stevierose
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Hello friends
I am in the process of upgrading my computer to a new 2018 Mac Mini and am wondering whether there is any need to consider upgrading my monitor. I presently use a NEC MultiSync PA241W-BK-SV 24.1" Widescreen LCD Monitor with included SpectraViewII Color Calibration Solution (including an Xrite sensor) which I purchased in 2011. At the time I bought it it was specified to have a gamut equal to 98% of the Adobe 1998 RGB color space. As far as I can tell it still works fine. However, 7 years is a long time in "Moore's Law tech years", so I wonder what, if anything, the newest monitors have to offer that my present monitor does not? It appears from the descriptions that some have higher resolution and some have "internal calibration" that allows you to switch from Adobe 1998 RGB to SRGB by pushing a button. What else has improved in monitor technology, and do you see any reason for me to upgrade? I use the set up for photo editing.
Many thanks!
Steve Rosenblum
Ann Arbor, Michigan
I am in the process of upgrading my computer to a new 2018 Mac Mini and am wondering whether there is any need to consider upgrading my monitor. I presently use a NEC MultiSync PA241W-BK-SV 24.1" Widescreen LCD Monitor with included SpectraViewII Color Calibration Solution (including an Xrite sensor) which I purchased in 2011. At the time I bought it it was specified to have a gamut equal to 98% of the Adobe 1998 RGB color space. As far as I can tell it still works fine. However, 7 years is a long time in "Moore's Law tech years", so I wonder what, if anything, the newest monitors have to offer that my present monitor does not? It appears from the descriptions that some have higher resolution and some have "internal calibration" that allows you to switch from Adobe 1998 RGB to SRGB by pushing a button. What else has improved in monitor technology, and do you see any reason for me to upgrade? I use the set up for photo editing.
Many thanks!
Steve Rosenblum
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
Steve,
I use the same screen you do. I don't think newer screens have improved over the Spectraview 241W, and in some ways they're worse. Many new ones are lit by LEDs, which have inferior color rendering compared to the fluorescent light used in the 241W.
I would not replace it if it still works. Still one of the best screens out there.
View Range
Well-known
Steve, I think you are set monitor-wise. I don't see any reason to buy a new monitor. Moore's Law doesn't seem to apply to monitors or printers. Go Blue.
Mephiloco
Well-known
If you're not having problems with uniformity then I'd keep the monitors you have.
Newer monitors will have 100% coverage of nearly everything, more features etc but if you're staying inside one color space most of the time the other features are going to go unused
Newer monitors will have 100% coverage of nearly everything, more features etc but if you're staying inside one color space most of the time the other features are going to go unused
PRJ
Another Day in Paradise
My two screens are older than that, a high end HP and an Eizo. No reason to change unless they go out of spec or you want to do high resolution video. If anything, most monitors have become cheaper, not better.
You may want to consider adding a second screen to make your life a little nicer.
You may want to consider adding a second screen to make your life a little nicer.
Godfrey
somewhat colored
It'll be fine.
When I get my new Mac mini, I'll continue to use my Apple Thunderbolt 27-inch Display, using the TB->TB/USB-C adapter that Apple offers. I've vetted that it will work perfectly already.
G
When I get my new Mac mini, I'll continue to use my Apple Thunderbolt 27-inch Display, using the TB->TB/USB-C adapter that Apple offers. I've vetted that it will work perfectly already.
G
stevierose
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Thanks to everyone who replied! That's what I thought, but, never hurts to ask.
RichC
Well-known
Agree. I'm a graphic designer as well as a photographer, so colour-accurate calibrated screens are doubly important to me! I'm still using the dual-monitor set-up I bought a decade ago comprising two 30" screens. The computer itself has been replaced a number of times, but I'm still totally happy with my monitors!
If you've got a decent screen - which you have - keep using it till it dies!
If you've got a decent screen - which you have - keep using it till it dies!
stevierose
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Yeah, UM football has pretty much sucked for a number of years now, so having a winning year is a big deal around these parts. Football is a religion here (though I am a football agnostic!) so people just don't know what to do with themselves when they have losing teams. We'll see what happens when we play OSU (HISSSSS!!!!)
ptpdprinter
Mentor
The LR/PS problems reported over at MacRumors with regard to the new MacMini and 4K monitors appear to arise because they are scaling the video from 4K or 5K to 1440x2560, which begs the questions why they bought a 4K monitor to begin with and why they are scaling the video to 2.5K. From what I can tell, running the monitors at native resolution isn't an issue. I'm baffled.
ASA 32
Well-known
Yeah, UM football has pretty much sucked for a number of years now, so having a winning year is a big deal around these parts. Football is a religion here (though I am a football agnostic!) so people just don't know what to do with themselves when they have losing teams. We'll see what happens when we play OSU (HISSSSS!!!!)
It's tOSU.
D)
santino
FSU gear head
Do the environment a favor and keep your good old monitor.
willie_901
Mentor
I looked into the compatibility of my 2011 Apple Thunderbolt 27-inch Display which is uses TB v1. The Apple Store tech page for the 2018 MacMini only list TB2 and TB3 support.
How did you vet the TB1 display will work with the 2018 MacMini?
I contacted Apple and the support tech could not guarantee TB1 was compatible. It is possible that person just didn't know how to get the data needed to be 100% sure.
I read a bit about the TB1, 2 and 3 protocols and found:
TB1: PCI Express 2.0, DisplayPort 1.1a
TB2: PCI Express 2.0, DisplayPort 1.2
TB3: PCI Express 3.0, DisplayPort 1.2
TB1 uses the same PCI bus standard as TB2. This would be consistent with TB1 working with the new MacMini.
The differences between DisplayPort 1.1a and 1.2 involve increased bandwidth, the ability to daisy-chain multiple monitors, multi-streaming (used for 3D) and support of larger color spaces.
So, I also think the TB1 Apple displays will work with the 1028 MacMini. But I don't understand why Apple didn't include TB1 in the tech specs. Perhaps it was just an oversight.