27" monitor suggestions

[nev17]

Hi folks, I promise this will be my last "I need suggestions" topic for a while.

I'm looking for your opinions/suggestions for a 27" Thunderbolt monitor for under £250. Any thoughts/suggestions gratefully received.

Am I correct in thinking USB-C and Thunderbolt are the same connector and my MBP Thunderbolt socket will accept USB-C? Is there a significant difference in performance? 

TIA

[lookatthisguy]

18 hours ago, nev17 said:

I'm looking for your opinions/suggestions for a 27" Thunderbolt monitor for under £250. Any thoughts/suggestions gratefully received.

I'd skip the TB monitors and just buy any old 27" you like, and use HDMI with an adapter for your computer.

18 hours ago, nev17 said:

Am I correct in thinking USB-C and Thunderbolt are the same connector and my MBP Thunderbolt socket will accept USB-C? Is there a significant difference in performance?

You are, and there can be. If you're looking for just one monitor, however, I'm not sure that you'll see much issue… but I don't use them, so I can't speak to it experientially. https://www.macworld.com/article/675887/thunderbolt-4-vs-thunderbolt-3-vs-usb-4.html

[nev17]

3 hours ago, lookatthisguy said:

I'd skip the TB monitors and just buy any old 27" you like, and use HDMI with an adapter for your computer.

You are, and there can be. If you're looking for just one monitor, however, I'm not sure that you'll see much issue… but I don't use them, so I can't speak to it experientially. https://www.macworld.com/article/675887/thunderbolt-4-vs-thunderbolt-3-vs-usb-4.html

Thanks, lookatthisguy. The MBP has an HDMI port, so that shouldn't be an issue. Are you saying that there isn't a significant difference in quality and performance between an HDMI and Thunderbolt connected monitor? 

[FLH3]

4 years ago I bought a second monitor, a samsung 27'', don't remember the model (it shows as "U28E590" in the menus...). I chose this one because it was the cheaper, the more inches for the price.

It's plugged in an USB to HDMI adapter (the little white thin square box) to my iMac and for me it's perfect as I don't realy care about all the fancy and specialized things photographers, video people or gamers need.

I just do music and having 2 monitors is more comfortable. It's set at the same heigth and on the same resolution as my iMac and I usualy I keep the main Logic window on my left on the iMac and either the piano roll or the mixing desk or whatever on my right on the samsung.

Yes the quality of the image is not exactly the same as on my 27'' iMac Pro, sure, but well...

Edited June 17, 2023 by FLH3

[nev17]

2 minutes ago, FLH3 said:

4 years ago I bought a second monitor, a samsung 27'', don't remember the model (it shows as "U28E590" in the menus...). I chose this one because it was the cheaper, the more inches for the price.

It's plugged in an USB to HDMI adapter (the little white thin square box) to my iMac and for me it's perfect as I don't realy care about all the fancy and specialized things photographers, video people or gamers need.

I just do music and having 2 monitors is more comfortable. It's set at the same heigth and on the same resolution as my iMac and I usualy I keep the main Logic window on my left on the iMac and either the piano roll or the mixing desk or whatever on my right on the samsung.

Yes the quality of the image is not exactly the same as on my 27'' iMac Pro, sure, but well...

Thank you, FLH3. The problem is I know nothing about this stuff so want to hear opinions and advice on specific models before I take the plunge. Nothing more frustrating than gear disappointment, and the annoyance of sending it back and starting again. It's going to be my main monitor so, I guess what I'm really looking for is for someone to say "I know about this stuff and the best monitor for your money is..." I may be asking too much, I know. 

[lookatthisguy]

6 hours ago, nev17 said:

Thanks, lookatthisguy. The MBP has an HDMI port, so that shouldn't be an issue. Are you saying that there isn't a significant difference in quality and performance between an HDMI and Thunderbolt connected monitor?

Nope, there shouldn’t be. I’d really only consider using Thunderbolt or USB-C to drive my monitor if it also had a hub functionality built-in that I wanted to put to use.

For your purposes, anyone that recommends Thunderbolt over HDMI has to be coming at it like audiophiles discuss music gear (which is to say, all the nuances they claim to notice are likely overblown or outright placebo effects).

[nev17]

3 minutes ago, lookatthisguy said:

Nope, there shouldn’t be. I’d really only consider using Thunderbolt or USB-C to drive my monitor if it also had a hub functionality built-in that I wanted to put to use.

For your purposes, anyone that recommends Thunderbolt over HDMI has to be coming at it like audiophiles discuss music gear (which is to say, all the nuances they claim to notice are likely overblown or outright placebo effects).

I did wonder if that were the case. Thanks for the insight. Much appreciated. 

[nev17]

In case anyone's interest, this is the monitor I went for: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09YCQNGD9?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details and I'm pleased with it, so far.