IMO there's no value to having more than 1 4K monitor on a desktop. I've had multiple monitors of all kinds in all configurations (portrait, landscape and combinations). Now I don't. I have a 28" , or if the desk is too deep, a 32" 4K monitor, good enough quality for the purpose (I don't game, so it's IPS 60Hz) .
Fundamentally your field of vision is about maxed out with a 28" or 32" 16:9 monitor at desk distance (2-3ft). So having another monitor will only be beyond your peripheral vision, and you'll have to take your eyes off the first monitor and move your neck to look at the second. So larger monitor setups can even give you neck strain.
The simple, smart way to do it is to have the best screen that your eyes can see fully (think a VR headset.. what do you think they have? Gazillion displays spanning beyond your field of vision? Not really.. one best, highest quality display to envelop your eyes.)
Then, you *bring* whatever you want to see in front of your eyes, instead of moving your eyes.. Also called window switching.. Alt-Tab, Cmd-Tab etc.. You can have a zillion apps/windows stacked or arranged however, and then you just bring what you want to see in focus, in front of your eyes..
Other than bragging rights, or maybe having some youtube running (even that really doesn't make sense for above reasons..) on the side, multi-monitor setups don't really achieve anything.
So the question to ask is: Is this a good single monitor ?
IMO there's no value to having more than 1 4K monitor on a desktop. I've had multiple monitors of all kinds in all configurations (portrait, landscape and combinations). Now I don't. I have a 28" , or if the desk is too deep, a 32" 4K monitor, good enough quality for the purpose (I don't game, so it's IPS 60Hz) .
Fundamentally your field of vision is about maxed out with a 28" or 32" 16:9 monitor at desk distance (2-3ft). So having another monitor will only be beyond your peripheral vision, and you'll have to take your eyes off the first monitor and move your neck to look at the second. So larger monitor setups can even give you neck strain.
The simple, smart way to do it is to have the best screen that your eyes can see fully (think a VR headset.. what do you think they have? Gazillion displays spanning beyond your field of vision? Not really.. one best, highest quality display to envelop your eyes.)
Then, you *bring* whatever you want to see in front of your eyes, instead of moving your eyes.. Also called window switching.. Alt-Tab, Cmd-Tab etc.. You can have a zillion apps/windows stacked or arranged however, and then you just bring what you want to see in focus, in front of your eyes..
Other than bragging rights, or maybe having some youtube running (even that really doesn't make sense for above reasons..) on the side, multi-monitor setups don't really achieve anything.
So the question to ask is: Is this a good single monitor ?
Since you went out of your way to state your opinion, I'll state that I respectfully disagree.
Yes, this is a great single monitor relative to the market.
Hmm. checked Samsung and Amazon reviews.
This looks fantastic on paper for $200. And it's actually $200 with even EPP ( I managed to get it in my cart).
But the reliability and other annoyances just seem too prevalent.. I don't know if these are fixable by firmware, but even the latest reviews seem to be very disappointing..
Too bad, would've like to buy this and replace one of my non-PD 4Ks .. but not to be.
EDITED: My monitor is not identical. Mine is the one with one HDMI, one DisplayPort, and one Thunderbolt instead of this one, which has one HDMI, Ethernet, and two Thunderbolt ports. (Both have three USB-A ports).
The one I have is a Samsung S80A, aka: ls27a800unnxza
TL;DR: I have used better monitors and comparable monitors. I use this same monitor with a MacBook sometimes, and I'd buy the same one again for use with a MacBook.
If you really must know:
I have a MacBook and bought this same monitor (for home use) more than a year ago (the last time it was about $200). At a previous job,, I used a 5K 27" iMac. This monitor isn't in that league, but it's also not a 5K.
At my next job, I used a 4K 27" BenQ connected to a MacBook, which was a setup most comparable to how I use this Samsung. I wasn't too impressed with the BenQ, but that might have been because it was the first 27" I used after the 5K iMac.
At my current job, I sometimes use a pair of 4K Asus ROG monitors that are a few years old.
This Samsung obviously isn't "spec'd" to be a gaming monitor, but when I bought mine, I did buy it so that it could be used primarily for my kids' gaming, but would also be what I'd want out of a monitor when I occasionally use it. For $200, it's been a good compromise as a solid all-around monitor with Thunderbolt.
The only two-screen setup I have used with this model of Samsung is this monitor and my MacBook screen as the two screens. I have not "dual-screened" this monitor and any other monitor simultaneously to be able to give any scientific data.
I use one Thunderbolt cable to connect & charge my MacBook & access the monitor's 3 USB-A ports. I have been waiting for this monitor to drop back to this price—but NOT to dual-screen with the identical one I already have. I just want to have a monitor that isn't shared with the kids' Xbox & Switch.
I have been looking for other options, but no Thunderbolt 4K monitors with similar color gamut and specs have seemed to compare (on paper). I would like to be proven wrong though.
I have considered looking for an old 5K iMac to convert into a dedicated monitor, but this Samsung seems like a decent compromise/alternative without the hassle of taking an iMac apart (which I have done).
Edited to mention that this IS a good single monitor, so I do sometimes use it alone, with my MacBook closed. And the kids get some "Vickie Royals" on it, so it's decent for gaming.
You're right, I stand corrected. Note, however, that there are a *lot* of nuances here. The MacBook Pros support *only* thunderbolt daisy chaining and nothing else. The most common type of daisy chaining of monitors is DisplayPort MultiStream Transport (MST) which is what other USB-C monitors use. Without knowing a lot of technical details, it is easy to mistake one for the other. For most non-tech people, I think there is a major risk of buying (another) USB-C monitor that says it supports daisy chaining, plugging it in, and watching absolutely nothing happen. You might be befuddled for quite a while before (hopefully) figuring out what's going on. I wish Apple would have just enabled DP MST, it would simplify so much complexity. In any case, you are absolutely right that MBPs support TB4 daisy chaining, thanks for the correction.
I have the 27 S80ua and it's a great monitor. The only thing I hate is the blue light that flashed while it's in sleep mode. There's no way to turn it off. The 4k is nice and the brightness is good enough for me. The stand is great and I can turn horizontally. It's also $200 with epp.
I have the 27 S80ua and it's a great monitor. The only thing I hate is the blue light that flashed while it's in sleep mode. There's no way to turn it off. The 4k is nice and the brightness is good enough for me. The stand is great and I can turn horizontally. It's also $200 with epp.
So the difference between the two is the tb version has power delivery but no displayport. I do not see other major difference
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Fundamentally your field of vision is about maxed out with a 28" or 32" 16:9 monitor at desk distance (2-3ft). So having another monitor will only be beyond your peripheral vision, and you'll have to take your eyes off the first monitor and move your neck to look at the second. So larger monitor setups can even give you neck strain.
The simple, smart way to do it is to have the best screen that your eyes can see fully (think a VR headset.. what do you think they have? Gazillion displays spanning beyond your field of vision? Not really.. one best, highest quality display to envelop your eyes.)
Then, you *bring* whatever you want to see in front of your eyes, instead of moving your eyes.. Also called window switching.. Alt-Tab, Cmd-Tab etc.. You can have a zillion apps/windows stacked or arranged however, and then you just bring what you want to see in focus, in front of your eyes..
Other than bragging rights, or maybe having some youtube running (even that really doesn't make sense for above reasons..) on the side, multi-monitor setups don't really achieve anything.
So the question to ask is: Is this a good single monitor ?
Fundamentally your field of vision is about maxed out with a 28" or 32" 16:9 monitor at desk distance (2-3ft). So having another monitor will only be beyond your peripheral vision, and you'll have to take your eyes off the first monitor and move your neck to look at the second. So larger monitor setups can even give you neck strain.
The simple, smart way to do it is to have the best screen that your eyes can see fully (think a VR headset.. what do you think they have? Gazillion displays spanning beyond your field of vision? Not really.. one best, highest quality display to envelop your eyes.)
Then, you *bring* whatever you want to see in front of your eyes, instead of moving your eyes.. Also called window switching.. Alt-Tab, Cmd-Tab etc.. You can have a zillion apps/windows stacked or arranged however, and then you just bring what you want to see in focus, in front of your eyes..
Other than bragging rights, or maybe having some youtube running (even that really doesn't make sense for above reasons..) on the side, multi-monitor setups don't really achieve anything.
So the question to ask is: Is this a good single monitor ?
Yes, this is a great single monitor relative to the market.
This looks fantastic on paper for $200. And it's actually $200 with even EPP ( I managed to get it in my cart).
But the reliability and other annoyances just seem too prevalent.. I don't know if these are fixable by firmware, but even the latest reviews seem to be very disappointing..
Too bad, would've like to buy this and replace one of my non-PD 4Ks .. but not to be.
The one I have is a Samsung S80A, aka: ls27a800unnxza
TL;DR: I have used better monitors and comparable monitors. I use this same monitor with a MacBook sometimes, and I'd buy the same one again for use with a MacBook.
If you really must know:
I have a MacBook and bought this same monitor (for home use) more than a year ago (the last time it was about $200). At a previous job,, I used a 5K 27" iMac. This monitor isn't in that league, but it's also not a 5K.
At my next job, I used a 4K 27" BenQ connected to a MacBook, which was a setup most comparable to how I use this Samsung. I wasn't too impressed with the BenQ, but that might have been because it was the first 27" I used after the 5K iMac.
At my current job, I sometimes use a pair of 4K Asus ROG monitors that are a few years old.
This Samsung obviously isn't "spec'd" to be a gaming monitor, but when I bought mine, I did buy it so that it could be used primarily for my kids' gaming, but would also be what I'd want out of a monitor when I occasionally use it. For $200, it's been a good compromise as a solid all-around monitor with Thunderbolt.
The only two-screen setup I have used with this model of Samsung is this monitor and my MacBook screen as the two screens. I have not "dual-screened" this monitor and any other monitor simultaneously to be able to give any scientific data.
I use one Thunderbolt cable to connect & charge my MacBook & access the monitor's 3 USB-A ports. I have been waiting for this monitor to drop back to this price—but NOT to dual-screen with the identical one I already have. I just want to have a monitor that isn't shared with the kids' Xbox & Switch.
I have been looking for other options, but no Thunderbolt 4K monitors with similar color gamut and specs have seemed to compare (on paper). I would like to be proven wrong though.
I have considered looking for an old 5K iMac to convert into a dedicated monitor, but this Samsung seems like a decent compromise/alternative without the hassle of taking an iMac apart (which I have done).
Edited to mention that this IS a good single monitor, so I do sometimes use it alone, with my MacBook closed. And the kids get some "Vickie Royals" on it, so it's decent for gaming.
https://youtu.be/ILXaTpXBR2k
MacBook pro support daisy chaining.
I mean Samsung makes cheap a** monitors and the specs don't inspire confidence. Also fire sale says a lot.
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They may have the same panel. It's kind of like how a Tahoe & a Yukon are practically the same vehicle:
Monitor Panel Part Database
https://tftcentral.co.u
(Shows how few different monitors there really are—and which ones have the same panel)
&
https://www.displayspec
So the difference between the two is the tb version has power delivery but no displayport. I do not see other major difference
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