It’s not only about pixel density, although that’s important. Most importantly, 5k gives you integer scaling for a resolution of 2560 × 1440, which is perfect for 27 inch. If you can get similar results with another setup I would love to hear about it.
This and exactly this!
I’d love to get one 27 inch 5K monitor for my work(looking at code and text) and have integer scaled MacBook Pro resolution. That would be perfect. But, it’s silly that there are zero choices in EU at the moment. The LG ultra fine is taken out of stock due to some EU regulations, and there is nothing else :-(
"The LG ultra fine is taken out of stock due to some EU regulations"
Is that true?
I bought one about two weeks ago from Saturn, for 19% off. Still waiting for the delivery though. According to "geizhals.de" there are a few stores that still have it in stock.
The wholesale vendor for DK says there is some contention with EU regulations that prompted them to hold on all orders :-( he does not know which regulations they are.
It matters for everything on macOS, which achieves non-integer scaling by rendering to a larger frame buffer then scaling down the entire image to the panel resolution.
MacBooks for the last few years have shipped with a scaled mode enabled by default to give more screen space, I always bump it back down because I hate how fuzzy it makes everything look.
I don't know how text is implemented, but based on my experience, it matters. On my 13inch MBP screen text and everything else is incredibly sharp. I hope someone more knowledgeable can chime in.
I've been very happy with a '5k2k' monitor, I have the MSI Prestige PS341WU. The resolution is 5120 x 2160 at 21:9, and it's basically a stretched-out 27" 4k monitor, so same height and vertical resolution, just wider.
Gives enough real estate to have three 'panels' of windows, and it's all one monitor: I find that two-monitor setups mean I have to either always tilt my neck left and right, or set up one centrally and then really kink to the side to view the other one.
4k @ 28, I used to run 1.5x but eventually switched to 2x because I did want kinda larger stuff due to myopia.. actually it's not that comical once you get used to it.
The returns are diminishing, but if your eyesight is good a 5K monitor is much nicer to work with. Ultimately the reason 4K took hold was part marketing and part display interconnection/GPU technology. The Mac was pretty much alone in driving 5K adoption.
The UP3218K was released in 2018 and pretty much stands alone in that space, for the same reasons.
I believe it's the result of the semi-random crystallization of the effective consensus about what word to use. Partly also what feels like "the next one after".