Archive 2019 · NEC 27" 1080 to New 1440 or 4K?

tyarkoff
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · NEC 27" 1080 to New 1440 or 4K?

Hi Forum,

I have been using an ancient but excellent NEC 2690WUXI, 1920x1200, Adobe RGB monitor since 2008. It's developed some issues so needs to be replaced.

I found that the resolution at that screen size (27") provided a just right font size for OS X and applications. I'm currently using a 2012, 15" Apple MBP that has a Retina screen but is limited to 2560x1440 for external monitors.

I'm currently evaluating a BenQ SW2700, which is a 27", 2560x1440, Adobe RGB monitor. While I'm still working through the kinks in successfully calibrating the monitor with it's Palette Master software - a topic for another post - I've noticed that I immediately miss the larger fonts sizes of a lower resolution 27" monitor. I have tried changing the resolution via System Preferences but as expected - at least with this hardware combo - things become unacceptable fuzzy at lower than native resolutions.There are a few work arounds within OS X to change the sizes of fonts/icons but it is very limited and not really a "fix".

For those that have more recent Apple/PC hardware, with true 4K output and either 1440 or 4K panels, have you found a favorable combination of computer hardware and screen size / native resolution / PPI, that maximizes OS/Application fonts while increasing resolution?

Jun 18, 2019 at 08:28 PM

Keith B.
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · NEC 27" 1080 to New 1440 or 4K?

tyarkoff wrote:
Hi Forum,

There are a few work arounds within OS X to change the sizes of fonts/icons but it is very limited and not really a "fix".

For those that have more recent Apple/PC hardware, with true 4K output and either 1440 or 4K panels, have you found a favorable combination of computer hardware and screen size / native resolution / PPI, that maximizes OS/Application fonts while increasing resolution?
I'm using the same computer with an NEC 1440 (NEC PA271-BK-SV) monitor.
Yeah...scaling never worked for me. Gave up trying that a long time ago.
Observation: In apps you have only the controls the app gives you, but in Safari and Preview you can <CMD +> or <CMD -> to change sizes.
Question: Are you able to work at a good distance from the screen? Can you move the screen closer? Due to my presbyopia, I had separate glasses made that allow me to focus at arm's length, which is how far away I like the 27" monitor to be.

Jun 20, 2019 at 01:38 AM

Alan321
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · NEC 27" 1080 to New 1440 or 4K?

I very much like my 24" 4k monitor at arms length. That has 185ppi. Higher ppi would be wasted on me because I would be unable to see some details.

Text is too small unless I enlarge it in software using the software interface. e.g. in Lr, Ps, etc.

Photos look smaller too, but they look really great - closer to the size a full print would be. I can see everything I'm supposed to see but I cannot see the borders or gaps between pixels that I could see on 90-100ppi monitors.

Can't you set font sizes in the OSX utilities ? I'd expect it must be possible or else everything would be far too small on any MBP retina screen.

Ask yourself why you ever wanted a bigger screen. Was it to see more stuff, or to see the same stuff bigger, or to have a ppi that reduces the pixel gaps to being unnoticeable ? Also consider whether or not you can easily adjust your viewing distance without losing focus (I can't - my eyes are too old for such variations at close distance), and whether or not you can focus on the edges of a big screen and the centre of it without adjusting your viewing distance (My limit suits a 24" screen). Answer these and you're on your way to picking the optimum size/ppi combination.

However, a really good large photo screen is expensive, and you may want to consider upgrading your computer too so that you can fully utilise a new 4k screen now rather than buy a 2.5k screen that will seem inadequate when your MBP eventually dies on you and is replaced with one that supports 4k or 5k output.

Jul 03, 2019 at 10:53 AM


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