meets the HDMI 2.1 standard. (Most monitors will come with a high quality HDMI cable.)

This $16 Thunderbolt 3 to HDMI adapter works well:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075V68NVR/?tag=macforums0e4-20

Perfect thankx

 

[Mac4EveryPerson]

Also looking at Benq:
Benq

 

[Raz0rEdge]

BenQ are good monitors, especially for professional looking for accurate color recreation. They are also on the pricier side for that reason.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

Also looking at Benq:
Benq

BenQ makes excellent monitors.

Let me tell you what my biases are. I tend to prefer LG and Samsung monitors. Why? Because they are the actual manufacturers of the LCD panels that most of the other quality manufacturers use. (Most of the cheaper LCD monitors use panels from China.) I believe (and I could be wrong) that these two manufacturers are best situated to make sure that their own branded monitors get the best displays.

LG is more expensive usually, but they have the best technology currently. LG sometimes even offers a zero bad pixel guaranty. Samsung monitors tend to be less expensive than LG monitors, but still are extremely high quality, and Samsung offers a large number of different models. You can often find a Samsung monitor with excellent performance, but few bells and whistles, priced really competitively.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

The big selling point for purchasing from Amazon, at least here in the U.S., is that they offer their own one year warranty and they make returning the product dead easy (you just return it to any Kohl's store where they will pack it and ship it for you.)

Sorry, for electronics it is only 30 days. Still a great proposition.

 

[pigoo3]

ABOVE ALL:

Reliability

Knock on wood. In the close to 40 years I've been computing...I've never had a display fail!

Can it happen...and has it happened to others...of course (nothings perfect). I think it's really the very rare situation where a monitor fails. Display's just sit there...hardly ever moved in it's lifetime.

I'm positive more display's have failed due to owner incompetence:

* monitor had some liquid spilled on it...or food spilled into it
* monitor was used in a hot/humid environment for a long time (conditions never good for electronics)
* monitor was bumped, banged, or dropped in the rare instance while it was being moved
* etc

...than compared to displays that have failed due to manufacturing or design errors.

Good luck,

Nick