Mac Mini Monitor Help

[roccles]

My wife has just bought a new Mac Mini alongside this she bought a widescreen monitor (3440x1440 BenQ PD3420Q Designer Monitor)

She has come from a 27inch iMac with 5k display and is very disappointed with how blurry/pixelated the text is on this new monitor. I don't know much about Macs but discovered some software called BetterDisplay that allowed us to get the screen to display in HiDPi and it looked a bit better but I can tell she is still not happy with it and seems like a bit of a bodge. Images look pretty crisp its just the text. She does most of her work in Adobe inDesign and is dealing with lots of text so this is pretty critical. The reason she went for a widescreen was to aid in copying and pasting between 2 application etc. which she said was always a bit of a chore on the iMac.

She was aware when ordering that what ever she bought would probably not be as good as what she had but I think was surprised just how bad it is so I think we are going to have to return the monitor (if we are able to) and look for a new one.

Would love some recommendations, widescreen would be a bonus but not essential as the main requirement is the ability to display fonts crisply. Obviously there is Apples offering but a little to pricey.

Many Thanks

 

[Jimbeam3678]

Might help to explain better than I can

 

[Irish_Tom]

Fellow graphic designer here (waves).

Unfortunately, Apple spoils us with their retina displays — especially in the previous 27" iMac, which can now only be replicated with expensive 5k monitors like the Apple Studio Display, LG Ultrafine 27", and the new Samsung S9 27".

I currently use an M1 iMac hooked up to two external Dell 27" 4k monitors scaled at 2560 x 1440px @ 60Hz (that's the second option from the left in System Settings > Displays > Scaling).

Now, both Dell monitors are "fine". Text is perfectly legible, it's not blurry or pixelated and I happily use them for all my secondary tasks like email, Teams chats, my project management software, etc.

But I always use my iMac screen for my primary task of designing (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom, etc.), despite it being a smaller screen and 4.5k rather than 5k.

Side by side, there's a clear difference (to me at least) in the image quality, so I totally understand your wife's situation. I also agree about copying and pasting (or just about most other tasks) being a chore with a single monitor (hence why I have 3 ).

I would try changing the scaling if she hasn't already and if she can't find a setting that works, it might be time to look at a different monitor.

Out if interest, why didn't she go for an iMac with a secondary monitor instead of a Mac Mini with a single widescreen?

 

[roccles]

@Irish_Tom thank you. She would have bought another iMac but they only sell a 24" version now and did not want to go anything smaller. We tried scaling the resolution with BetterDisplay which did help but I get the impression that "fine" is not going to cut it.

If she were to go with the Samsung S9 5k would this give her the same resolution as what she had on her old iMac? I think the LG and Studio Display are a little to expensive but the Samsung can be picked up for £999.

 

[Irish_Tom]

@Irish_Tom thank you. She would have bought another iMac but they only sell a 24" version now and did not want to go anything smaller. We tried scaling the resolution with BetterDisplay which did help but I get the impression that "fine" is not going to cut it.

If she were to go with the Samsung S9 5k would this give her the same resolution as what she had on her old iMac? I think the LG and Studio Display are a little to expensive but the Samsung can be picked up for £999.

I have no direct experience of the S9, so I can't comment on how good it is. However, yes, is the same size, same resolution, same brightness, same colour profile of the Apple Studio Display — 9to5 Mac has a comparison here.

The S9 even has the matt finish that Apple charges an extra £250 for and a tilt/height/rotation stand that Apple charges a further £400 for, so you're technically saving £650 over the standard ASD.

 

[roccles]

@Irish_Tom Cheers, I will watch some YouTube videos on it but feel this might be the route to take.

Its a shame you cant use the old iMac as just a screen as that would be perfect!

 

[Irish_Tom]

@Irish_Tom Cheers, I will watch some YouTube videos on it but feel this might be the route to take.

Its a shame you cant use the old iMac as just a screen as that would be perfect!

100%.

I saw a video a while ago where a guy converted an old iMac into a 27" display.

I don't have the time or inclination to do it, but it was quite impressive.

 

[Zeebedy]

100%.

I saw a video a while ago where a guy converted an old iMac into a 27" display.

I don't have the time or inclination to do it, but it was quite impressive.

was that Luke Miani by any chance??

 

[Irish_Tom]

was that Luke Miani by any chance??

Yep, that's the chap.

 

[Scott C]

As per the comment from Irish_Tom she might have better luck with something like a PD2705U or a PD2725U due to the higher PPI of 4k@27” vs 4k@34” (as really to my understanding it’s the PPI that makes the difference when it comes to text)

 

[roccles]

@Scott C @Irish_Tom mentioned that he uses 27" 4K monitors and can still notice the difference so am not sure if it worth trying or not. I think she has been spoilt with her old iMac

 

[Scott C]

@Scott C @Irish_Tom mentioned that he uses 27" 4K monitors and can still notice the difference so am not sure if it worth trying or not. I think she has been spoilt with her old iMac

Yup, once you go 5k Mac there’s no going back

There would definitely be an improvement in PPI though so it wouldn’t be a like for like swap, I would anticipate it to be better for her but whether it’s better ‘enough’ would be the question!

Thanks to my advanced years and rapidly failing eyesight I was able to deal with the change a bit easier I think

 

[Irish_Tom]

@roccles what did you/your wife decide in the end? Did you get the S9? If so, how’s it performing?

 

[roccles]

@Irish_Tom she went for the Apple Studio display in the end.

 

[LiE]

@Irish_Tom she went for the Apple Studio display in the end.

This is the correct answer

It’s a lovely thing.

 

[Irish_Tom]

@Irish_Tom she went for the Apple Studio display in the end.

Excellent.

I notice the lead time on them from Apple is a few weeks. Do you have it already or still waiting?

 

[roccles]

Excellent.

I notice the lead time on them from Apple is a few weeks. Do you have it already or still waiting?

We collected today in store after my wife ordered it this morning online. Would have been a couple of weeks wait if we went for delivery.

 

[Feek]

It’s a lovely thing.

They are very lovely, I never tire from looking at mine. Yes, I have two(!).

I deliberately didn’t post in this thread because I’d have said to go with the Studio Display and I thought you were after alternatives.

 

[Hussman]

Would a 55inch 8K TV work as well?

I currently have a 27inch iMac and 27 inch thunderbolt display which gives me the desktop real estate I require.

But I'm looking at the mac mini pro (the one with 4 TB ports). Any views (excuse the pun) on that...

I can't afford the Studio display.

 

[Hussman]

Anyone?