What's the right second monitor for me?
May 8, 2020 3:28 PM Subscribe
Working from home on an entry-level 16-inch 2019 MBP running Catalina.
I currently use an ancient 27-inch Apple monitor (so ancient that I have to daisy-chain a Thunderbolt 1-2 adapter and Thunderbolt 2-USB-C adapter to use it). It works fine, but I really miss having my two-monitor work setup (for various reasons, the laptop screen doesn't work for me in this role). Just using Word and Excel and similar here, no crazy graphic demands. Ability to pass through power to the laptop, or to dock other peripherals, would be nice, but is not required. What should I be looking at?
Wrinkle: my desk is against the window the view from which is the one aesthetically appealing aspect of this apartment. There's no way a second monitor won't tragically increase the amount of the view that's blocked, but I would prefer a compact footprint. Maybe one that can rotate to portrait mode?
I currently use an ancient 27-inch Apple monitor (so ancient that I have to daisy-chain a Thunderbolt 1-2 adapter and Thunderbolt 2-USB-C adapter to use it). It works fine, but I really miss having my two-monitor work setup (for various reasons, the laptop screen doesn't work for me in this role). Just using Word and Excel and similar here, no crazy graphic demands. Ability to pass through power to the laptop, or to dock other peripherals, would be nice, but is not required. What should I be looking at?
Wrinkle: my desk is against the window the view from which is the one aesthetically appealing aspect of this apartment. There's no way a second monitor won't tragically increase the amount of the view that's blocked, but I would prefer a compact footprint. Maybe one that can rotate to portrait mode?
I’m also happy with a Dell UltraSharp 24. (hooked up to a Surface Book). One of the USB ports powers a webcam, so if that’s power pass through, it has it.
Maybe match it with a simple swivel arm mount like this Ergotron so you can tuck it out of your view when not in use?
posted by notyou at 8:49 AM on May 9, 2020
Maybe match it with a simple swivel arm mount like this Ergotron so you can tuck it out of your view when not in use?
posted by notyou at 8:49 AM on May 9, 2020
I also have an Ultrasharp 24, from the old Wirecutter recommendation. I like it well enough, colors are accurate, and the thin bezels are nice.
posted by General Malaise at 10:51 AM on May 9, 2020
posted by General Malaise at 10:51 AM on May 9, 2020
Best answer: If you're fine with 1080p on a 15" screen, the Asus portable monitors are pretty nice (if a little pricey) and fold up like a laptop, so you can have all of your view back after you're done working.
posted by Candleman at 12:54 PM on May 9, 2020
posted by Candleman at 12:54 PM on May 9, 2020
Best answer: (I don't think any non-4K monitor can beat a Retina display, really).
Actually, I'd make sure to get a 5K monitor. There is a drastic difference between the fancy LG UltraFine 5k display on my desk, and the also fancy ASUS ROG UHD 4K display right next to it, if plug in both to my MacBook Pro 16". I use the LG for work (I'm an Apple software engineer), and the ASUS for gaming. I'd say if you were just using to external display you might be able to live with the 4K, but having it and your MacBook right next to each other will make it super obvious the difference in quality.
Conversely, the LG looks terrible if I use it for gaming. Both are specialized tools specific to their function.
The LG, however, doesn't do portrait mode out of the box, so you might want to look at the Dells if you want that.
posted by sideshow at 1:47 PM on May 9, 2020
Actually, I'd make sure to get a 5K monitor. There is a drastic difference between the fancy LG UltraFine 5k display on my desk, and the also fancy ASUS ROG UHD 4K display right next to it, if plug in both to my MacBook Pro 16". I use the LG for work (I'm an Apple software engineer), and the ASUS for gaming. I'd say if you were just using to external display you might be able to live with the 4K, but having it and your MacBook right next to each other will make it super obvious the difference in quality.
Conversely, the LG looks terrible if I use it for gaming. Both are specialized tools specific to their function.
The LG, however, doesn't do portrait mode out of the box, so you might want to look at the Dells if you want that.
posted by sideshow at 1:47 PM on May 9, 2020
As a followup, I recommend the Asus ones specifically. The significantly cheaper ones from other brands I've seen have been pretty bad. The MB16AC that I use is about on-par with a business class laptop's screen.
posted by Candleman at 10:24 PM on May 9, 2020
posted by Candleman at 10:24 PM on May 9, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
There are several 27-inch variants from Dell with the tilt/swivel/pivot functions:
posted by curagea at 5:08 PM on May 8, 2020 [1 favorite]