# My Experience with a 4K Computer Monitor



## Mt Spokane Photography (Dec 19, 2017)

I saw a relatively low cost Samsung 28 inch computer monitor at our local Costco for $ 269 so I bought it, thinking of photo editing. I knew and expected that fonts would be small, and that I could scale them up to readable size, and assumed that by now, most software would handle 4K automatically.

Well, it was not that easy. Adobe Lightroom has scaling settings, so it mostly worked fine, a lot of software worked automatically, but some that I used frequently acted just plain weird. I updated my video driver to the latest, that helped slightly with some software, but I continued to fight software that had tiny tools, menus that would not resize, it was a mixed bag and with the very large amount of software on my computer, it was frustrating.

I tried changing the resolution to 1080p for the difficult software and discovered that fonts were often fuzzy and blurred, so I ran the clear type software to no avail, and changing from 4K to 2K and back always messed with my desktop arrangement. I tried almost every possible combination multiple times, rebooting was usually needed before the effects took hold properly, so it was a big effort.

Finally, after 4 days, I'd had enough and returned it. The monitor did a nice job with Lightroom, but not so nice as to be worth the hassle with other software like Quickbooks. I could live with it, and possibly even get everything working to a reasonable degree, but wondered why I'd punish myself to do it.

So I went back to look at new 2K monitors but saw nothing I wanted, those super wide ones looked weird, and curved ones are not necessary in 28 inch. I've decided to wait and perhaps get a BenQ 27 inch 2K photo monitor if they go on sale.


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## atlcroc (Dec 19, 2017)

A few years back when I bought my first full frame camera, I also ordered a 4K monitor. Besides the font size issue, there were artifacts on the screen because my video card was not good enough. I went to a local computer store and upgraded the video card and the technician there suggested that with my computer configuration, any edits would be slowed down as the monitor was displaying 4K. He suggested I go to 2K. I ended up getting a 27" LED LCD Dell monitor with 2560X1440 and could not be happier with it. Print size is readable and the when I compared the display in the store to the 4K next to it, it was very sharp. I bought it from B and H and it actually cost more than the original 4K monitor I returned - guessing something to do with the LED LCD. I did a quick check of the BH web site and they have some similar models available now. Now this one is in the $500 range and so not the bargain you were checking out, but if you want a really good one in the 2K range, you might want to check it out.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Dec 19, 2017)

atlcroc said:


> A few years back when I bought my first full frame camera, I also ordered a 4K monitor. Besides the font size issue, there were artifacts on the screen because my video card was not good enough. I went to a local computer store and upgraded the video card and the technician there suggested that with my computer configuration, any edits would be slowed down as the monitor was displaying 4K. He suggested I go to 2K. I ended up getting a 27" LED LCD Dell monitor with 2560X1440 and could not be happier with it. Print size is readable and the when I compared the display in the store to the 4K next to it, it was very sharp. I bought it from B and H and it actually cost more than the original 4K monitor I returned - guessing something to do with the LED LCD. I did a quick check of the BH web site and they have some similar models available now. Now this one is in the $500 range and so not the bargain you were checking out, but if you want a really good one in the 2K range, you might want to check it out.



I tried all the resolutions, even 2560 x 1440. I have a new computer and a good video card, those are not a issue, they don't get slowed by 4K at all. I just don't want to deal with software that only operates well at 1080p.


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## kaihp (Dec 19, 2017)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I tried all the resolutions, even 2560 x 1440. I have a new computer and a good video card, those are not a issue, they don't get slowed by 4K at all. I just don't want to deal with software that only operates well at 1080p.



If I recall correctly, you did change to Windows 10, right? Apparently Windows 10 has more scaling features than Windows 7 (& 8.1?) but that doesn't help if the applications doesn't support high-dpi screens well.

I have a BenQ sw320 on order (should arrive Friday), so I get to test this over Christmas. At least the larger screen size should help on the font & icon sizes.


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## atlcroc (Dec 19, 2017)

You mentioned that you were going to look at a 2K Ben Q 28 inch monitor. I was just saying that I went for a Dell 27inch 2K and all the problems of scaling I had with the 4K disappeared when I use this monitor. But I'm only using Lightroom and various versions of Photoshop Elements and premiere elements for my photo work. Have tons of other software and 0 issues with any of those apps. But if you ruled out some 2K 28 inch options because of weird shapes, that is not an issue with the Dell monitors. So if you get a chance to look at any of their LCD LED monitors, that might be another option for you.


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## abakker (Dec 19, 2017)

Interesting. For the last year I've been running a BenQ 32" 4K monitor attached to my MBP. In the apple settings I was able to find a monitor scaling resolution that worked well, and the performance has been great. I occasionally find small fonts that don't scale well, but mostly it has been flawless. The biggest issue is that 32" is probably a little too large for a non-curved monitor. I'd strongly consider an ultra wide instead if the PPI gets comparable.


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## bhf3737 (Dec 19, 2017)

Windows 10 is more aware of scaling fonts and in principle any software compatible with Win 10 should be ok. 
Before updating to a couple of 4K monitors, I used the "Process Explorer" utility of the Microsoft SysInternal suite (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/) to check which of the software applications installed on my computer are compatible with higher res displays. For those apps that are not system aware or per-monitor aware we get tiny screens and menus. NiK collection on Photoshop is one of them. 
Currently, about 20% of all my apps, some frequently used ones, fail this test meaning that I have to update/upgrade or discard them to have a high-res compatible system. A dirty remedy is to scale down the res of the monitor to 2K -- or -- to buy a magnifying glass!!
Blurred screens and fonts, etc., happen when multiple monitors are used and do not have the same resolution.


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## Zeidora (Dec 20, 2017)

Added a 4K NEC display to my MacPro. Plug, Play. End of story. Laugh at apple all you want, but it actually works. The only thing I am doing, is using reading glasses to correct for my astigmatism. Not the display's fault, but my anatomy.


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## docsmith (Dec 20, 2017)

My BenQ 27 in monitor is great. I think you’ll enjoy it.


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## YuengLinger (Dec 20, 2017)

Interesting, timely post, Mt. Spokane.

I just topped off a new system build, including a GTX 1070 Ti, with a BenQ 32" 4k. PD3200U. 

I was worried about the scaling too after having made the mistake of trying a Dell XPS 15.6" laptop with a 4k screen. Just like you, I thought nothing of problems with font, tools, icons, etc for the laptop because I thought all would be adjusted for the higher resolution. Sent that Dell back real quick. That was two months ago.

But after reading reviews and beginning to understand 32" would fix some of the problems, and scaling others, I gave it a shot. Very, very happy. Running Windows 10's latest update with PS CC and LR Classic CC. I will tell you I kept my old monitor, a 27" 1440dpi, and that's where I put my PS CC tools, using the new 4k for the image window and pretty much everything else, including MS Word and Excel.

All in all, has worked out GREAT for my aging eyes!

Another note, about BenQ. This is my first BenQ product, but I heard of them back in 2004 when I was still living in China. A friend who helped me build a system then said he thought one day they'd be "as big as LG." (Another company I knew nothing about!) But now they are doing so very well. 

As for Samsung, great TV's, but I think their monitors are middle of the pack.


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## scottkinfw (Dec 20, 2017)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I saw a relatively low cost Samsung 28 inch computer monitor at our local Costco for $ 269 so I bought it, thinking of photo editing. I knew and expected that fonts would be small, and that I could scale them up to readable size, and assumed that by now, most software would handle 4K automatically.
> 
> Well, it was not that easy. Adobe Lightroom has scaling settings, so it mostly worked fine, a lot of software worked automatically, but some that I used frequently acted just plain weird. I updated my video driver to the latest, that helped slightly with some software, but I continued to fight software that had tiny tools, menus that would not resize, it was a mixed bag and with the very large amount of software on my computer, it was frustrating.
> 
> ...



Maybe just use the monitor for photos! I purchased a BenQ 2700PT a few months ago, and I 'm crazy about it. I saw yesterday that they are going for around $599 or so. 

Are you using a Mac or Windows.

Scott


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Dec 20, 2017)

scottkinfw said:


> Mt Spokane Photography said:
> 
> 
> > I saw a relatively low cost Samsung 28 inch computer monitor at our local Costco for $ 269 so I bought it, thinking of photo editing. I knew and expected that fonts would be small, and that I could scale them up to readable size, and assumed that by now, most software would handle 4K automatically.
> ...



Thats the BenQ I've been watching. Its over priced right now, may be some sales after Christmas. Its getting to be older tech.


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## 9VIII (Dec 20, 2017)

Apparently Mac does much better with high density displays. It's going to take a while for Windows to catch up.

If you can't deal with 4K menus, using two monitors wasn't an option?
Most content creators already use multiple displays, you could just use 4K on the side for critical examination and keep the menus on a lower resolution display.
Eventually 32" and 40" 4K monitors will become more common for the people who want all the detail but can't cope with small text (4K at 40" is practically the same density as 2560x1440 27").
I'm happy with 4K 27", but I do admit sometimes I'd like a slightly larger screen. Someday I'll probably end up with 32".


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## stevelee (Dec 20, 2017)

I bought a 5K iMac when they first came out, and everything works great. I understand that the newer models have a bigger color gamut, but I haven’t used one. It is nice to have room to see 4K video full size and still have room for controls and pallets for editing. It handles Final Cut Pro just fine at 4K. I have used multiple monitors for years and years and figured I’d hook my 23” one as a second monitor, but never felt the need to bother. 

There are some web pages where the fonts are a bit small for these old eyes, but hitting Command+ takes care of that. In Photoshop you can view at full size, and for pixel-peeping, you just enlarge to 200%.


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## arthurbikemad (Dec 20, 2017)

Last year I got a Dell UP3216Q, nice display but bulky for a modern screen, image qual was fine, however on my Mac I just feel 4K needs some time to sort scaling issues etc, for me it was a no no, sent it back and went back to my two UP2716Ds.


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## keithcooper (Dec 20, 2017)

i've had a chance to try Benq's 27" and 32" 4k monitors and the 27" 2k one on my oldish Mac (OS X 10.11)

http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/category/articles-and-reviews/benq/

4k is nice at 32", but forces me to remember to wear the correct glasses (not quite full strength reading) 27" 4k looks great but not enough software lets me change resolution.

27" 2k works better out of the box, such that it's more pleasant to work with for anything with text. One surprise was just how great the 27" 4k looked in HiDPI (1920) mode on the Mac.

My Mac is upgraded as far as it goes and I use PS CS6 so there are no doubt improvements possible ;-)

Those improvements will have to await the new model Mac Pro ... oh and a big chunk of spare cash, so not soon.


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## LDS (Dec 20, 2017)

bhf3737 said:


> Windows 10 is more aware of scaling fonts and in principle any software compatible with Win 10 should be ok.



Windows 10 introduces new features (some available only in the latest updates) and tries more hard to make older applications to behave better with high DPI screens, and has more compatibility options, but until applications are modified to work with them (and some older ones may never), not always the results are OK. It will take some time until all applications are updated, or replaced - it's not a simple task.

It's not only a font issue, graphics elements (i.e. icons) may look blurred as well. Applications that bypass standard rendering (i.e many using specific "skins") may be the worst offenders, if not written for high DPI systems.

Having a system with multiple monitors and different DPI will make the situation even more complex.

You can read about the reasons here:

https://blogs.windows.com/buildingapps/2017/05/19/improving-high-dpi-experience-gdi-based-desktop-apps/


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## kaihp (Dec 20, 2017)

LDS said:


> You can read about the reasons here:
> 
> https://blogs.windows.com/buildingapps/2017/05/19/improving-high-dpi-experience-gdi-based-desktop-apps/



Thanks, that was a very interesting read.


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## YuengLinger (Dec 20, 2017)

keithcooper said:


> i've had a chance to try Benq's 27" and 32" 4k monitors and the 27" 2k one on my oldish Mac (OS X 10.11)
> 
> http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/category/articles-and-reviews/benq/
> 
> ...



Or you could get a faster machine with the same great graphics and more RAM and storage space by buying or building a Windows machine now, say with an Intel i7 8700k (6 cores!). At about half the cost of the future Mac.


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## keithcooper (Dec 20, 2017)

YuengLinger said:


> keithcooper said:
> 
> 
> > i've had a chance to try Benq's 27" and 32" 4k monitors and the 27" 2k one on my oldish Mac (OS X 10.11)
> ...



Why thank you - I did use a windoze machine several times in the last century, people tell me they are a bit better now...


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## LDS (Dec 21, 2017)

YuengLinger said:


> At about half the cost of the future Mac.



Plus the expense of replacing your software if it doesn't have a Windows counterpart, or if it isn't free. Maybe you'll have to replace other PCs also. Plus the time spent to retrain yourself on a different system and workflow 

I've also heard you can drop all your Canon gear and switch to those outstanding Sony or Nikon cameras and lenses.... 

You need very compelling reason to switch systems, especially when your business is built on them.


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## YuengLinger (Dec 21, 2017)

LDS said:


> YuengLinger said:
> 
> 
> > At about half the cost of the future Mac.
> ...



Most photo and video editing works on either platform. No significant learning curve there. Was Keith talking about a whole office?

You are creating specious scenarios. Why? You're upset about a suggestion that could result in saving time and money? 

Does everything have to be a challenge to brand loyalty?


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## keithcooper (Dec 21, 2017)

YuengLinger said:


> LDS said:
> 
> 
> > YuengLinger said:
> ...



Actually a lot of what was said makes excellent sense with respect to my business - that's the one that earns me a living.

Yes, every desktop/laptop we have here is a Mac of some variety, so yes, for us the power/cost benefit of a PC is a small part of the equation, when system performance is not currently a limitation for any of our work (I'll not even think about the grief I'd get trying to take Karen's Macs from her (marketing director and wife - so opinions really do matter)

My main reason for mentioning the platform at all was that whilst I've reviewed a number of BenQ monitors, they were all tested on Macs, which is a relevant thing for some questions about display functionality and usability.

I'm not one for specific brand affiliations - both Epson -and- Canon send me printers, and the prime reason for choosing a Canon DSLR (1Ds) when I turned pro was lens choice, and that Nikon were telling the world that 'full frame' didn't matter... I'd happily review Nikon/Sony gear in my lens reviews, but can't afford a D850 just for a spot of lens testing and Sony's excellent kit will remain a curiosity to me unless I can convince their marketing department that they should reach out a bit wider ;-)


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## kphoto99 (Dec 21, 2017)

LDS said:


> Plus the time spent to retrain yourself on a different system and workflow



The learning curve to go from Win7 to Win10 is steeper then going to MacOS, what is you point?


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## YuengLinger (Dec 21, 2017)

If a business is built on an eco-system of software and hardware, of course it makes sense to patiently wait for the favored brand to make the desired product. It would be too disruptive to begin gradually replacing equipment at half the price now, and, as mentioned, feelings of entrenchment are involved too.

Understandable!


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## LDS (Dec 21, 2017)

kphoto99 said:


> LDS said:
> 
> 
> > Plus the time spent to retrain yourself on a different system and workflow
> ...



Beside the fact that what you say is not true, you believe the OS is the only issue. But it's everything that runs atop the OS that could become an issue.

Nobody just uses an OS. People use applications. Some are available on both platforms, others are not. Some works in different ways, or have different platform support or features. Some let you use the same licenses across platforms, others don't. You may have refined your business workflow around some applications and tools, and you would need to retest and refine again if you change.

Unless I knew exactly what someone uses, and what needs have to fulfill, I would be very cautious to tell him or her to switch to another software platform or photo equipment. There could be a lot of 'hidden costs'. Switching has to be a careful decision weighting the whole pros and cons, not just some pieces of hardware costs.

I do use several version of Windows and several Linux distros because of my job, I've a first hand experience of what it means. My personal systems are designed around the software and devices I need to use, not vice-versa.

Just like my photo gear is designed around the images I want to take, the lenses to achieve such result and then a body able to deliver the quality the lenses can reach. Owning the coolest camera with the 'top specs', or the less expensive one, is not what I need.


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## YuengLinger (Dec 21, 2017)

As for the 4k monitor thread, which is tangled up in here somewhere, I can say that Portraiture and Alien Skin work fine. On1, however, won't scale properly to 150%. (For me, on a 32" monitor, 125% is too small for Lightroom.) The On1 interface starts to fragment, and the adjustment brush generates a "floating" pixel distortion. Scale it back to 125% and its fine.

On1 is aware of the issue and working on it.


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## LDS (Dec 21, 2017)

YuengLinger said:


> As for the 4k monitor thread, which is tangled up in here somewhere, I can say that Portraiture and Alien Skin work fine. On1, however, won't scale properly to 150%. (For me, on a 32" monitor, 125% is too small for Lightroom.) The On1 interface starts to fragment, and the adjustment brush generates a "floating" pixel distortion. Scale it back to 125% and its fine.



On which OS? One of the issues with this kind of applications is they need to handle and scale differently the UI controls, and the "working area". I mean, if I set an image to 1:1 I expect an image pixel is rendered with a single monitor pixel regardless of the DPI, because it's the only way no resample algorithm is being used (albeit with very high DPI it can make assessing an image difficult as well).

Unluckily OS scaling may not know it, and scale everything - that's why applications needs to be updated to perform scaling where and when needed. 

Alien Skin introduced High DPI support in March, with some limitations on multiple monitor systems:

https://support.alienskin.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000051973-Windows-Ultra-High-Resolution-4K-Support


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## YuengLinger (Dec 21, 2017)

LDS said:


> YuengLinger said:
> 
> 
> > As for the 4k monitor thread, which is tangled up in here somewhere, I can say that Portraiture and Alien Skin work fine. On1, however, won't scale properly to 150%. (For me, on a 32" monitor, 125% is too small for Lightroom.) The On1 interface starts to fragment, and the adjustment brush generates a "floating" pixel distortion. Scale it back to 125% and its fine.
> ...



Windows 10, version 1709.


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## RGF (Dec 25, 2017)

Zeidora said:


> Added a 4K NEC display to my MacPro. Plug, Play. End of story. Laugh at apple all you want, but it actually works. The only thing I am doing, is using reading glasses to correct for my astigmatism. Not the display's fault, but my anatomy.



Also have MacPro. Very easy to use and add a new monitor. I have not yet added a 4K monitor, want to see what the new version of the MacPro looks like before I decide. I am very very very happy with my Nec Spectraview monitors.


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## mb66energy (Dec 27, 2017)

3 years ago I bought a 40" UHD TV - UHD because I do not like to see pixels + for dual use scenarios like additional monitor for some editing + only 50 € more expensive compared to HD version.

Sizewise I really like that thing and a viewing distance of 70cm is optimal for detail size / non-disturbing pixel size, tested with images from an USB stick. But this display - while providing very good color reproduction - suffers from the color variation under different angles.

I had not taken efforts organize a 4k capable PC - because I will wait for OLED tech trickling down to PC monitors and the prices not only trickling down. And a curved display might provide additional "visual comfort". Just dreaming about a flexible display that can be curved for your needs ...


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## keithcooper (Dec 27, 2017)

mb66energy said:


> ... a curved display might provide additional "visual comfort". Just dreaming about a flexible display that can be curved for your needs ...


Curved display? 
Just what I don't need for my architectural photography and occasional lens testing ;-)


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## mb66energy (Dec 27, 2017)

keithcooper said:


> mb66energy said:
> 
> 
> > ... a curved display might provide additional "visual comfort". Just dreaming about a ...*flexible display that can be curved for your needs*
> ...



Use Hundertwasser houses as subject and monitor curvature isn't primary concern 

I just made my ASUS Tinker board running with my 40" 4k TV at 4k and 24 Hz, my first 4k capable computer. This simple Raspberry Pi like device is a little bit on the slow side for 4k but maybe a perfect image viewing machine + maybe interesting for editing/sorting vast amounts of files/data.

A flat screen of this size (~0.9m wide) is more like a small table where you have to move your head/body to view all the documents. Resolution is fine for a distance of 60cm. Here a curved display might help to reduce your motion just to some rotation around my vertical axis.
But you are right: for (architecture) photography it is hell to use some non-flat display technology.


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## kaihp (Dec 27, 2017)

mb66energy said:


> keithcooper said:
> 
> 
> > mb66energy said:
> ...



I've had a Pi3 running 4K to my UHD TV - works nice. Unfortunately the CPU isn't fast enough to decode the live videostream (flash/HTML5) from motogp.com, so I can't use it as a dedicated streamer box


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Dec 28, 2017)

keithcooper said:


> mb66energy said:
> 
> 
> > ... a curved display might provide additional "visual comfort". Just dreaming about a flexible display that can be curved for your needs ...
> ...



There actually are lots of curved displays for PC's, Costco even sells them. They are positioned for gamers. I can't begin to imagine the issues for photography that a curved monitor would introduce.

With OLED monitor, the issue with them is burn-in and high power consumption. Its not a matter of trickle down, OLED technology is not ready for the typical PC user. If I had one, the Canon Rumors Logo would be burned in in just a week  

Here is a link to the Dell 30 inch curved OLED monitor recently introduced and recently discontinued.

http://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/accessories/apd/210-aiei

https://www.pcgamesn.com/dell-kills-4k-oled-monitor


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## mb66energy (Dec 28, 2017)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> keithcooper said:
> 
> 
> > mb66energy said:
> ...



Thanks for the info about Dells 30 inch OLED monitor. Maybe burn in and high power consumption are a fact at the moment. But burn in and high power consumption are technical problems.

In theory a conventional TFT (= everything which is not CRT and not OLED) wastes at least 50% of the light produced by the back light. The subpixels filter 30-40% of white light and guiding the light from the edge to the pixels is another 20% loss. A full white pixel is the best case, a pure red pixel closes blue and green and only 10% of the initial light are used.

Direct LED pixels use 100% of the light they produce. So their efficiency should be ~3 times higher in normal use scenarios. Maybe OLEDs sport substantially lower efficiencies compared to semiconductor LEDs which might be resolvable. Burn in was a result of lifetimes of 100 cycles of lab experiments with OLED displays 15 years ago. Shurely they increased the lifetime but maybe it is not enough for different use scenarios ...

Just a thought about OLED TVs: Maybe the very expensive OLED displays are used by people who have to work 80 hours per week to get their high income. They use their OLED TV only 2 hours per week which is far below burn in / reduced lifetime issues


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Dec 28, 2017)

mb66energy said:


> Mt Spokane Photography said:
> 
> 
> > keithcooper said:
> ...



The issue with PC monitors is that the white pixels are used heavily. If you only used it for games where there is a darker screen and lots of motion, burn in would not be a issue, and power use would be less.

The Apple iPhone X uses OLED's and there were lots of reports of buyers receiving phones with burned in screens, or the screens burning in in a week. Apple promised to fix or replace them, but it makes me wonder about the long term. BTW, Samsung makes thse panels, not LG.

Certainly, the issue with burn in of OLED's is technology based, Samsung planned to to produce OLED TV panels and gave up. They had been researching and pumping money into them for many years. Now that OLED's are coming on line, and Chinese companies are planning to jump in, Samsung is going to build a multi-billion dollar OLED factory, primarily for phones, maybe tablets. They have renamed their LED TV's as QLED, a lame attempt to fool buyers into believing that they are getting OLED TV's. There has been a lot of head to head comparisons and, so far, QLED panels are not as good as OLED as far as image quality, contrast ratio, all the important parameters.

From what I can tell, LG OLED TV sets have really been popular among high end buyers.


LG did not give up, and have managed to produce the panels in production quantities, and prices are coming down, so if they sell well, then Samsung may yet enter the market such that there is competition.

Dell does sell a laptop with OLED screen, so it will be interesting to see how well it does. I suspect its a LG Panel.


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## martti (Jan 2, 2018)

*Re: My Experience with a 4K Computer Monitor ref Ken Rockwell *

This is how Ken Rockwell handled the problems he had with his 4K Samsung and his Mac Pro.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/2017-10.htm#05





he is the Man! 8)


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## YuengLinger (Jan 2, 2018)

Update. :-\ 

Earlier in this thread I was enthusiastic about my BenQ PD3200U. It has been flashing black, momentarily scrambling pixels, two or three times and hour. I've narrowed it down, for sure it's the monitor. (Tried it on another PC with a different GPU, same issue; also tried other monitors on the original PC, no flashing.)

And I've narrowed down what seems to be triggering the problem. If my office is 74 deg F or warmer, I get more frequent flashing. When cooler, the flashing goes down to only once an hour or every 90 minutes. So, my theory is, a component was out of spec and even at low temps is already beginning to fail. Unfortunately this seems to be popping up lately with this model for other customers too.

And I've learned, while researching the issue, that most every 32 inch 4k made from 2014 - 2017 used the same Sharp panels. Only now are customers going to see some variety, with 2018 being a year of tech update for 4k monitors.

I did wonder why Samsung and other bigger companies seemed such small players in the higher end monitor market. Maybe the tech wasn't stable enough for profitable production? Who knows, but it seems that a 32 inch monitor that sells for $1000 USD should be able to make money--if a 65 inch TV that costs under that can.

In any event, I'll probably just get a refund for my BenQ and see if we get some new offerings this year, as predicted by various tech sites.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jan 2, 2018)

YuengLinger said:


> Update. :-\
> 
> Earlier in this thread I was enthusiastic about my BenQ PD3200U. It has been flashing black, momentarily scrambling pixels, two or three times and hour. I've narrowed it down, for sure it's the monitor. (Tried it on another PC with a different GPU, same issue; also tried other monitors on the original PC, no flashing.)
> 
> ...



Sorry to hear of your issue. Samsung is a lot like Canon, they have a factory tuned to put out vast quantities of monitors and panels, and leave the smaller market for speciality items to those who have their business processes set up to handle them. They may actually be producing panels for some of those companies. 

Sharp was basically going out of business and was purchased by Chinese Company Foxconn, a very ruthless company at cutting costs and pulling shenanigans on its own business partners. They assemble iPhones for Apple. So, the panel could be the result of a failing company not being able to maintain quality control, or a new owner slashing costs further. To further complicate things, the LCD and OLED panel makers sometimes purchase panels from each other to make up for shortages or production issues. You don't know for sure what you may get.


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## YuengLinger (Jan 2, 2018)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> Sorry to hear of your issue. Samsung is a lot like Canon, they have a factory tuned to put out vast quantities of monitors and panels, and leave the smaller market for speciality items to those who have their business processes set up to handle them. They may actually be producing panels for some of those companies.
> 
> Sharp was basically going out of business and was purchased by Chinese Company Foxconn, a very ruthless company at cutting costs and pulling shenanigans on its own business partners. They assemble iPhones for Apple. So, the panel could be the result of a failing company not being able to maintain quality control, or a new owner slashing costs further. To further complicate things, the LCD and OLED panel makers sometimes purchase panels from each other to make up for shortages or production issues. You don't know for sure what you may get.



Thanks. Average computer users aren't as "involved" with their monitors as photographers. But that doesn't stop the marketing departments pretending that some monitors are "professional" quality. I would hope that the $3000 and up monitors are truly handpicked.

I remember when I bought my first LCD TV, back in 2009 or so, reading in various vidoephile forums of "panel lotteries." And then the same when I bought a Dell 27 inch about five years ago. (Which I'm still very happy with, but now as a second monitor, because just three weeks with a 32 inch 4k has me spoiled.)

So what is the strategy? Be willing to pay more for the new releases in hopes of getting the better quality panels and other components?

It does seem like LR CC and PS CC and Windows 10 are finally working well enough with scaling to make 4k very attractive--if the screen is big enough.

Happy 2018!


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jan 2, 2018)

YuengLinger said:


> Mt Spokane Photography said:
> 
> 
> > Sorry to hear of your issue. Samsung is a lot like Canon, they have a factory tuned to put out vast quantities of monitors and panels, and leave the smaller market for speciality items to those who have their business processes set up to handle them. They may actually be producing panels for some of those companies.
> ...



I'd love to have a monitor larger than 28 in, I have a space issue, there are built-in cabinets above my monitor, so I have about 19-1/2 clearance. Some 30 in monitors with adjustable height will fit, but 32 in will not. I could lower my work top, its 30 in high, because I have 29 inch high file cabinets under it, but the large corner area where my monitor sits could be lowered. I built the entire setup, so I know it can be lowered. Its actually a independent section that just needs some effort to disassemble and cut down. Maybe in the spring or summer, my workshop is out in my barn and its 10 degrees in there today. 2 inches lower should work for a 32 in monitor without my knees hitting the desk top.


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## Frodo (Jan 2, 2018)

A lot of discussion about monitors, resolution and size.
In my view, having a monitor that displays colours accurately, especially wide gamut, is more important. And my recent experience has told me that screen uniformity is most important. And calibration / profiling is critical for any post processing, especially to print.
I bought a BenQ SW2700. The first one was awful with the left side visibly warmer than the cooler right side. 
The replacement is much better but still doesn't meet BenQ's standards (although that is disputed).
I will replace the BenQ with a NEC PA242W for improved uniformity. The NEC, like the BenQ and Eizos allows hardware calibration, which is a valuable feature.
Buying a BenQ is like a lottery. If you get a good one, you will be happy. If not ....


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## kaihp (Jan 2, 2018)

YuengLinger, sorry to hear about your issues.

I picked up a BenQ SW320 between Christmas and New Year, and so far I'm very happy with it.

I have increased the system font size from 100% to 125% which works for my eyes (it did take a couple of days to feel comfortable with it). I've put my older Dell U2412M in portrait mode next to the SW320, but the jarring difference in dpi (the sw320 has a dpi 50% higher than the U2412M) makes it an unhappy marriage, due to Windows 7 cannot handle independent dpi's per-screen.

Mt Spokane, I would be very cautious about lowering your desk height. I'm tall & lanky, and I easily notice an inch of difference. With your troubles with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, I would think twice and thrice before committing to the change. For the sake of making a quick experiment, maybe you could find a piece of 1" wood that you could place under the chair to get a feel for the difference.

Unlike Frodo, I haven't noticed any non-uniformity on the sw320 - but I haven't been chasing it either.


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## Bennymiata (Jan 2, 2018)

I've got a Microsoft Surface Studio which has a 28" 4.5K screen.
I have the text at +250% and every thing is easy to read, and my photos and video look great.
I wasn't too keen on having a touchscreen, but having used it for a few months I'm absolutely sold.
Laying the screen flat means you can easily cut things out and use the screen as a giant Wacom tablet.

This pc works really well as it was designed for the screen.
A number of my Mac friends are very jealous of this pc................


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