Monitor purchase advice please

hello, mbp 2010 17" still serves me except bit heavy carry work daily. don't know when out of order. planning buy mbp 2016 not of design features. mbp 2017 won't out until later year. announcement of surface pro 5 , surface book 2 have been delayed. feel need of large screen monitor. know, mbp 2010 17" not support 4k monitor if going buy new monitor, might not wise not buy 4k one. 30"-43" 4k or 2 30"ish monitors. suggestions have?

 

non-recommendation: got dell s2817q 28" 4k display try hackintosh box in hope work 17" 2011 mbp @ 2560x1440 (2 displayport inputs selling point). long-term plan switch fabled new imac + macbook combo , use cheap dell second display both.

sadly, while works fine hackintosh (in glorious 4k), far can't mbp display (an older 2010 mbp 1024x768 nothing more). edit: workaround found - see later post.

both mbps on mavericks, don't know if newer os better (but they're still on mavericks reason).

also, if works, display quality on old mac driving 4k screen going poor c.f. native 2560x1440 screen. i've tried forcing hackintosh 2560x1440 "low-resolution" mode* - non-4k mac if worked - , result rather soft , fuzzy compared true 1440p display. usable, not optimal - , that's @ 28" - it's going more noticeable on 30-43" screen.

take-home lesson patient , wait until have 4k-capable mac, or display choice going hobbled need support old mbp , you'll living sub-optimal displat quality until then. (if you're desperate, 2560x1440 displays cheaper , not rubbish).


---

apart that, on hacknitosh, s2817q display great "budget" 4k (slightly muted colour, quite - i'm not fan of kodachrome gold) , 28" sweet spot 4k native res starts become usable, , scaled modes very usable. downsides lack of swivel/height adjustable stand contributes cables being hard plug in , genius bit of bad design whereby latch on latched displayport cable faces casing , devil of job undo. menu buttons fiddly, too.


*on 4k-capable machine, have option-click on "scaled" check "show low resolution modes" , select "2560x1440 (low resolution)" simulate you'd on 2010 mbp - rendered @ 1440p , scaled by display. otherwise, in high-res, scaled, "looks 2560x1440" mode, screen still being driven @ 4k, of see being rendered @ high resolution , result better native 1440p screen. difference between , "2560x1440 (low resolution)" , night , day.

 

Forums Macs Buying Tips and Advice

• iPhone
• Mac OS & System Software
• iPad
• Apple Watch
• Notebooks
• iTunes
• Apple ID
• iCloud
• Desktop Computers
• Apple Music
• Professional Applications
• iPod
• iWork
• Apple TV
• iLife
• Wireless